On the Trees

Natural Flocking

We've had a lot of weather this week.

First, snow. Inches and feet of fluffy dry powder. It piled on the rooftops.

Then the temperature rose a bit, the snow became wetter. Flakes were large. The neighbor kids built a massive snowman to guard their front door.

A rain/snow mix was next. The snow on the rooftops piled higher. The snow became more dense. Heavy. Thick layers turned to ice, threatening to crack the roof trusses. It weighed down tree branches.

Today, a day of thaw and freezing. Snow on the roads melted into puddles, then turned to sheets of ice. The schools closed.

As I type? The wind is howling through this hollow. The Chinooks that first tear the needles off the pine trees, then blow much of the snow away. We expect some flooding tomorrow.

In between the storms, the trees stand shivering, flocked in their winter coats.