Dear Ullr The Norse God of Snow

Please...no more snow!

I would really like for there to be more sun and less ice.

I know that I was really excited when the big blizzards rolled around, but don't say that I didn't predict that I would soon be sick of it.

Besides, I would really like a reason to try out these new babies that I've practiced with inside the house.

Corso Como Delicious pumps in Olive

So, we all think that you deserve a major break and that we also deserve a break from all this intense snow and sleet and icy rain.

Thanks.  We hope you're listening.

Snow-Related Terms

Being that I'm from Los Angeles, there were so many things I didn't know about snow.  Most of what I didn't know was the different types of snow.

In the past month, there's been 3 storms that have made quite an impact on the city.  So, I wanted to point out 3 new snow occurrences that I didn't know existed before moving here.

Flurries
When I first heard about flurries, I kind of fell in love with the word.  It's the type of snow that's really light, and gets easily blown around.

Obviously, the name for this type of snow makes sense when you think of the phrase "a flurry of activity."  But I like the lightness and the airiness of the word.

Thundersnow
Whoa.  I mean, Whoa.

First of all, that's a really cool band name!

Secondly, it's an honest to goodness thing!  It's basically a thunderstorm while it's snowing.  I didn't actually witness it during the big storm this month, but a lot of folks did.  Here's how it works:

Science is cool.

Bigger Flakes are Generally a Precursor to Rain
Today, I was sitting in my little area, and I realized that the flakes were suddenly getting extremely large!

Look at how big the flakes are!

I was seriously having a double rainbow moment while watching the snow fall from the sky.  It looked like some little winged being was throwing clumps of snow while sitting on its cloud.  But I had to just ask, "What does it mean??"

Luckily, some native New Englanders answered my question, and told me that this will happen when the snow is about to turn into rain.  But still, it was gorgeous.

Gorgeously Ginormous

 

Snow Day for the Unemployed - A Picture Story

The first blizzard of 2011 is here in Boston.  The streets are all covered, and the people are all nestled at home.

I can't believe that the snow is still so novel to me!  In a day, when the snow has hardened to ice or when it's in big clumps of browning dirty snow, I won't be as excited as I am today.  But today, I woke up somewhat excited by all the white has taken over.

Before coffee this morning, I put on my coat and boots and ventured out into the cold.

Checking out the view before heading outside.

The plows were already out, trying to clear what's accumulated.  Though some were waiting for more of it to accumulate before clearing the roads.

Snow plow in the wings.

Today also happens to be trash day.  But what are the odds that they will actually be picked up?

Can you see the trash bags and recycling bins?

There's no way that anyone is getting anywhere today.  At least, there's no way that you'll be able to get anywhere on time today.  The T is running, but it is more like a stroll through the snow.

I'm pretty sure all the snow gets plowed onto the tracks...then what?

Not everyone has a snow day.  Surely nurses and doctors don't have that luxury, and certainly neither do paramedics and firemen.  Though, I sure hope that whatever emergencies there are today are not too intense.

No rest for the weary.

It's difficult to explain the feeling to those who don't have to live in this kind of weather.  Sure, I will be the first to tell you that I dislike having no other choice but to trudge through the snow just to get somewhere.  But, there is something exhilarating about being outside during a blizzard.

Yay!

It's the cold air, the snowflakes that hit your face.  It's exciting to see a snowflake on your glove and notice the individual crystals that make them all so unique.

Snowflakey.

It's beautiful and quiet.  At least for now.

Who knew that I would enjoy the snow as much as I have?

Travels: Maine in a Blizzard

The day we were leaving for Maine happened to be a day when a major blizzard was going to slam the Northeast.  Luckily, the storm was still making its way up through New York before we were on the road.

The boyfriend's dad and step mom live up in Pittsfield, Maine.  They have a gorgeous house that overlooks the Sebasticook River, and there's even a bit more of a pond where they are.

From my previous post on my toesies, I did mention the blizzard.  But here's how it looked from their kitchen window.

Blizzard!

In the right side of the picture, you can somewhat see the roof of the sauna.  What's kind of funny is that I seem to have a habit of making my way into the snow during a blizzard.  This year was no exception.  We took the dogs for a walk, and then I made my way into the sauna and back.

There was so much snow that we needed to strap on some snow shoes if we didn't want to swim through it.

Dress, leggings, boots, and snow shoes.

Luckily, the blizzard finally let up on our 3rd day up there.  We were all excited to see the sun, though the wind was still quite biting.  Here's the same view on the following day.

No more blizzard!

