Winter Finally Here

This post is entitled "Winter Finally Here".

These pictures were taken on BLM land right on the outskirts of town (in fact, there is a home just on the other side of the hill, on the right side in the picture above).

 More homes are hidden among the trees in the center of the picture but you don't have to wander very far in order to find yourself in the middle of thousands of acres of empty public land.

These pictures were taken on December 31.

The day after we had a heavy snowstorm.

It was bitter cold on this day but puppy needed to run, and so LC and I bundled against the wind and cold and hunkered down long enough for Kory to relieve some of her pent up energy.

After endless snows and snow melts over the past couple of months we thought for certain that winter was "finally here".

But six days later we are heading into a week that NOAA tells me will be mostly sunny with temperatures in the mid to upper 40s, and all of this snow is rapidly disappearing again.................

After finally getting some of that pent up energy out of her system, we all three (two humans and one dog) climbed back into the Tahoe, cranked the heat up to max, slowly drove across a cattle guard and instantly found ourselves back in civilization.

There are three levels to Cody.

"Up On The Hill" - where the complex that includes the rec center, aquatics center, ice arena, post office and library are all located, where multiple stores are located, where Beck Lake and the veterans memorial are located, and where middle class homes and decidedly upper class homes are all located.

"The Main Level" consisting of older homes ranging from very nice to not very nice, multiple businesses, the high school, touristy Sheridan Avenue that runs through the center of town, and all the other statues/museums/parks/stores that accommodate the flourishing summer tourist industry.

And finally "The Lower Level" made up mostly of brand new homes in brand new subdivisions and the Shoshone River Walk.

After leaving BLM land after a freezing cold and windy walk with LC and Kory, we crossed over that aforementioned cattle guard and immediately found ourselves driving through a very high class neighborhood.

Close to the golf course, these homes are all very large, with extravagant wood and stone exteriors, and endless gorgeous views of the mountain ranges that surround Cody.

Even though I was still very cold, on a whim I asked LC to pulled the Tahoe into a circular parking area that overlooks the two lane highway heading out of town.

As I trudged through the unploughed parking area I looked down over the area enjoying the beautiful views.

The mountains.  

The snow covered streets.  

The frozen mist that was slowly beginning to burn off, only to be replaced with winter-blue sky.

The mountains (that just a few minutes earlier had been completely obscured by the mist) were beginning to make their first appearance of the day..................

After power snapping a few quick pictures I gratefully climbed back into the Tahoe.

I was freezing.

As LC pulled away from the overlook, I glanced back over my shoulder, taking in one last view of the edge of town.

It is beautiful here.

It really is.

Smiling over at LC I asked him if he wanted to go to Grannies Restaurant for breakfast.

Always up for Grannies, he nodded in the affirmative.

I could already smell the coffee................

I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, "Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again........Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass