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On Wednesday, December 16th, we got our first snowfall of the season and it was a doozy of a blizzard. 

It started at about 12:45 that afternoon and didn't stop until the next morning. I can't tell you how much fun it was to walk home from work that evening. I felt like a little kid; smiling all the way. At one point, I was tempted to throw myself on the street and make a snow angel, but decided against it because I didn't want a bus to run over me. So, I settled for a few quick twirls on the sidewalk because there is nothing quite so magical and enjoyable as twirling in snow.

What I especially loved about this particular snowfall was that the snowflakes were HUGE. They resembled large pieces of confetti falling from the sky. I felt like I was inside a snow globe that someone had just feverishly shook. 

It was faaaaaaaaaaabulous!

And considering that last year we only got one snowfall that was pathetically wimpy, we were deserving of a hearty first snowfall this season.

In fact, as I type this post, I just heard on the weather channel that we might be getting more snow this week. 

I don't know how it was where you live, but our Christmas Eve day here in Philly was bizarre. It was so warm and humid that I actually saw people on the streets walking around in just a T-shirt, khaki's, and flip-flops. It was in the high 60's with 87% humidity, which made it feel more like it was in the high 70's. As I was walking to work that afternoon, I had to stop and remove my jacket because I was sweating.

However, Christmas day did not disappoint. It was 32 degrees, windy, and overcast. I actually went for a long walk in the park and enjoyed the Christmassy weather. Not many other people were outdoors, so I relished the almost-solitary quietness of the day. When I got back to my apartment, I made some homemade soup and ate two large bowls for dinner, with a salad and some bread. YUM-MY!

It was truly a wonderfully relaxing and heart-warming Christmas. I watched two of my favorite holiday movies, Noel, and White Christmas. I also spoke with my brother in Florida and a few close friends who are scattered throughout the U.S.

Here are several photographs I took during and after our first snowfall last week.

Please enjoy...


I took these first two photos while I was at work. I walked outside onto a tiny balcony that is on our floor with my smartphone. It was so windy that when I opened the door, it literally flew out of my hand and I could hardly get it closed again. I seriously thought I was going to blow off the balcony, it was THAT windy.

I work across the street from this beautiful old church...



The following photos were taken several days after it snowed. This is Washington Square Park...


Look at the chunks of ice in this fountain. They look like sections of the iceberg that sank the Titanic...


I found this cute snowman next to a tree. I love his waffle carrot nose.
And if you look down at the lower-left bottom half of the snowman, it appears as though a dog lifted its leg and PEED on him...


Icicles I found on a wall in the park...



This stunning Christmas tree is located in a courtyard outside of Mom's Organic Market...


 Wishing you all a Happy, Healthy, and Bright New Year!
💗

25 comments:

  1. Ron, that picture of the baby snow angel is so precious! I love the first snowfall too. There is nothing quite like it. We had a heavy duty snowfall back in mid-December as well. And same here, Christmas Eve day was unseasonably warm. Sounds like you had a great Christmas day. Mine was quiet too, but I enjoyed it.

    As always, great photographs. That church is stunning! And I love the pic (and story) of the snowman. LOL!

    Wishing you a happy, healthy and bright 2021 too! I think we're all so ready for it. xo

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  2. What a RUDE dog! Bahaha! You have some great captures of the snow capped city, Ron. And that church is incredible! Looks very European.

    It’s funny that our weather has been the opposite this year. When you got that heavy snowstorm, we only had a few inches. But on Christmas Eve to the following day, we received 8 inches. I would have preferred tshirt weather!

    That last photo is so festive! I hope your 2021 is filled with life’s simple pleasures, with a heavy dose of normalness! XO

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  3. Hey there Candice!

    Isn't that baby snow angel the most adorable little thing you ever saw? And that's exactly how I feel when it snows....like a child!

    I know, I've heard that from several people I know who live in various parts of the U.S., it was warm on Christmas Eve day and even parts of early December.

    Happy to hear you had a nice Christmas Day, just being quiet. I'll tell you, I kind of like spending holidays like that. Small, quiet, and also heart-warming. I don't have to do a lot to be happy.

    Isn't that church beautiful? I love looking out the window and just staring at it. The architecture is glorious!

    Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend. Enjoy the rest of your week, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

    X

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  4. HA! I know, it's that HILARIOUS about the snowman? The NERVE of that dog!

    Isn't the church stunning? Yes, you're right, VERY European. I used to walk by that church a lot on my way to a previous job, yet I never viewed it from above. However, in the place that work now, I'm able to fully see its grandeur from a higher floor.

    " When you got that heavy snowstorm, we only had a few inches. But on Christmas Eve to the following day, we received 8 inches. I would have preferred tshirt weather!"

    WOW...that's AMAZING! Isn't it something how strange the weather has been this year in various parts of the U.S.? I think the final forecast was that we got 10-12 inches that day.

    Isn't that tree so festive? I'm going to miss walking by it after the holidays. That whole area (by Mom's Organic Market) is new. They have some really beautiful hotels, apartments, coffee shops, and restaurants. It's was very popular during the summer because you could sit outside and eat and drink.

    Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend. And I wish you the same in 2021!

    Cheers and X!

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  5. Happy New Year, Ron!! No, I'm still taking a break, but when I saw you'd posted about snow, I knew I had to come over and read it -- and you didn't disappoint me! Your enthusiasm for snow is almost contagious (I say 'almost' because I'll probably always love warm weather best but I can't help loving your attitude!)


    What a gorgeous old church that is -- and how fortunate you have such an interesting view. And I was amazed at those icy chunks in the fountain. You're right -- Titanic, for sure! How cozy, you having two bowls of homemade soup on a wintry day -- yummy is right! xo

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  6. Ron, I thought of you last week when I saw on the news that the northeast was getting hit with a lot of now because I know how much you love it! These pictures are wonderful! The shots you got of the snow covered church are so beautiful. Don't you love old churches?

    And oh my god, I LOL at your commentary about the snowman. You are so funny! But that's exactly what it looks like.

    So happy to hear that you had a great Christmas. I know so many people who did the same thing because of not being able to visit family members and friends. Me too. I thought I'd be depressed, but I wasn't. I got together with one of my best friends. She came over Christmas Eve and slept over, and then we had a great Christmas day sharing gifts, eating, drinking wine and watching movies.

    Love that final picture of the tree. It's so beautiful! Wishing you the very best new year ever. I think we can all do with some positive change this year.

    xo to you!

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  7. Happy New Year, Debbie! And thank you so much for stopping by during your break. You're a sweetheart!

    Isn't that church STUNNING? And yes, I LOVE the view from where I work. That's a Catholic church that I've walked past a million times living here, however, I've never seen it from above. I love the architecture! And seeing it covered in white snow made it look even more beautiful.

    Aren't those icy chunks amazing? They were HUGE!

    Hope you had a faaaaaaaaabulous Christmas Day with Domer. Happy New Year, dear friend!

    Cheers and X!

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  8. Hola Denise!

    I KNEW you'd be thinking of us in the Northeast! OMG...I was so surprised by HOW MUCH we got. I knew it was going to snow, but not that much or than heavy. It was magical!

    Yes, I love old churches because they have such a historical feel.

    HA! Isn't that snowman hilarious? I didn't notice the urine stain until I downloaded the photo and saw it on my computer screen.

    Oh, your Christmas Day sounded AWESOME and FUN! So many people I've talked with since Christmas said that they too have a quiet Christmas and really enjoyed it.

    I love that tree too. And I'm going to miss it when they take it down in January.

    Thanks so much for stopping by, girl. Wishing you the very best in 2021. And yes, I think we are all due for some positive changes next year.

    X

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  9. Ron, I share your enthusiasm for snow because I feel the same. And there is nothing quite like the first snowfall of the year.

    Your photographs are marvelous! The pictures you got of the church from the balcony are beautiful. And I applaud you for walking out there with the snow and heavy wind. I'm scared of heights, so there is no way I could have done that.

    Hope you had a wonderful New Year's Day! Wishing you all the best in 2021. It's been so nice reading your blog this year.

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  10. Hello there, Daniel!

    Isn't the first snowfall the BEST???? There are not many people like you and I who love the snow because most people don't like the cold. They much prefer the heat of summer. But not me. This is my time of the year and I'm going to savor every minute of it.

    To be honest, I too don't like heights. But I was determined to get photographs of the snowfall and the church, I just did it. But I have to say, that wind was scary.

    Thanks so much for stopping by. Wishing YOU all the best in 2012 as well!

    Cheers and X

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  11. Ron, I almost emailed you the day it snowed here because both my husband and I were thinking of you, knowing you were so excited. And judging from this post, we were right. Wasn't it beautiful? We knew we were going to get snow, but so surprised by how much! The photos you took for the snow covered church are just gorgeous. And I love how deserted the streets looked. Don't you love how quiet everything gets when it snows in the city?

    "if you look down at the lower-left bottom half of the snowman, it appears as though a dog lifted its leg and PEED on him..." We both laughed when we read that. And from the look on the snowman's face, he looks pissed. LOL!

    Beautiful shot of the Christmas tree! Hubby and I are so looking forward to 2021!

    Wishing you an incredible Happy New Year's Day. Do you have any plans? Be safe. You know how crazy this city can get on New Years. xo

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  12. Hellooooooooooooo there, Elaine!

    I was thinking of you too because I knew that you and I were probably the only two people in this city who were HAPPY and EXCITED about the snow! Yes, I was blown away (literally, ha!) by the amount of snowfall we got. And it just kept falling until the next day. I know, isn't it wonderful how quiet a city gets when it snows? I love how snow muffles everything.

    I laughed too at the snowman when I saw the yellow stain on the snowman! But I didn't notice it until I had uploaded the photos on my phone to my desktop computer.

    No, I don't have any plans other than coming home from work tonight, having some dinner and a glass of wine, and maybe watching a movie. Tomorrow, I may go for a long walk because I don't think the city is going to be crazy like previous year because of the bars not being, so I won't have to deal with all the crazy-drunk people on the streets. LOL!