When the blizzard let up, the boyfriend's sister and step sister planned to head back to Massachusetts, but we were staying one more night.  This allowed for some girl-time shopping and bonding action with the boyfriend's step mom, step sister, and her two older teenagers before their departure.  It also allowed for some extra time with the family pets.

Frida

Maggie and Sophie

Ivy

It's been nice to have such a full house with the boyfriend's family, young and old and furry.  It's somewhat comforting to have so many animals around.

But we had our own crazy animals to return to.

On our way back to Boston, I pleaded with the boyfriend to make a stop at the L.L. Bean flagship store in Freeport.  I had been eying 2 coats on their website, mainly because of the price and practicality, but I held back quite a bit mainly due to my finances.  But considering that they had great reviews on the website, and it was on the way, I couldn't resist.

Also, there was a GINORMOUS boot I needed to get a picture with!

L.L. Bean 90th Anniversary Bean Boot

Truth be told, the L.L. Bean style is not really my personal style.  I was really hesitant about going into the store, and I could tell that the boyfriend was hesitant for the same reasons. 

But we were both impressed by the winter coats and shoes.  I'm super excited to be more warm this winter!

Super warm!

Tosies of the Month - December 2010

There was definitely a moment where I wasn't sure if this was going to happen.  At some point, I just realized that I would be fairly busy, and might not have time to sneak in a pedicure.

But, I managed to sneak one in between a job interview and getting my best friend from South Station.

I was in the Government Center and Downtown Crossing area of Boston, so I had Googled nail salons before leaving the house.  I didn't check up on the reviews at all, and figured that I would just take the chance on the first one I came to.

Well, I'd have to say that when you get a good nail person or salon, it's really hard to find another that lives up to it.  The place I went to definitely left a lot to be desired.

I love my nail color, though!  I ended up painting my fingers on my own prior to official holiday festivities.

Now, I didn't get a picture of the pedicure until earlier today, though I actually went on last Wednesday, the 22nd.

Okay, so I personally feel that if a nail technician brings me a bunch of design samples and asks me to choose one, I get a bit disheartened.  I've talked about how I prefer to have the nail technician do whatever design on their own.

So, since I was getting this for the holidays, I picked a design that looked kind of like fireworks.  But here's what they actually look like.

Designed by Katie at Nail Time, Boston, MA
Color: Sephora by OPI - 212 Sephora
Occasion: Holidays
December 2010

I will explain more about this picture in a second.

The nail technicians were so lucky that I LOVE this color!  Here's a better view of it via the Sephora website.

212 Sephora

It's described as "opaque smoky black with iridescent, gold and copper chunky glitter."  Absolutely a fabulous color for the holidays, in my personal opinion.  To me, it's all about that glitter.  To me, it's my light within the dark - something I'm still holding onto in the midst of the unemployment.

Alright, now for the picture explanation.

The boyfriend and I are currently in Maine, and his dad has built a sauna on their property.  I'm generally not much of a sauna person, because I get a bit claustrophobic and unsure whether I'm actually breathing.  But I wanted to be adventurous.

Now, considering that we were in the midst of a blizzard, it felt somewhat appropriate to go down to the sauna.  I believe we were in there for almost an hour, but I kept wussing out and needing to take a break in the changing area.  The boyfriend's dad and brother-in-law were more brave than I could ever be and would dive into the fluffy snow.  But I would just step out onto the steps for a bit.

Considering how hot it was in the sauna, the freezing snow was almost more refreshing than anything else.  Then heading back into the hot steaminess was also great after the freezing cold.

So, this was proof of my slight braveness in this crazy winter weather.  Perhaps a sign of things to come in the upcoming year?  Perhaps more light among the darkness and more bravery?

Lunar Eclipse and Winter Solstice

Almost as if to remind us that today is the official start of winter, it finally snowed in Boston yesterday.

It was weird for me to feel like I really needed to see some snow on the ground, especially considering that I knew I would not enjoy walking through it.  But it was a pleasant sight to see.

First snow!

There's something about how quiet the city seems to get when it's snowing.  Though part of it might be because people are staying indoors, I feel like there's a certain serenity to watching the snow fall from the sky.  There's also the fact that the first snowfall is so clean.  It's almost like a cleansing ritual.

Then, in the early hours, there was also a lunar eclipse.  For the first time in over 370 years, the lunar eclipse coincided with the winter solstice.

Truth be told, it's hard for me not to hope that it means that the tides are changing.  Considering that the days are just going to get longer after so much darkness, I'm really hoping it's some metaphor for life right now.  Perhaps it's a good time to consult the tarot cards.  Perhaps it's a good time to start changing our perspectives on all the negative things that have happened in the past several months.

Here's to the hope that this solstice is bringing.