SNOW! in Hotlanta!

Yes, that's right - it snowed yesterday way down here in Hotlanta. Wow! It began to fall just as I was leaving work, and it was lovely. The kids both called me squealing with delight.

When I got home I remarked that I guessed I wouldn't be able to run in the snow, to which my husband replied, "Because of 15 snowflakes you can't run?" I decided he was right; the snow was very light and would likely stop any second. I threw on my running outfit, and then covered that with another layer consisting of sweatpants and a long sleeved tee shirt and headed out the door. 10 steps down my street I realized I had forgotten the knee bands and had to rush back to get them. I quickly strapped 'em on and again headed out.

By the time I had gotten about 20 yards from my house the gray, still sky began to hurl giant snowflakes with a fury. Such huge snowflakes! I swear they were the size of brazil nuts! And so beautiful.

....and so cold and wet....

I ran anyway. The brazil nut flakes rushed toward my eyes every time the wind direction changed, causing me to have to run with my eyes shifted down toward the street. But oh my - the beauty! I felt tearful with the sight and tried to run with my eyes squinted. Through the slits I could see a gazillion white sparkling flakes swirling everywhere. I guessed it looked much like Times Square at midnight on New Year's Eve, but with only white confetti.

My eyes became Venus Flytraps. My lashes were cilia lining the edges of the leaves and the snowflakes were my pray. As they landed casually on the trapping mechanisms, my eyes would snap shut, capturing the poor unsuspecting flakes.

I wanted so badly to capture what I was seeing with a camera and was pained to not have the ability to do so. Alas, how can one run with a heavy camera bouncing to and fro on one's chest?

I was the only person running. I ran with a huge smile on my face, at times opening my mouth to let the wetness land on my tongue. Soon enough the flakes began to accumulate and stick on the lawns. At this rate we would have an inch or more of snow, I told myself. I sped up, worried that the streets would begin to freeze and cause the hills to become slick.

By the time I had reached the last leg of the run, the bitchofahill which leads to my own street, my hands and nose were numb and my hair was plastered to my head like an oversized helmet. I couldn't wait to peel off the wet clothes and so I sped up. But as I got to my driveway I stopped short. I stood there agape, soaked to the bone, lashes matted together and crusted with flakes, gazing at my front yard. It was completely blanketed in sparkling white. The laughter of my children and the children next door echoed.

Yes, I thought, life is good. Life is beautiful.