Snow day extravaganza

View of the Cloisters

Entrance to a snowy paradise

The text came later than I expected on Wednesday morning, but it finally popped into my inbox, bringing its joyful little message "NYL PRESCHOOLS ARE. CLOSED TODAY." I had a little 5:30am celebration and went back to sleep for a while. When I couldn't stand the excitement any longer, I flew to the front windows to see the snow. It was beautiful, the world was white and the sun was coming up. It was a perfect day: public school was OPEN, my work was closed (many of our kids are medically fragile) and 9 inches of powder lay like a blanket, waiting to be explored.

I pulled on my new Yaktrax, put a load of laundry in the wash only 187th st and took off towards the park. Fort Tryon park was breathtaking, all of the trees heavy with snow and the sun streaming in. I trotted up to the highest part of the park by the flagpole and frolicked around, buzzing around looking at the view from all sides. The snow was shin deep in many places, but the yaktrax did their job well. I looped around the Cloisters, by the river (windy!) and frolicked as much as possible. I was fluttering all over, arms circling to help me move through the deeper snow. I probably looked like a southerner seeing snow for the first time, just dressed like a ninja. I remembered my sunglasses and was glad as the yellow rays bounced off of the snow into my face. Running during daylight is such a treat at this time of year.
Sadly my run came to an end as I checked my watch and saw that the laundry would be done soon, so I ran back down the snowy street since the sidewalks were already cleared by this point.

I spent the rest of my snowday exactly the way I planned it: I took out my snowshoes and tackled the hills and untouched paths of Fort Tryon park on my way to and from the big sledding hill. I spent a few hours sledding which is a really good hill workout in the end. I flew down on my snowdisc sled and charged back up to the top about 100x before my feet started to get cold and my tummy began to rumble. I shared the hill with a few other families and their children, but since public schools were open, it was fairly quiet. What a perfect day.

I'm feeling the effects of all of my efforts today though.... Whew am I sore in all sorts of new places. I remember one missed landing off of the snow ramp we built where I landed on my right asscheek, how could I forget when it hurts each time I sit down?

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Snurricane 2010

Hello George.

We finally got the Snopocalypse we were promised a few weeks ago. The snow started Thursday morning with snowball-sized flakes and continued all day in a slushy fashion before turning into heavy, real snow. It went on through Thursday night into Friday and just kept coming down!! In fact, its STILL snowing as I type this. Nuts. Anyhow, its beautiful and since I don't have any run to report (its knee deep out there people) I will share my favorite photos from my trek around the hood. Its sooo beautiful out there, they wouldn't let me in the park though because a tree fell and killed someone in Central Park because the snow is so heavy. I took a few shots from the entrance and around the perimeter of Fort Tryon Park, but most of these are just around the hood. Enjoy.

Pinehurst Ave apts

De Plane! De Plane!

Pinehurst looking south from 185th

Woah heavy snow

Snowy trees and Hudson View Gardens

Fort Tryon from the "outside looking in"

I was soo hoping to get down to the Arches to get some pics..

Looking across the river to the Palisades park

Cutest little snowman ever!

And his friends :)

Sticky snow and some stubborn leaves

Can't get in! (the man walking is the owner of the New Leaf Cafe in the pk)

And goodnight George.

In the white.

Today started out with a sore throat and a groggy feeling that was tough to shake. I got out of bed feeling blah (but well rested) and sipped some tea and applesauce because they felt good on my throat. I spent the next few hours on the couch in my robe and covered in fleecy blankets (yes, the one with the swimmers on it). I finished my book "The Good Thief's Guide to Paris" which ended pretty well, although things got very complicated just like "The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam", but I was satisfied in the end. I digress... so I checked my temp (no fever!) and finally decided it was time to try out the new CW-X tights that my hubby got me for V-day.