    Wishing you and your husband a Happy, Happy New Year!

    Cheers and X

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  13. That's right, Ron, it didn't even dawn on me about the bars being closed. I bet the streets will be very quiet. :)

    Enjoy your day!

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  14. Yes, VERY quiet. :)

    Enjoy your day too! X

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  15. http://ladyfi.wordpress.comThursday, December 31, 2020

    I love all your snow shots! (Ours has, unfortunately, melted away.)
    Wishing you a year filled with good things - and more snow!

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  16. WOW! these were nice snow shots Ron, especially of the church and the snowman (drat to the dog). We also received a nice snowfall back in mid-December. Sadly, the rain on Christmas Day washed away what remained, so the holiday was rather colorless from that standpoint. We are having a rainy New Years exit and entry. Hopefully, more snow will arrive in 2021, because we are also snow and cold devotees, no warm weather climates for us.

    Best wishes to you (and all of us) for a better and Happ(ier) New year which will get off to a slow start, but hopefully improve in time.

    Thanks for your blog posts, which I have greatly enjoyed this year and already looking forward to reading more NEXT year. Also, I have appreciated all your wonderful comments on my blog posts. I plan to continue blogging as well, and may just reduce the frequency as often takes more time than expected to compose the types of posts I enjoy doing and sharing. I suspect it's the same with you because it definitely show in the quality of your posts, my friend, so Carry On and Blog.

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  17. Thank you, Fiona! Yes, ours has as well. But I SO enjoyed the photos you shared on your blog of your snowfall. They were GORGEOUS!

    Happy New Year, my friend! Looking forward to blogging with you in 2021!

    Cheers and X

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  18. Hi there D!

    Thanks so much for stopping by.

    Happy New Year!

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  19. Wanted to stop on New Years day to wish you a Happy New Year, Ron! Your photographs, as usual, ROCK! The ones of the church are amazing. So goth!

    I'm with you, there is nothing quite like the first snowfall of the season. I'm hoping we get more this month, as I'm sure you are too.

    The pic of the snowman is hysterical. I always enjoy your commentary.

    Here's hoping that 2021 is a huge improvement over 2020. All the best to you, dude!

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  20. Hiya Matt!

    Happy New Year to you too!!!!! And yes, you are so right about the church.....SOOOOOOO Goth! It looks like something you'd see in a Dracula movie. Ha!

    Me too! I hope we get A LOT more snow not only this month, but in February as well. We are due for it considering that last year we got only one the whole season. Such a bummer!

    Isn't the snowman adorable? I love his carrot nose that's waffled!

    "Here's hoping that 2021 is a huge improvement over 2020. "

    Me as well! I think we all feel that way about 2021. Hopeful!

    Thanks so much for stopping by. Wishing you and your girlfriend a faaaaabulous New Years!

    X

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  21. Oh Ron, that baby snow angel is ADORABLE! I feel the same about the first snowfall of the season because there is nothing quite like it. Like you said, it makes me feel childlike. Your photos of the church are just beautiful. What gorgeous architecture.

    I laughed at the snowman. That's so funny. And you can see it too!

    Happy to hear you had a great Christmas. We did the same thing this year. My husband and I laid low at home and had a really nice time being together, just the two of us. My family is out of state, his family is in the same town we live. But because of covid, we didn't get together with them.

    Happy New Year to you! Here's hoping 2021 is better than 2020!

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  22. Greetings Clair!

    Isn't that snow angel baby the cutest little thing you ever saw? Yes, there is NOTHING like that very first snowfall of the season. It's MAGICAL!

    I love that church. It's such a beauty.

    "My husband and I laid low at home and had a really nice time being together, just the two of us. My family is out of state, his family is in the same town we live. But because of covid, we didn't get together with them."

    I think a lot of people did the same thing this year. And I know that was very hard for people with families close by. Hopefully this year will be back to normal.

    Happy New Year to you too! And yes, I KNOW 2021 will be awesome!

    Cheers and X!

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  23. Thanks for sharing your first snowfall with us. It's lovely! I'm wrapping up a post on our first ice storm on January 1st! I love the icicles and the church is beautiful. But, I love the tree in the market the best! It's simply stunning! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. Soup, salad and bread sounds like wonderful comfort food. I wish for you all the best for 2021. X

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  24. Hey there Lisa!

    Thank you.

    And yes, I saw one of your ice storm photos on your Instagram account and LOVED it! Hasn't this been a weird winter season? Everyone in various parts of the U.S. are having the opposite weather. It seems that when it's cold and snowy in one place, it's warmish and almost spring- like in other places.

    I'm all about comfort food right now. I've been making different kinds of soup each week and LOVING them. In fact, I'm getting ready to make a new soup recipe sometime this week.

    Thanks much for stopping by. Wishing you the BEST in 2021!

    Cheers and X

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  25. Gah. Somehow I missed a bunch of your posts, Ron. Please ignore my email checking in on you, lol.

    The snow is beautiful! Ours has been sadly lacking all winter. We get little bits here and there, then it warms up a few days later and is all gone. This winter is a stark contrast to the last two!

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