Let It Snow!

A snow storm hit Santa Fe earlier this evening. The blurry smear in the lower half of the picture above, is a streak of ice left by mostly-frozen wipers clearing the windshield of build up.

Driving down the road, we’d seen it building around the mountain, cloud and falling snow melding into a wind-torn, misshapen mass. It struck fast, howling down to where we were, turning the soft greying day to hard slate night.

I haven’t encountered a lot of snow.

The first time I came across a snow storm, my only reference for making sense of what I was seeing, was the Star Trek episode where a warp-bubble universe collapsed around Doctor Crusher.

This time, sans incomprehension, I was all excitement. Snow, and anything to do with it, is a novelty. Warm layers, hat, scarf, gloves, before heading out into the silent storm. Bracing against the wind out the door. Get smacked in the eye by a rocket snowflake while frozen fingers fumble with car keys. &%*($&%*($&% Ow. Drive slow. Keep a safe distance from other cars, brake gradually, avoid turning too sharply.

Crazy speed demon New Mexican traffic had slowed right down in the frigid flurry. I may have been the most excited person in Santa Fe this evening, snapping pictures out the window at red lights, giggling like a madwoman at the wheel.

(Spot the tourist)

I was a little baffled when streaks on the windshield started solidifying though, not realizing it was ice, despite the -2° C (28.4° F) reading. The snow-hating Nordic dweller riding shotgun very kindly pointed out that the A/C setting with the warped rectangle and curly arrows, could turn heat onto said windshield, melt the ice, and just maybe, keep us from freezing.

Of course, heat.

In the excitement, I’d forgotten it was cold.

Being only a couple of miles from home, we got back before it really started to freeze, in time to carp around outside, enjoying a picturesque dusting of snow on the adobe style dwellings before our skins got too numb in the sharp wind.