The first few blocks of the run were icky and sloppy and I stayed on the sidewalk because it seemed too dangerous to be on the road and i figured I'd get splashed with slop if a car went by. Once I hit the northern end of Cabrini Boulevard though, the slate sidewalk (my fave) was covered in a few inches of crunchy, thick snow and I was smiling. I enjoy running on the snow when its deep enough to sink in a tiny bit and not slippery. Once I hit Fort Tryon Park, my breath was taken away by the sights. Wow, it was so quiet and the snow was so fluffy. I stopped and took a few pictures and just took in the beauty of it all. I enjoyed the rest of the run while seeking out paths that had not been cleared today or even those not cleared after the last storm, making for deep, fluffy paths. I had a blast. I only got in about 3 miles because I needed to get home, eat and get out the door to meet the kids for practice, but that was enough because I was getting wet from the heavy snow.

I will let the pictures tell the rest of the story..

There's usually a beautiful view of the Hudson and Palisades from here...

Man I LOVE this park. :)

Snowy Day Fun in Fort Tryon Park

Our snowmen from behind, waving at the world

Yesterday was my day to be a kid again- it was a snow day!! The schools were closed, they were predicting "Blizzard conditions" and I had most of the day to do whatever I desired. On snow days in my mom's house there was always lots of sledding and always broccoli soup. I didn't manage the sledding this time (no sled, very sad.) but I rocked that soup! I was so proud of myself for making it just the way mom does, yum. After a little soup teaser (tiny bowls) and each of us working a bit from home, my obliging husband and I wandered out into the snow just before dark. Normally at that time of day there's a beautiful sunset over the Hudson, but we couldn't even SEE the Hudson so we ventured up to Fort Tryon Park, a gorgeous, hilly and serene little chunk of land just north of 190th St at the northern end of Fort Washington Avenue. Even though it was nearly dark, there were TONS of people walking in the park, it was like a summer evening! We threw lots of snowballs at each other (oooh thats why my shoulder hurts today, damn finally figured it out!) and wandered around in awe of nature's amazing canvas. It was just stunning, the branches of all of the leaves heavy with the fluffy snow, draping down over the walkways, the snowdrifts in the garden that blooms so pretty in the springtime, covering the flowerbeds and bushes in a blanket of white. Its hard to describe the vibe that was in that park last night, snowballs flying and people laughing and chasing each other around, a snow day really does make those stuffy adults into kids again, even if just for a day. Here are a few shots from last night, including the snowpeople we made. I packed baby carrots in my pockets for the occasion (or in case we ran into Santa and his reindeer). The snow angel I made was still there tonight when I went by on my run. :)

New Leaf Cafe

The Heather Garden under a blanket of white

Everyone out for a stroll on the promenade

A beautiful snowy tree

Hubby made a scruffy snowman who needs a shave

My snowman was the cutest, obv.

My snow angel, so much fun!

A winter version of my usual blog title photo, I love this old Subway sign

and I hope they never get rid of it. I'll track it down if they do! It's my new header

for the winter, I'll go back to the usual one in the spring..maybe I'll catch a bird on it!

Snowy Day Run

The Arches of Fort Tryon Park along the WSH

I wasn't the only one excited to get out for a snowy run yesterday, twitter was a flurry of excitement (no pun intended) about running in the snow! We lucky NY'ers were able to sleep in a bit and get out for a run after the parks dept and neighborhood supers were done cleaning the sidewalks and plowing the paths. What a bright and sunny and beautifully crisp day it was along the Hudson River! I took a run from the GWB down to 145th St at Riverbank State Park and then turned around heading north to Dyckman St along the greenway. On the way down to 145th I was flying along at an easy 7:35 pace thinking to myself "why does this feel so easy?" Once I turned around I realized why it felt easy...the crazy wind was at my back the whole way and was going to give me a run for my money on the way back north!! Whew!! Luckily it was sunny and the path was mostly cleared. I saw lots of people out walking, sledding, and even XC skiing! So much fun, I felt like I was back in NH. The trek home through Fort Tryon park was a bit tough because the giant hill at the north end of the park wasn't cleared and neither were most of the paths! Whew, tough going.

Well here are the pictures I managed to get along the way.

Ol' George standing tall against the Palisades

The little red lighthouse and the great grey bridge

So pretty in the snow..

View of downtown and the sparkling Hudson

New Leaf Cafe in Fort Tryon Park

The Greenway north of 181st...clear here

Suddenly not so clear!

The Pumpkin house smiling out over the Hudson

Sparkling Fort Tryon Park