We don’t usually get significent snowfall in October, at most, a few flurries. Yesterday, what was predicted to be ‘an inch of snow turning to rain’ turned into 3.5″ of heavy, wet snow with a topping of sleet. An October surprise!
While many trees have shed their leaves, there were plenty of shrubs and oaks with leaves still on and I worried that the soggy load would cause breakage. In the above photo, on the right is the weigela weighed down and just past the sunspace, the fothergilla is flattened. After I took these photos, I went around with a broom to knock off the excess. I’m glad to report all made it through fine and today are standing back up. The oak across the road lost a few branches, but it was sustainable. Not wasted, it will be windfall firewood for us.
The Korean dogwood bends under its load and you can see the whiteout beyond.
And for those following my Tuesday Views, here’s the garden. You can see snowflakes falling past the camera and the little blue globe stands abandoned by its floral friends. The Eastern redbud shrub at the forest edge, and an oak behind it, still have leaves.
A stroll down to the river shows more whiteout and a just-turning American beech hunkers down. Below is the view upriver. It really is coming down heavily. My fingers are frozen, but it sure is pretty!
Eliza Waters 
SNOW!!!!!! 😀
🙂
Hello! I love that river shot. I’m feeling chilly already. Stay warm and cozy this weekend. 💕❤️
Thank you so much! 🙂
Quite incredible. We have very good friends in Connecticut and they happened to email me yesterday and said “we have snow” and what’s more they said it was starting to stick. Of course the is then led to long conversations about the predicted harsh winter ahead etc etc. If you get a harsh winter, usually we do on the other side of the pond, the same Atlantic weather system maybe. Either way, today we had 23C low 70’s and it was gorgeous. Wishing you a little more good weather before winter and a happy weekend, stay snug and warm x
Thank you, Susan. I envy your 70s!
Beautiful images Eliza.
Thank you, Maria.
Wow – I beat that was a surprise. Nice in it’s own way but still – a bit early!
Yes, I’m still adjusting to the swift end of the last of my flowers. I had hoped for a couple more weeks, but alas, not this year.
It hit where I am as well, though there was nothing this good to shoot. At least it was an opportunity for some great shots.
That is one way of looking at it. 😀 I had to go dig out my fingerless gloves afterwards. I wish I remembered them before I went out! Wet, cold, and a challenge to keep the camera lens dry! But, very beautiful in a wild, natural way.
Now that IS early Eliza! I am glad you could brave the cold to get some lovely images to share with us. And I do hope the trees get a chance to shed their leaves before the next lot of snow comes your way!
Thank you, Cathy. Yes, I hope the rest of autumn gets a chance to do its thing before winter moves in.
Oh, my gosh! An October surprise, indeed. Lovely pictures, though.
Thank you, Laurie. I’m still in a bit of a shock… like, did that really happen? 😉
I can see why! I’d be in shock, too.
Wow that is early! It does Look beautiful ☃⛄️☃
Yes, the retailers must love it when this happens to get everyone in the holiday mood. ;-D
Ha! You know more than most of us Eliza, how rewarding it is to create. You have a gift and it is wonderful to share our creativity. 💃🏼
What a difference a day makes! The ‘two leaves’ shot is lovely. We got off lightly , only a dusting.
Thank you, Belinda. Things do change pretty quickly in New England!
I liked the contrast of the red and green in those leaves.
Well, at least you have the ‘first’ out of the way. We’ve had rain but didn’t have to shovel it so I’m feeling lucky. 🙂
I like your attitude. 🙂 Yep, it’s behind us and I can work on embracing it. 😉
Ouch…not certain I really like seeing images of snow yet. We have had mostly rain in Montreal in the last few days but, crossing fingers, no snow in the forecast for the next 2 weeks…Nice shots. (Suzanne)
Thank you, Suzanne. Glad the snow missed you. No need to rush winter!
When you indicated that your gardening season was coming to an end, you weren’t kidding! The contrast between your October 18th view and this one is remarkable. It’s sad to admit but I’ve only seen snow fall a couple of times in my life. On one occasion, I was in middle school and the flakes melted before they touched ground. In another case, my husband and I were driving north of Sacramento to visit family and rain slowly changed to snow – I actually asked my husband what it was because the evidence of my eyes didn’t compute!
Ah, SoCal living, I sometimes envy it (not in the hot summer though)!
Yes, things here abruptly end, so it will be hothouse flowers from here on for the next few months. I already miss the hum of bees and cricket song. sigh
That first unexpected snow is so magical! And the we really get our act together for the impending winter.
Enjoy the textures and different perspectives … it will be the norm in the blink of an eye. 💛
IKR? The town crew had to scramble to get out the plows and I expect the tire centers are inundated. I prefer to just sit back and watch from the comfort of my chair near the woodstove. 😉
We had snow also. I took a picture of My dogs first paw prints in the snow for this year. Beautiful picture you took.
