Wallingford

It doesn't take much snow to shut Seattle down. I guess that's mainly because we don't get it very often and folks tend to get confused and a little panicy when it threatens to fall. But it's also because we don't have many plows and sand trucks, so streets can pile up with 4-6 inches of snow and all it can do is get packed into ice. Combine that with steep hills and mild temperatures that often put a skim of water on top of the ice and it's no wonder it's hard to get around.

On the other hand, over the past week the schools started late twice and were canceled three days, for a grand total of 2-6 inches of snow. And if the coming week wasn't already vacation, it would have become one. Good thing the climate is warming, otherwise our kids might get no education at all.

Snow

The past week has brought several loads of snow to the Seattle area, more than we typically get in an entire year. And it's snowing again this evening. It's not that we have that much - maybe six inches - but that it's so unusual to get snow. And it's so unusual that it isn't slush.

Whidbey Island

Somehow I was able to convince D that it would be good to get out of the house on Sunday afternoon. Maybe this weekend's NFL pairings weren't that interesting or maybe the couch was getting uncomfortable? We hopped the ferry to Whidbey, had pizza in Freeland, and headed for Ebey's Landing, hoping for the promised sun breaks.

As it turned out, we couldn't even see the beach from the top of the bluff. But it's still one of the best coastal hikes on Puget Sound. Then it was off to DQ in Oak Harbor, a quick stop at the Deception Pass bridge to peer down into the darkness and the fog, and then a loop around March Point, where we got to see Venus and Jupiter and a crescent moon among the bright lights of the refineries (the clouds finally cleared). And we still made it back to Seattle for dinner at Dick's.