Last night I took the most beautiful late night hike. Labradoodles, it turns out, don’t like to get their paws cold, icy, and clogged with snow, so I left Scout with Rebekah, curled up in front of the fire. The snow, which came down heavily all afternoon, had given over to icy sleet, leaving a quarter-inch crust of sparkling crunch on top of a good half-foot of pure, powdery, white-stuff.
The temperature hovered around 25-degrees – not ridiculously cold – and a few four-wheel-drives had left hard-packed tracks I could walk on. But I didn’t see a single vehicle, so I was able to safely stomp and slide my way around the two-mile circuit.
This morning the neighborhood is still mostly white; the combination of snowplows and a long night of sleet has changed the landscape from pristine to – well – “slightly used.” Scout is able to walk where it is plowed, but she’s still not a fan.
The branches are coated with a thin sheath of ice. Not enough to bring them down, but just enough to sparkle in the light.
We’re thankful that we didn’t lose power, although we did have an inflatable mattress ready to park in front of the fireplace, just in case. We’re also thankful we can both keep on top of our work from home. Rebekah’s RAV-4 is four-wheel-drive, but we’d just as soon not experiment with snow driving if we don’t have to.
That’s pretty-much how things are shaking down here in Wake Forest, with our third (and thus-far most impressive) winter storm.
So I’ll leave you with the scripture passage Rebekah and I shared this morning at the breakfast table, looking out into the beautiful snow-scape. When we read it, we couldn’t help but think about so many people we know, who seem to miss all the beauty, and who seem only able to focus on judgment and rancor:
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. (Galatians 5:13-15)
Stop it! Really; let God sort it out! And enjoy this beautiful life – DEREK
(Enjoy some snow images!)
I don’t think it is specifically labradoodles who don’t like cold, wet paws. I think it is our Florida dogs! Pearl wants to stay by the fire, too. Big wimps! Glad you two stayed safe and warm.
Definitely a FL dog. She doesn’t like her flip-flops to get icy!
Your photos make me think of our Ohio House. We had woods behind and a small creek at bottom of the ravine. It was really beautiful after a snowfall. Especially pretty when the snow would stick to the trees and branches. Something very peaceful after the snow. Think the blanket of snow silences a lot of modern noise. Still, Still Still. Lovely. Enjoy!