Waiting for the thaw

We dodged the "hurricane" effect of the latest snow storm. We've got 13 inches of fresh snow in the back yard, but the fierce wind gusts we'd been warned about didn't reach our neck of the woods. We didn't even lose power.

Still, we spent the day after the storm hunkered down at home, making the best of a messy situation with sledding, snow angels and birdwatching. Good thing we didn't have to go anywhere: The first plow through here didn't arrive until after 9 a.m.

I headed out early to attack the fresh 6 inches of snow that had fallen overnight. An hour later, I decided that half a cleared-off driveway was better than none. Still, it felt good to be outside in the morning air, getting my day's exerise out of the way.

Now, sitting in the den with the 3-year-old in my life, I'm just as glad to be warm, dry and, well, not exerting myself. There's a mug of Ovaltine waiting to be made and a new bag of marshmallows in the cupboard.

Somewhere under all that snow, a patch of small white flowers called snowdrops is waiting to push through the soil. In a few weeks the plants could be in bloom. And a week or so after that, winter will be over -- at least, officially. (We know better than to believe the calendar.)

But right now, looking out at the quiet woods decked with snow, thinking about that mug of hot chocolate, I'm almost glad there are a few more weeks of winter left.