Christmas Eve snow

Ferns with a little white stuff

Six Senior Trailblazers met in the parking lot of the Senior Center, realizing that we had forgotten the Center would be closed both today and tomorrow! We waited until the appointed time and then piled into two cars and drove to the Lookout Mountain Forest Preserve. Usually we walk the trails and then head over to the Stimpson Family Nature Reserve, just down the road, but today, the weather was not very appealing. It was, you guessed it, raining. But as we ascended to the Lookout Mountain overlook, over a thousand feet of elevation, the rain began to change to something we haven't seen in the lowlands yet this year: snow.

The high point of today's hike

There is actually a view sometimes through the treetops, but today the view was of the snow-laden branches, making a wonderful treat for the season. There must have been about an inch of snow at the top, and I took several pictures hoping that it would be possible to see the snow was falling as we admired the scenery.

Lacy branches with falling snow

It didn't really work to show the big flakes as they fell. A couple of them found their way right down the back of my neck, big fat ones that didn't melt right away as they headed downwards. I allowed myself to shriek in what might have passed as delight. Or fright.

He's only about eight inches high

Someone who got to the overlook before us had fashioned a small little snowman to (I'm sure) make subsequent visitors smile. I know I did when I saw him and took his picture to preserve him forever. It was a lovely surprise to see the snow, and somehow even though it's just as wet as rain, it was just the thing for Christmas Eve.

Whatcom Falls

We headed over to the falls to see how much water is flowing down after all the rain we've been having. It was quite impressive but impossible to get a good shot without trees obscuring the view. We decided to stop here and have lunch, since it was almost noon and we had decided not to head over to the Nature Reserve but call it a day. We ended up hiking almost five miles and ascending and descending around 1,300 feet in all, so it was just right to end early and get home to our families.

It was a perfect way to spend a rainy (and snowy) Christmas Eve with a few of my friends. I do hope that all of you will be warm and safe this holiday, and that you ended up doing what was just right for you today.
:-)