snow part II

Though I guess really I should edit my last post to be "snow: the prequel." If you haven't heard on the news, and don't live anywhere near here, then you may not be aware that DC saw a lot of snow over the weekend. A lot. Probably more snow than I've ever seen in my life (visits to Montana excluded since it's expected there. Practically mandatory).

And being out in the aftermath on Sunday, with the most beautiful clear blue sky with wisps of clouds and a blanket of whiteness covering the ground, I was again reminded that DC is an absolutely beautiful city. That thought hits me periodically, among the cherry blossoms or with fall leaves blazing against a blue sky...flowers coming up after the quiet of winter.

But the blizzard also had a few interesting moments. For one, mostly on Saturday during a short break in the torrents of snow falling down, the few people that were out had free rein of the streets, walking in the middle where the ground was much more solid. No worries about cars for once (and for more on that, please see my earlier post about being a pedestrian in DC). And there was something else too...something that made me realize it wasn't just me.


See, snow makes me happy. When it falls, it's beauty is calming and I could sit for hours with hot chocolate, a book and a window and just watch it fall. And that I have done before. But when I was out taking pictures...I realized I wasn't the only one who was made happy by the snow fall. For the first time, I traded many smiles and "good mornings" with those I passed in the streets and made way for a good camera shot.

For some reason, it opened people up, in ways that I see more often in Texas than here. Too often, we Washingtonians, hurry to work with our headphones, passing people by without eye contact, without a smile or a "good morning," especially in cold weather when we're hunched over trying as best as possible to protect ourselves from those bitter cold winds rushing down the downtown wind tunnels. I know because I'm guilty of this too.

But it was a nice change.