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It's a Snow Day in Austin - just these few inches of large fluffy flakes have sent the town into a tizzy and sent me to the photo archives... snow makes me nostalgic and it triggers my record-keeping instincts.
This is what we called snow in Illinois! I liked shoveling smaller snowfalls, but it was tough clearing 20" from our drive and walk in January 1999
Then we moved to our first house in Texas where this February 25, 2003 sifting was also called snow
We might have missed the few inches that fell in the middle of the night on February 14, 2004 but a 2AM phone call took us out on the roads...slushy snow, steep hills and road surfaces built for warm weather combined to give us an exciting ride
In December 2008 a thin layer covered the drive, grass and car - enough to make Sleetman a hit on Twitter!
Look fast and you might think you're looking at snow... look close and you'll see it was the destructive March 25, 2009 hail - resulting in 
Can the 16th largest city in the US can handle today's snowfall without too many problems? I sure hope so - want to enjoy these decorative February flakes without guilt
Here are 14 seconds of the fountain in the snow - listen for the birds!
Annie, Great documentary footage of Austin's coldest events. Rare that they are, yes? I also took pics of my loquat with snow on the big tropical leaves - such a great contradiction for the eye. And please enjoy today guilt-free, on me!
ReplyDeleteThank goodness we're not dealing with snow like that in Illinois! It's cold and wet on my corner of Katy at 4:15 pm. We're watching to see if the forecasted ice pellets or snow appear.
ReplyDeleteLove that you put today's snow in historical context. I know the northerners think we Central Texans are crazy but I've snow fall so few times in my life that when it does I can't do anything but walk around rejoicing in it. Of course, I'm one of those lucky people who can take a day off from driving with no difficulty.
ReplyDeleteI love the silence. I went for a walk down to Lady Bird Lake and no one was out. Hardly a car has driven down my street all day. Precious, precious day.
I bet those that woke to the snowfalling thought they were dreaming. Wonderful snow shots. It is no wonder you are living in TX after seeing that IL snowfall.
ReplyDeleteAnnie, It's really lovely out there in your garden~and it couldn't happen to a nicer southern city;-) We had ours and don't want anymore! But seriously...The birds, the sounds of the fountain and snow are all perfect~gail
ReplyDeleteThe fountain video is great. That Illinois snow - now that's SNOW!
ReplyDeleteGreat info on the Austin snow storm of '10, Annie. I like what MSS said about how quiet it can be when it snows... because fewer people are out and about, and well, it is just quieter. I love that about a snowy night.
ReplyDeleteHope you all survived, along with the plants. Watch out for the big melt, which will probably be tomorrow, right?
Woo hoo (or should that be boo hoo?) - everybody gets to join in the snow fun this year. I just checked our weather forecast and we have yet another winter storm watch...
ReplyDeleteThis year's weather has just been unbelievable for those of us in the Southeast. Snow, sleet, hail, freezing temperatures. I want my normal weather back.
ReplyDeleteJan
Always Growing
Such a nice history. It seems that the larger storms of climate change have begun. The traditional currents are changing.
ReplyDeleteVery cool... love the pics!
ReplyDeleteIt was great seeing the past snows in Austin, in addition to the most recent. I can see how Sleetman was a hit on Twitter, too cute. That hail is something else in the full size pic - wow!
ReplyDeleteI must've been half asleep when I commented on that old photo. I can see now that the styles are not what you'd be wearing at that age :) I just saw the label and thought it was you.
ReplyDeleteThis time I really AM seeing snow in your Texas garden and NOT you Ohio garden :) Old Man Winter has been free with his favors this winter and has spared hardly anyone the gift of snow!
We've woken to a beautiful winter wonderland these past 2 mornings.
I loved watching (and hearing) your fountain in the snowfall.
The tiny snowman is a true winter delight! Love it! Thanks for the smile :)
I love your record-keeping nature, Annie. Snow is beautiful when it doesn't stay too long. Both my cat and dog perked up when they heard your fountain and the birds. Finn jumped into the window.
