Winter's Snow Show

The day is about to begin

down the steps I go

following the trail to the outhouse.

Mischa and Dog are ready for adventure.

The neighbors across the street.

The view of the valley from my front door.

Up the hill to the village.

past a frosty cemetery

The sky says its Winter.

dependable local transportation

Finally we are at work.

The children love the snow.

It makes perfect snow balls.

Snow balls have consequences.

What could be more fun?

What a darling couple!

Hair styling for a snow woman.

It's an entire snow family.

Dance around the snow family.

Tomorrow is another day.

Unlike parts of the Midwest (USA) that have had storm after storm this winter, Moldova has had a snow free winter until February.  Over the past week, we gained about a foot of snow.  For a few days it delayed transportation in various parts of the country.  Some villages were without power for several days even up to a week.  But it was nothing as bad as our neighbor Romania had to deal with which was virtual white out conditions for days on end.  In the village, it doesn't seem that bad.  My 15 minute walk to work took about the same amount of time.  I just had to spend a few extra minutes getting boots on and off at either end of my trip.  The children were happy to have snow.  They think its a lot of fun.  People use sleds quite a lot....the kind you pull, to bring children to school.  The caruta driver exchanges his wagon for a sleigh and the horse gets through the snow without problems.  My home dogs have followed  me to work everyday and play with the watch dogs we have at the center.  I think they sense that Spring is in the air.  One of them left a cigar in the middle of the trail to the outhouse.  Not very PC of them.  We had lots of fun creating a snow family with the children.  Coal and carrots for eyes and nose are too expensive to come by, so we made do with dried flowers and branches from the yard.   Greetings from Vasile, Natasha, and little Ion,  the snow family of Piatra.