Our Very Own Snowfall

Yesterday's forecast of 3 to 5 inches of snow seemed highly unlikely here in Virginia. We sometimes get a flurry of snow in late October, but never an accumulation. So today's 9 inches of heavy, wet snow came as a total surprise, both to me and to the trees that were still laden with leaves. The leaves accumulated masses of snow so dense that branches cracked and broke off under their weight. Our poor pear tree is broken and laid low.

This afternoon I made this pair of earrings using beads that I bought last spring at the bead shop in Leesburg, VA. They have a reflective crystal-like structure. Kinda-sorta like snow.

I took them outside to photograph them in the snow, which proved a bit difficult--

The snow,the brances--even the leaves--kept stealing the scene.

Finally the camera was able to focus when the crystals reflected the blue of the beads.

We've been hearing that this snowfall was less than anticipated. Once again, we seem to enjoy our own weather pattern here on our little mountain. A slightly higher elevation leads to a slightly lower temperature, producing snow while it's raining at the foot of our road. Tomorrow, I'll hike out and see what I can see.