I’ve been playing hooky from my blog. Or you might say I was ‘derailed.’ Peggy and I climbed on Amtrak in Mid-December as part of a 5000 mile train trip across America and back. I’ll cover the adventure in my next post.
We went back east to visit with our son and his family in Florida to enjoy Christmas and then went north to visit with our daughter and her family in Virginia to celebrate the new year. All of that would have been ample distraction to pull me away from blogging. A nasty cold I picked up in Florida was the main culprit however. It was one of those bugs that keeps you awake all night coughing your lungs out. (Remember when Calvin of Calvin and Hobbs sneezed his brains out? That’s how I felt.) I had enough energy to enjoy our kids and grandkids and take the train home. That was it.
I thought it would be fun to feature some photos from today when Peggy and I woke up to several inches of gorgeous snow for my return to blogging. As always, it called for a walk in the woods.
NEXT POST: Clickety-Clack— a 5000 mile train trip across America and back.
63 thoughts on “Playing Hooky and Enjoying a Winter Wonderland”
cindy knoke
Welcome back!
Curt Mekemson
Thanks, Cindy. 🙂
Blogging_with_Bojana
What a wonderful thing to wake up to.
Dry and sunny in this part of the world.
Curt Mekemson
Indeed. 🙂 I am trying to remember, Bojana, where you live. –Curt
Blogging_with_Bojana
Munich.
It just started to rain. And it got cold. There.
Curt Mekemson
Thanks, Bojana!
🙂 Expect a lot more coming your way. –Curt
Blogging_with_Bojana
I woke up to lots of snow.
Curt Mekemson
🙂
leggypeggy
Great pics. Glad that most trees fell in the woods.
Curt Mekemson
Me too, Peggy! 🙂 They certainly knocked down lots of power lines. We were without for 14 hours and were prepared for a longer siege. Thanks. –Curt
ralietravels
Silence. We once had a place near Harper’s Ferry, WV, and I remember the wonderful silence after a snowstorm.
Perhaps we will experience it again. We are outside Columbus, Ohio where we bought a home today. They don’t get much snow, but they do get some. But in the meantime, we are heading back to the warmth of Florida to enjoy it before we move.
Curt Mekemson
Oh my, Ray. From Florida to Ohio will definitely be a shock to your body. Peggy was raised on Lake Erie. Definitely some nasty winters. Our train ride took us right through Harpers Ferry… and there was snow on the ground. –Curt
Arati
Glad to hear that you are back on track after having been derailed by the nasty bug(s) that’s making the rounds this winter. I love the snowy scenes from ‘just up the road from here’.
Curt Mekemson
Health-wise, the engine is still chugging over the mountain but it is ion the downhill side.
Shouldn’t have to go far, Arati, to find snow. 🙂 Always worth a photographic journey! –Curt
M.B. Henry
A winter wonderland indeed! And oh my goodness that teenage deer!!! 🙂
Curt Mekemson
Wasn’t she a cutie, MB! Not too happy today, however. This morning we looked outside and saw the deer running every which way, full out, tails straight up in the air. When we went outside for our walk, we found fresh cougar tracks all around our house! –Curt
M.B. Henry
Oh no!!!!!
Curt Mekemson
Check the next post, MB. 🙂
Alison and Don
It’s so beautiful when it snows in rural locations. It must have been so silent. Even here in the city it’s pretty special, especially since Vancouver doesn’t get much snow – but we’ve had a couple of good dumps over the past week. All white and silent. So glad we didn’t have to drive anywhere. Welcome back to the blog. Hope you’re well now.
Alison
Curt Mekemson
Peggy and I love walking in it, Alison. Both during it (assuming it is a gentle snowfall) and after. We are with you on the driving. We had stocked up on food so we wouldn’t have to. And filled our bathtub with water. On our walk today, we found fresh cougar tracks all around our house. –Curt
gerard oosterman
We finally had some rain, Curt. People were so happy, dancing in the paddocks and all caution to the wind. We were without power too last night but plenty of candles.
Nice to see all that snow at your place. Stay well, Curt.
Curt Mekemson
I can hardly imagine the joy Australians must have felt to see that rain. I would have been dancing in the streets as well, singing in the rain! Just like Gene Kelly.
Thanks, Gerard. –Curt
Eric Saretsky
How fun! My spouse and I are already looking for our next rail adventure. Having just passed via Amtrak, the Klamath-Siskiyou, a week ago – I am envious that you have it so near. Looking forward to your stories of the 5K mile adventure
Curt Mekemson
Fun indeed, Eric. My next post. We took the Starlight from LA to Sacto because that’s where we had parked the truck. Next time we will push on to Klamath Falls. Much closer! –Curt
Sue Slaght
Sorry to hear you have been so unwell Curt. Those kinds of coughs where your brains fall out, not to mention lungs, are brutal.
Your winter wonderland looks magical. We are in the midst of a deep freeze. No walking outside until things warm up above -25C.
Curt Mekemson
Brrrrrr… I remember those days in Alaska.
Much better health now. Thanks. Who knows, one of these days the cough may let me sleep a full night. 🙂
Our winter wonderland produced cougar tracks all around our house today! –Curt
Gunta
That white stuff is nice to play with, but I think I’ve had more than my share for my lifetime. Luckily we don’t see it here very often and it doesn’t hang around if we do.
Curt Mekemson
Laughing, Gunta. My goal is just to see enough to go out and enjoy its beauty and then have it melt. –Curt
Coral Waight
Love the red robin standing out from the snow.
Curt Mekemson
Wasn’t that neat, Coral. Peggy really caught a fun photo. –Curt
Crystal M. Trulove
Me too! That was a great shot and a lovely sight.
