I thought we were prepared for the big storm, but then I realized we needed some Samwise and Emily ‘bones’. Our friends John and Jim opened their store, Paws & Whiskers, for us at 10 am, when they could have remained at home and snuggled in. They saved the day. Otherwise, we would have driven down to the Orleans rotary (25 minutes each way) in snow that came earlier and heavier than expected.
We’ve finally had a snowstorm that lived up to its billing. Here at the cottage, we are snowed in, and the added isolation is downright delicious. We won’t be leaving the property, other than maybe a nighttime walk up to Katy Smith Dos Passos’s grave.
Currently, we have more than a foot of dense snow, and our long driveway will eventually be plowed. But we’re in no hurry as I sit by the window watching more snow flutter down in slow, fat, drunken flakes. There could be as many as five additional inches over the next 18 hours.
Samwise and Emily are belly deep, but we’re making it work. Between bouts of play and shoveling, we retreat inside for warmth, cocoa (for me), and chews for them.
My hot cocoa recipe:
One tablespoon of cacao powder, 2 chopped dates, a dash of vanilla extract,
and a cup of plant milk blended. Heat the mixture by microwave or on the stove. Feel free to top with whatever you wish. Cocoa powder also works.