ReplyDeleteI have to wonder what the birds were thinking! I think falling snow is so beautiful but then it never (hardly ever!) falls in my yard.
ReplyDeleteHi Robin GetGrounded - the juxtaposition of our warm-climate plants with snow was just too tempting, wasn't it!
ReplyDeleteThis year it's the East Coast that's been buried over and over, Cindy -relatives in New Jersey & Virginia are not thrilled...think you escaped without any snow?
It's so rare here, MSS of Zanthan Gardens that one should be entranced a little at least. It's funny to think a child who saw the 2004 snow as a 4-year old wouldn't have been able to make another tiny snowman until he was 10.
The morning after snow wasn't one bit quiet in Illinois! Snowblowers are loud like lawn mowers.
The size of the flakes made it very dramatic, Lisa at Greenbow. No, snow had nothing to do with our living in Texas - it was all about the job.
I was surprised and pleased that the bird sound came over on the video, Gail - glad you liked it ;-]
Thanks, Jean - sometimes it's not the shoveling that gets you...it's trying to figure out where to put the snow.
You've had your share this year, Carol! Some snow stayed around until the next afternoon in my garden - only bad part was after temperatures dropped and roads were iced overnight.
I can't believe how many times you've been slammed, Entangled - and it's only February!
Your normal weather is probably more normal than ours, Jan Always Growing - all we seem to do here is break or graze records...wouldn't know how to recognize normal anymore!
Could be Tabor... the predictions weren't really for warmer weather.... just weirder weather.
Thanks very much for commenting Dirty Girl Gardening
Thanks Jayne - my husband made the Sleetman to amuse me... but I had to share! The hail was exciting but expensive.
Your comment did make me curious, Kerri - mostly wondered which of the three you thought was me?
We were in a different house for the last real snow - it was fun to see this garden all fluffy and white.
You've had a lot of wonder this year!
How fun to know your pets could hear the birds on the video, Kate Smudges! Bet they and you are really ready for spring and No Snow.
Maybe the year round residents were confused, Leslie - but bet the birds who travel around like the cedar waxwings have seen everything!
Thanks for all the comments,
Annie
Love it! Your history...of snow. I remember my first two 'southern' snows: they both barely covered the deck, and everything was cancelled. For the first one - I stupidly didn't listen to the radio or TV news and didn't realize any of the closings, and went to work early - only to be stopped by a policeman at the first bridge - they of course had closed them all! Ahhh...these southern snows. I hadn't seen Sleetman - what a cutie!
ReplyDeleteI hope all has been going well - and that spring is beginning to show it's face around your place. It is time, isn't it?
I much prefer your Austin snowstorms to our Illinois snow, Annie:) Even little Sleetman has to be one of the cutest snowmen I've seen. Hopefully, by now all your snow has melted and you're ready to get into the garden. The weatherman has predicted a warmer than usual March for us--I have my fingers crossed!
ReplyDeleteIt is really pretty isn't it? I think we've had all the snow we can stand in Oklahoma, but more is predicted for tonight I think. We're 20 inches over average. That's a lot. Come on spring.~~Dee
ReplyDeleteSleet Man looks like Mr Bill, oh nooooo! I'm meeeelting! (See, I told you I use a lot of exclamation marks!)
ReplyDeleteFun snow photos. I love your video! My son ran out and made a mini-snowman (his first) as soon as he came home from school (early) that day. He was so excited. I loved the big flakes. What interesting weather we've been having. And now it's warm. LOL! Happy Spring!
ReplyDeleteCool. We tend to forget just how amazing snow is when we live with it on a yearly basis. Love the fountain/birds.
ReplyDeleteSnowmygod,
ReplyDeleteI heard you all had some weird weather but I didn't know it was this bad. I guess I should do more blog reading than tweet reading.
Hope there isn't too much damage.