Finally a real snow day

This is the most snow I've seen in DC. It feels like a real winter at last. As I write (10:20 PM) the snow falling seems to be tapering off to just dancing ice crystals and the fallen snow blowing around. I can see the lights of Virginia now so visibility is clearly better too. It's not going to be another Snowpocalypse. I'd better enjoy it while it lasts! So here's some pictures to share. (Yes Karl and Erin, you're allowed to mock the District for even noticing such a paltry amount of snow!)

Walking up 17th Street NW about 1:30.

There was actually an inch on the ground although you really can't tell. 

I like the snowdrift building up on this blue Honda. 

10:00 PM at River Park. It's built up now.

4th Street is snowy.

Nice drift at Tiber Island.

Doesn't our sign look scenic?

I saw a shooting star in Orion tonight

Walking home from Tanya's birthday party the sky was very clear (despite all the street lights!) and I saw a shooting star zip through the Orion constellation. It had to be pretty bright since all I can see from here are the major Orion stars and Sirius. Fun to see at least one meteor this winter.

Also I have a new (temporary) roommate. Meet Gina:

The poor girl has been shuffled around a lot lately I gather so she is mostly pacing around. Hopefully she will calm down in a day or two. Gina's person (Monica) is laid up in the hospital and then has lots of physical therapy where she can't bend over for a while. This makes it rather hard to feed Gina and clean out her litter! So Monica told Dani who put out a call for help that was seen by Tad (my neighbor and fellow bike rider) who texted me about it. I decided why not? Fostering Gina for a couple of weeks will give me a chance to see if I actually want a cat in an apartment. The cat adoption and rescue group (4Paws) who facilitated the foster home was pretty impressive...I talked to Dani on Friday, Monica on Saturday, and Bill gave Gina a ride to my place Monday afternoon.

As for the rest of the long weekend,

Happy Birthday Tanya Whippie!

Ice skating with Mary and Rob at Canal Park on Saturday.

First bread of the year

And other good things from the first two weeks of January.

Made with flax seeds and the whey from the ricotta.

Snowy day, January 3

The garden is chilly on January 4.

Golden sage under the snow.

Trying to take an art photo...notice how the Monument, the flag pole, and the crane all appear the same height.

Roasted beets are candy!

What went wrong in the 1980s?

This is striking and depressing. Life expectancy in the United States is well behind most other OECD countries and the trend really worsened about 1990. What's more we die earlier from all sorts of causes from infectious diseases to chronic conditions and the difference is getting bigger. If you want to live a long life maybe you should move to Europe!

You should read the whole post by Austin Frakt on the Incidental Economist.