Snowcrystals

I love snowflakes. I love their symmetry, their order, their sparkle, their absolute uniqueness. I love their ability to be delicate, fragile and vulnerable when they're alone but a they can be a formidable force when they are together. So much like a family. So much like a community. So much like a nation. A terrific website about snow crystals, as Mr. Kenneth G. Libbrecht, calls them is snowcrystals.com . I bought his Field Guide to Snowflakes a couple of years ago. His photography is stunning and humbling.

I love snowflakes and it's a dang good thing because there are a whole bunch of them piling up outside. The suburban registered -17 degrees below ZERO last night. It is so cold that (drummer roll) ...we had to chisle the dog off the lamp-post and we're hoping to get sick just to have a fever!

I don't understand how the herds of horses outside manage to stay alive. They have two inches of snow on their backs. Why aren't they rubbing their hooves together next to a roaring fire out in that field? They should be in their below-zero Polarguard sleeping bags with equine earmuffs and mucklucks on. I worry about them.

I worry about us! Tomorrow I will scurry all the kids off to school and it will still be dark and at least -15 below. There will be the usual conversation, "No, you are not wearing shorts, get that heavy coat on and don't forget your ski gloves and hats!" The schools probably won't have the kids play outside today because of the temps. I love this snowflake. I love hexagons.