“Thank goodness for the first snow, it was a reminder–no matter how old you became and how much you’d seen, things could still be new if you were willing to believe they still mattered.” — Candace Bushnell

One of my favorite features of the current icy conditions is the sense of stillness and quiet that settles on our community. It’s not just that the routine sounds are muted, they are simply not there. Hence the crunch of footfall and then the complete silence when Max and I stop before crossing a street.

I also love the play of light in the snow, on and through the ice-covered branches, both during the daytime and on our walks in the late evening.

Even a light dusting carries with it the reminder that this world is essentially pristine until we leave some kind of a mark on it. Even the trash that is too much of a feature on our streets and sidewalks temporarily disappears with the snow.

Yesterday’s post – Beauty in the Cold – features daytime shots. Today I have a handful from late Sunday evening.

We are so blessed to live in this community. The snow, to me, is a gentle reminder that – if only we took better care of this town, this gift that is in our trust – Tarboro could always be this fresh, this stunningly beautiful, this inviting.

“Though your sins are like scarlet,
    they shall be as white as snow…” Isaiah 1:18