First Snow!

The day before Halloween, the fringes of Superstorm-grade Sandy bring us our first ever encounter with the snow.  Californians don't know what to do.

There is snow to the left....

 There is snow to the right...

 There is snow on our neighbors' houses....

Millions of tiny ice crystals...

Snow in our backyard!

Snow!

And then we realize we have to get to school today.  HOW will we get to school today?

Our Halloween ghost spent all night in the snow.  Later that day we realize trick-or-treating in the neighborhood has been postponed a day due to the weather.

All of our wonder for the snow quickly turns to a bit of mortification.  How do cars drive in the snow?  How do Californians walk in the snow?  We scarfed our breakfast and bundled up for our day.  When we got out to the car, we found the Camry's keyhole had frozen shut.  A splash of boiling water got us inside, and once the engine was warm, the car handled the light snowfall well.  The main street falls along the school bus route, and it had already been plowed.  As for walking in the snow, we quickly learned to avoid the slushy stuff.  Its fresh powder you want for traction!

Unable to control her feelings for the weather, Amy decided to play hooky from the studio.  She met David at the Life Sciences Building for lunch.  This was the view of Woodburn Hall from the Psychology Department's floor. 

Wooded ambling

Its almost Halloween and the trees are beginning to thin.  On a lazy weekend, we dust off our slingshot for some target practice at an undisclosed wooded location with our biodegradable paintballs.

Its also election season, as can be seen at the nearby Dairy Castle.

And as many locals have told us, an autumn trip to Cooper's Rock will yield spectacular views. The park is named after a legendary fugitive who hid from the law in this forest.  A cooper by trade, he made his living by making barrels from his mountain hideout and selling them to people in the mountain communities.

It was a bit rainy that day, but the weather didn't spoil the adventure.  The views were lovely.  Away from our town nestled within the mountain curves, we had miles of unobstructed scenery at the mountaintop.

Cooper's Rock overlook.

The outlook provides views of rolling hills cut by the winding Cheat River.  Its called a canyon.

The park also has tall boulders and long drops for ambitious nature lovers.

Lichen condominium.

But you don't have to go far to see nature's beauty in West Virginia.  This is the view from our front porch!