December 28, 2009: Shayna versus the blizzard
Charlottesville, VA is at the northern tip of the 
Mid-Atlantic South. Since moving here in late 2001 (to rebuild my life, and look for my first dog – as discussed in my book), I’ve observed that we have very mild winters; they can be cold, but don’t have a lot of snowfall.
All that changed in December 2009. Starting on December 17th, we got socked with a blizzard that dumped snow on us for three straight days and nights; by the time it was over, we had three solid feet of snow on the ground. We were snowed in for the better part of a week. Nothing moved. It was… strangely serene. Like the world was taking a break, and we got to rediscover what a winter wonderland really is. Everything was gleaming white.
At first, Shayna thought it was pretty funny – until she had to go do her business, and had to navigate her way through a veritable wall of snow. She tried to convince me that she didn’t have to “go”; as her “dad,” I knew better and had to put my paw, er, foot down. The good part is that she knew that as soon as she got back inside, I’d take her in front of the roaring fire I kept going, to dry her off and give her some treats.
Here are four short videos showing the spectacle, and Shayna’s interaction with it:
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