It snowed...

...upon the ground last night!

I know, I watched it fall!

But when I opened my curtains wide

it wasn't there at all!

I wrote this poem years ago when I was in school. Probably in the mid 60's. Yeah, I think it was somewhere around then.

Either way, that always seemed to be the case! It would start snowing at night and my brothers and I'd watch the snow fall through our bedroom windows, the lights out so we could see better.

We'd stare into the darkness pressing our faces against the glass trying to catch glimpses of those snow flakes as they floated to the ground. We could never tell how deep the snow was getting, just that the ground and trees were turning whiter and whiter... which was good enough for us... that meant the snow was getting deeper by the flake!

We'd go to bed content that the snow would be there in the morning. But when we woke up the snow would be nowhere in sight!

Those snowy nights were some of the most frustrating memories I had as a child when it came to our Washington winters.

I like the snow. I always have.

So when it started snowing last night I didn't expect much.

Andrew did... and I relived a bit. He went to bed excited. I went to bed wondering how I was going to explain the wet morning grass.

When we woke up... well, let's just say the snow hung around a bit.

Andrew and Chief got right out there in it. Andrew wasn't quite sure how to make a snowball but after a little bit of coaching he mastered the art.

It wasn't much snow. Maybe a couple of inches at the most but as the day wore on it got to become pretty good "packing" snow... if you know what I mean.

Andrew and Chief buddied up all day in the stuff, coming indoors from time to time for some hot chocolate and a bit of thawing. Then when warmed, dried, recharged and insulated they'd charge back out, brave the elements and try a stab at making "snow angels"... well, at least Andrew did.

Chief... he wasn't too sure about this whole "snow angel" thing but he surely enjoyed watching as Andrew did his thing.

And what else happens in the snow? Well, it just isn't a real "snow day" unless you build that snowman or two.

Andrew started small. He rolled and rolled and rolled the ball of snow.

He was patient! Determined!

Chief wanted to help but wasn't sure how. He'd try to nip the ball of snow... unsure exactly what Andrew was trying to do with it. Thinking Andrew wanted to play.

But as the snowball grew...

...as it gained size and shape it all came to pass. Chief watched as Andrew built a living, breathing snowman!

Andrew packed it here, smoothed it there... chopped it with his hand... grooved the joints out with his fingertips.

He was the creator! The father of this snow... "person"!

And Chief stared in awe!

After Andrew completed his first live snowman he tried to get the little guy to chum around with him and Chief.

Andrew offered up his skateboard and hat!

He and Chief tried to help their newly created friend up onto the board...

...onto that bone breaking, skin scraping, tooth chipping piece of plywood with roller skates.

But Frosty would have nothing to do with it. Nothing at all!

Nope, Frosty wanted a more timid, laid back friend. Not that he had anything against Andrew and Chief...

...not that at all. He simply wanted a companion that was a bit more errr, well quiet and inactive like himself.
Someone sooo much like himself.

Creator Andrew (and Chief) went back to work.

Rolling, packing, poking, prodding, grooving, chopping... doing it all over again until...

...VOILA!! Frostess the snowgirl was born!

And so goes the story of the night the snow fell in Olympia...

...and hung around a bit the day after!