Magical Snowflakes

The animal barn from the back pasture. 

Yesterday we had our first real snow of the season.  It began late Saturday afternoon as the incredibly  cold blast of air that hit Friday started to move out.  It snowed all through the night, and then most of the day yesterday.  It was a slow and steady gentle snowfall, the kind that encourages mugs of hot chocolate and relaxing by the wood stove.

As the snow wound down last night and the sky began to clear,  the moon and stars lit the snow covered pastures. We could see deer under the apple trees searching for the last few apples of the season.  Our goats and sheep were venturing a few steps from their barn out into the snow to enjoy the calm and beautiful moonlight.  It was magical outside.

You see, this snowfall produced my favorite type of snow made up of huge flat crystals that are visible to the naked eye.  Each one is truly unique. Because they are so large and flat, the light reflects and dances off the snow.  It looks as though everything has been sprinkled with sparkly white glitter.  It is just beautiful!  If we are lucky, we get to see this sort of snow a couple times a winter here in Vermont.  Very seldom does it fall in December though.

My camera doesn't do these beauties justice, but if you look carefully you can see a few individual flakes.

I'm sure there is a very interesting scientific explanation as to when and how and why these glittery crystals form, and maybe I will study it one day, but to me it is simply a little bit of magic that Mother Nature offers, and I am quite happy leaving it at that.

This morning in the early light I took a stroll out to visit the animals and enjoy the snow.  The air was crisp and clear, and the sky was a vivid bright blue.  The snowflakes sparkled in the sunlight, just as they had in the moonlight.

Thomas, poking his sleepy head out to see what I was up to.

Frost topped with snowflakes.

Wishing you magical days ahead!