I drove upstate Thursday afternoon because I had to meet up with the guy who is going to be putting up the deer fencing. Yep, those deer. They love my plants and trees, and when the ground gets hard and grass dies in winter, guess what they go for? My plants and trees. So we have elaborate ritual of the plastic netting going up the first week in November and back down about May 15. The deer still manage to get at stuff, but the deer fencing helps. Anyway, when I began my drive it was raining in the city. By Dutchess County, the rain had turned into huge flakes splatting themselves onto my windshield. By Columbia County, the snow was sticking to the grass. By my house–well, it looked like a blizzard. This morning I woke to a bright sky reflecting on endless fields of white, trees limbs that looked like they had been whisked out of a winter holiday store window, and the realization that my snow boots are downstate. It’s 35 degrees already, so most of this will melt within a few hours, and probably I won’t need boots. Still, it’s the largest snow accumulation at such an early date since before the Civil War, I’m hearing on the TV and radio. I wish the kids were little still and were here with me. This wet stuff would make great snowmen. I haven’t been down to town yet, but I bet there were a goodly number of snowball fights this morning. I have no idea what this early snowfall means. Yes, I am a big believer in climate change, as are all the reputable scientists. But, still, this early snowfall is most likely a fluke of nature. But a pretty one. (Note to self: buy snow shovel in town today.)