Frozen over

For the past 2 nights the temperature has dipped to18 degrees. That's very cold for our area.  I thought winter was over.  It's late February and we have about 3 weeks to go before the official end of  winter, but really! Outside everything is quiet and the colors are muted.  Even the green grass has a gray look to it. We are expecting a bit of snow tonight.  As often happens, however,  the areas around us get the snow and we stay in a pocket of dry. They call it "the bubble". Two days ago, the cities to the north and south got 6 to12 inches of the white stuff.  We got a trace. It's a little disappointing because I enjoy a nice snowfall once or twice a year.  This bitter cold is something else.  I have a warm fire burning in the wood stove and my brother and I are going to hunker down and do some watercolor painting.

When the pond below my house froze over, I took a picture of it and did this painting.  These are exactly the colors I refer to when describing winter here.  The grays, brown and blues, so muted and soft. This little elf's name is Ione. She doesn't come to visit very often, only when the the temperatures drop to freezing.  She brings icicles and snowflakes and breathes the magic that is winter.  "You can walk on water!"