Thank you – that must be a sweet picture. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Nature surprises. Interesting “snow” forecast! I like the small branches, top left, of the Adirondack chair photo.
Thank you, Alice. One has to take what they say with a grain (or truckload) of salt. 😉
Beautiful pictures, Eliza! I’m so not ready for winter.
Me, neither. Thanks for your visit, Mary. _/\_
Ugh!
Exactly! Five months until the crocus come up. 😉
What a transformation! It’s quite beautiful.
IKR? We still have remnants of snow in the shade. I want it to go away!
This is a sight I won’t ever have in my garden, so it is good to view the snow from afar!
This one is fine to live by vicariously!
Wow! Amazing
🙂
Wow! It is some years since we had anything like this
I’d prefer to see less of it myself!
🙂
Where in the world is it that is colder than the south of Norway at the end of October?
I imagine there might be a few….Siberia? Alaska? 😉
Oh, that is an October surprise! It is beautiful, but I will say that I am not upset we didn’t get something similar!
I know, it’ll come soon enough, right? No need to rush things. 😉 We still have snow in the shady spots even though it has been above freezing (but not by much).
Shocking…especially since it will be in the 80s here again next week. Glad your shrubs weren’t damaged.
Such a contrast, right? The forecaster is telling us November is going to be unusually cold…. ah, well, life in New England!
Beautiful! It will be a while before we get our first down here in the south…if we get any at all. Some years we don’t…and then I miss it.
Thank you, Sue. I do think it is pretty, but the cold takes some getting used to!
It’s already very chilly here and the damp seeps into your bones.
I do not like that kind of raw, damp cold. It creeps in stealthily and stiffens the joints. Hot tea and the woodstove helps.
So do long hot baths 🙂
🙂
So quick! Your view really has changed, I can understand why you changed the Tuesday view but more than anything I can see why your summer flowers are so important to you.
It is not an easy adjustment, going from vibrant flowers buzzing with bees, to nothing. Harsh reality! Though I imagine it is harder for the bees. 😦
Yes, it must be. The transition into drought is slower as some plants cope well for a week, a fortnight, a month but then show signs of stress as the time lengthens and often the temperatures rise. The sudden harsh change you cope with must always be a shock! I hope you a some relief before the deep winter sets in.
Hope springs eternal! 🙂
🌹🌷🌼🌸🌺🌻💐
🙂
Brrr!
Yes!
That’s amazing! It’s boiling hot over here in Taiwan 😉
That is reassuring in its own way. 😉
Wow, seems early for these gorgeous photographs.
Thank you. It is early, but not unheard of. Luckily, it melts. It starts sticking around after mid-Dec.
Just checking …. nope! I don’t miss it! 😀 xo
Haha!
Brrr…it has arrived. Your images are so lovely especially the fall leaves with snow and your Adirondack chairs by the stream. How serene, Eliza.
Thank you, Jane. Today, the last of it melted, so we are back to autumn colors for a while yet.
Your surroundings look beautiful in the snow too.
They really do, but it gets old really fast. 🙂 Our winters are desperately long! Thanks for stopping by, Bun.
Keep warm! 😀
Oh my goodness, it is beautiful but what a shame when you have been enjoying all that autumn colour so recently, to be plunged so abruptly into a monochrome world.
Thank you, Chloris. It has thankfully all melted, but knocked everything down, including the grasses. We spent hours doing cleanup today. I miss the bees and flowers already.
Nice post documenting just one of Mother Nature’s surprises … she keeps us on our toes!
That she does. Thanks, Denise!
Well I have to say I’m just not ready for that yet. Hopefully it waits a few more weeks before we get our dose!
I’m glad it all melted. It’d be nice if the permanent stuff held off until Christmas, to help us feel festive. 😉
Surprise indeed 🙂
🙂
Oh my! The weather here has been so mild that we haven’t even thought about snow. I hope that your snow is not a sign of a rough winter ahead!
My spouse says that when he grew up they said the calendar number of the first snowfall predicts the number of storms that will come that winter. In this case, 27!!! I hope that is just an old wives tale. 😉
Please don’t send it over here just yet!🇬🇧
😀
Oh my goodness, that is too early.
Thankfully, it’s all melted!
A little poor man’s fertilizer in October. In whatever form, the moisture is most welcome, no? Still, it must have been a shock.
Yes, I was grateful for the precipitation, but not for laying waste my ornamental grasses, alas!
Beautiful Eliza! Our first snow is long gone – receiving more life giving rain today. I do miss the snow sometimes, some times. I am looking forward to my travels soon.
Thank you, Kathy. Can I come live on your porch in CK? I hear it is going to be cold and snowy this winter!
Of course, Eliza! You can even come with us to the tiki bar!
I’d love that! 🙂
I must have missed this one when you posted it Eliza, so beautiful, I love the first snow! ❤
Thanks, Julie. Always pretty exciting. Did you get that big storm?
We got lots of wind and rain, but not much snow.