Years and years ago, I vowed that I would buy skis when there was actually enough skiable snow in a winter to warrant doing so. Our winters have snow, it’s true, but they also have rain (and fog, sleet, slush that falls out of the sky, freezing rain, freezing fog, hail, etc.) and lots of it.Most of these conditions are not conducive to good skiing.

So last year we all bought skis and decided to try an alternate theory, namely the idea that if you already HAVE skis and decent weather comes along, you can carpere the heck of whatever dies come your way, should any happen to do so. It worked pretty well for us last winter. We got out skiing quite a lot, actually and I would not have said we got a lot of great snow, nor that it lasted particularly long. So the gamble paid off. This winter it’s far easier, since we already have the equipment.

Today was this year’s first real opportunity to get out in the snow at all (there previously not having been any snow to get out into). John and Katherine skied, while Rowan and I snowshoed (we have those, too) and took a few pictures.

Rowan would like it to go on record as stating unequivocally that, while she enjoys these excursions, everyone would have much more FUN if she were allowed to run with the skiers and that snowshoers who constantly stop to take pictures are just plain dull.