An Old-Fashioned Penn State Whiteout

So let's talk about the weather, shall we?  ;-)

It snowed over this past weekend. I think we were predicted to get 1 to 3 inches, but where I live, we ended up with more like 5. Dexter the Tabbycat took to his blankies and wouldn't come out except for meals; I suspect he hopes to sleep through winter and wake up in springtime. Good luck with THAT, Tabbycat!

More snow was expected on this afternoon, with reports differing. My online weather provided the flurries-to-an-inch version of the forecast. My husband's online weather said 3 inches. He insisted I consider taking the bus for safety's sake. So he dropped me off at work in the morning before any of it started, and I agreed I would plan to take the bus home.

Catching the bus home puts me on campus late in the day, and somehow I arrived there just before the snowstorm hit. I was sitting on the bus looking out the window at the bare sky, thinking  - Geez, and for THIS I am taking the bus?

And then the flurries began. By the time I got off my bus on campus, they had gotten fatter and had invited many friends along. I got my huge blue and white umbrella out and put it up, pulled out my camera, and began taking some snow shots on central campus near Old Main.

Let's amend that: my NEW camera. It was its first trip going to work with me. I felt very smug that I had a huge umbrella under which to shelter myself and my new toy. I was feeling very pleased with myself and the world around me, when suddenly I heard a loud POP! The umbrella exploded! Then it collapsed around me!

I just couldn't believe it. In fact, I stood there stunned for a second. Then I realized I was standing - with my brand new camera - in the falling snow! I tried to push the umbrella back up, and it went fully inside-out, like a witch's broom.

I was almost laughing and almost crying at the same time, it was so ridiculous. Picture me, huddled under my witchy broom, trying to protect my brand new camera from the rapidly falling snow.

I finally discovered that the umbrella would stay up, more or less, if I used my left hand to HOLD it up. So for the rest of the time on campus, I was walking around with my left hand up high on my umbrella, and my right hand juggling the camera to get some snow shots.

Then it REALLY let loose and the snow began to get quite HEAVY. It was turning into a good, old-fashioned Penn State whiteout! Here is a photo I took standing on the mall facing downtown. In the distance you can see the huge Christmas tree at the corner of College and Allen, but not really very well through the falling snow.

Visibility was zip, the roads turned treacherous quickly, and heavy bands of snow continued for several more hours. In the end, we got more than the 1 to 3 that was predicted at our house; in fact, it may have been more like 4 inches. OK, so I'll admit it; my husband was right; I was glad I took the bus home.

The soundtrack for this scene is a favorite, and I know I've used it at least once before, but here it is with no apologies: Pentatonix, with Winter White Hymnal.