Andrew Petcher
This year, not a single flake of snow in my part of the world yet Curt.
I wondered where you were, I thought it might be blogging fatigue but it sounds like you simply had a few busy weeks.
Curt Mekemson
It was really our first.
Par for the course this past year, Andrew. That and the nasty bug.
Another fun walk today; this one featuring fox and cougar prints! –Curt
Crystal M. Trulove
Fox and cougar!! Exciting! The best I get is the inevitable raccoon tracks. Sigh.
delphini510
Welcome back Curt,
It is delightful to hear what an eventful and wonderful journey Peggy and you have had. Amtrak always tempted me but you can’t do it all during some visits.
Apart from your bad cold/flu it reads like a perfect trip. To see both children for celebration and then home to this pristine snow.
I like mornings like that too, the world quietens and so does your mind. Beautiful photos. By the way, did you lift that tree by yourself?
Say hello to the Robin for me.
Miriam
Curt Mekemson
Much beauty and peace, Miriam! Thanks. Although I have report that Peggy and I went out for our walk today and found fresh cougar prints around our house. The deer were going crazy this morning, running every which way! –Curt
GP Cox
Thanks, Curt. I’ve really been missing Winter and snow this year, so I definitely enjoyed your (and Peggy’s) pictures!
So glad you’re well and up and about again!
Curt Mekemson
Me too, G! 🙂 Thanks. Peggy and I just returned from another walk and there are cougar tracks all around our yard in the snow. As you might imagine, the local deer are a wee bit nervous. –Curt
GP Cox
You two be careful!
Curt Mekemson
Always. 🙂 Large bear tracks today!
Anne Clare
Gorgeous shots and welcome back, Curt!
Curt Mekemson
Thanks, Ann. It’s great to be back— both home and blogging. Went outside for our walk this afternoon and found free cougar tracks all around our house. The deer were going crazy. –Curt
Anne Clare
Oh Wow! I bet.
Curt Mekemson
🙂
shoreacres
I do love a good snowfall like that — although it’s been some years since I’ve experienced one. Like fog, snow quiets the world as well as being beautiful. What I didn’t realize until I moved to Texas is that you can smell snow coming, too. I wouldn’t have believed it, but the first time I experienced snow here, I knew it was on the way several hours before it arrived. People thought I was nuts, but there’s something unmistakable about it: a lack of scent, really — clean, and cold.
Curt Mekemson
Don’t think I have ever smelled a snow storm coming, Linda. Do you remember the massive thunderstorms in Liberia where you could hear the wind and rain approaching form the distance? It was always a sign to dash around and yank our clothes off the line and shutter the windows! –Curt
shoreacres
I certainly do remember those storms. That was one of my favorite experiences there — the sound carried so far, and it was delicious listening to it get closer and closer.
Curt Mekemson
Delicious, yes! With more than a little thrill involved. 🙂 Those things were powerful!
Annika Perry
Curt, lovely to see you back and what an amazing train journey across the country! I look forward to reading all about it! So sorry to hear about the nasty bug (but did enjoy the Calvin and Hobbes reference).
Ahh … that’s the most amount of snow I’ve seen all year and it’s great to see you and Peggy enjoying yourselves! The deer looks so cute and Peggy looks very stylish! 😀
Curt Mekemson
Thanks, Annika. I’ll pass the compliment on to Peggy, and the deer. 🙂
Oh, the Places We See
How lovely to see all that snow. And I agree with you — it’s the silence and the scenery that we love to see (and hear). Can’t wait to read about your amazing train journey. Take care of yourself so you can type away and share with your readers!
Great snowy photos!
Curt Mekemson
I find it most beautiful after a fresk snowfall, Rusha. Or during the snowfall. Thanks. –Curt
Animalcouriers
Sounds like you have plenty of things to tell us all about soon, look forward to it. Glad you’re feeling up to venturing out into the gorgeous snow and the blog.
Curt Mekemson
Me, too, AC. Can’t tell you how much I am glad to be out and about. 🙂 –Curt
lexklein
Oh, sometimes I miss a good, deep, quiet snow like this! But then I get over it … happy to see it like this through your photos! I look forward to hearing about the train journey!
Curt Mekemson
Coming soon, Lexi. 🙂 I had to interrupt the post to tell about the visiting cougar. 🙂
Christie
Glad to see you “back in business” 🙂
We’ve had some snow this past weekend too, here in Toronto. It is beautiful!
Christie
Curt Mekemson
I never tire of the beauty, Christie. May years ago a friend of mine had a cabin near Donner Summit in the Sierras. Snow could reach 10-20 feet. I used to cross country ski out our door right into the wilderness. Beautiful it indeed is. –Curt
Dave Ply
I didn’t know you’d gotten that much snow down there. Nothing worth mentioning up here. Pretty effects.
Curt Mekemson
Not often, Dave. Two to three times a year. And it melts off in a day or so. Never longer than a week. Just enough to love it, get excited, and grab our cameras. –Curt
CompassAndCamera
Beautiful, Curt! And happy to hear you’ve recovered from your cold. Looking forward to your post about the train ride!
Curt Mekemson
The first one is up. Grin. Thanks, Kelly. –Curt
Crystal M. Trulove
Fresh snow is always beautiful, and I know what you mean about making it hard to take a good photograph, with all that brightness. I am not a good enough photographer to successfully deal with environmental challenges like that. In any case, your photos here show clearly what gorgeous scenes you and Peggy got to look at during your snow explorations. I’m glad you got a good dumping of snow too. Every single inch of snow will help later in the year.