Time-Lapse Photography

I stood on the back steps this morning and watched the sun come up. The light brings a whole new look to the Blizzard of Oz, as some commentators are calling the 14-inch-plus snow that fell in Kansas on Wednesday and Thursday.

When I went to bed, I thought there would be school today at Stafford. And while my own kids are grown and gone, I still live by the school calendar since I accompany the middle school choir and soloists. I must admit I was probably just as excited as they were to learn via Facebook this morning that school would be out for another day. Another snow day should mean uninterrupted time to get started on the church newsletter and get more writing done.

But, I'm just as happy it means that it's another day without makeup. It's another day to read a book or watch a movie under my warm K-State blanket and not feel too guilty. It's another day to find beauty in the outdoors (and perhaps tax some more muscles. Randy and I certainly did that yesterday as we slogged through the snow on the way to the barn.)

The beauty has shifted as quickly as the snow blown landscape. Though I don't have a fancy time-lapse setting on my camera, I have recorded the changes all the same with still photos.

What a difference a day makes! On Wednesday morning when we checked cows, I noticed the snow sticking to the side of the barn and took the photo above.

The return trip to the barn yesterday afternoon was a lot slower. It's no wonder when you see the pile of snow now blocking the old barn door.

These days, the old Ford tractor is brought out of retirement when the guys are ready to roll up electric fence wire. But this week, it served as another indicator of snowfall from one day to the next.

The same was true of a flower pot at the front of our house. On Wednesday afternoon, there was already a generous pile of snow. But those 4 inches of snow paled in comparison to the white "top hat" we found as we explored yesterday afternoon.

Today, we'll see how all the baby calves fared during the Blizzard of Oz.

A Kansas farmer and rancher has a split personality on snow days. He recognizes the blessing of the moisture as it falls on fields, especially in a drought. But the snow is hard on the baby calves and their mamas.

I'm guessing that Kansas farmers and ranchers would agree with this quote by Carl Reiner:

A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water.

Yes, perhaps. But I still like snow days.