Nemo

It's tangible, the energy of the approaching storm. It's hard not to be a little excited, even while dreading the aching back to follow. At work, the storm was the star of every conversation. I must have checked the weather websites three dozen times.  TWC excels at what someone recently dubbed storm porn, shapely maps with voluptuous numbers and colors spilling over state lines, seductive headlines, and teasing ambiguities. Here in the Northeast, we've been mighty snow-deprived the last few years, and now the promise of an activity-stopping snow is just hours away.

The chickens are tucked in to wait out the snow, the coop bedecked with fresh mounds of pine shavings, food and water topped off and able to last for several more days than will be needed, and a new scratching block has been nestled in to keep them occupied while snow swirls outside. If it isn't snowing hard yet come morning, they'll get a bowl of oatmeal and chopped kale. I suspect TuTu, Olivia & Julia are far more interested in that hot breakfast than in the forecast.

Provisions have been laid in for the chicken caretakers, too. Can one actually have a 10+" snowfall without hot chocolate, Pringles, and tomato-macaroni-and-cheese? And if I actually get a snow day, we'll be pulling out the seed and plant catalogs, spreading them out on the coffee table with post-it notes and lists, the fire dancing and coffee steaming nearby, dogs and cats vying with us for the couch. 

The world feels like it's taking a big deep breath......there's a hush.....and we wait....