Snow, snow and more snow!  Of course it IS winter and that's what's expected!  But, wow, when I woke up to a literal winter wonderland, I could do nothing but stare - and smile!

Smile...as I looked out my backyard at the fresh, untouched snow that blanketed the backyard....and layered the ice on the river.

Smile...as I look at the snow covered fir trees that remind me of my Department 56 village.

Smile...as I watched my dogs playing, running, rolling around in the snow, tongues hanging out and eyes shining bright as they looked at me as if to say "come on, Mom, it's fun!!"

Smile...as I tried to catch the snowflakes on my tongue only to have them stick on my eyelashes and float down my neck.

Smile...as I pull on my snow boots, wrap my neck with my scarf and slide my fingers into my new gloves.

Smile...as I tossed shovelful after shovelful of the soft yet heavy white stuff onto the yard that the dogs promptly ran through.

Isn't it amazing what a dusting or a foot of snow can do to make the world seem a little cleaner and brighter?
Thanks God for cleaning things up a bit with a little snow!