Snow was general over the Northeast again this past weekend. I realized that this was in fact a nor’easter of sorts when I saw the snow gently piling up in the mudroom inside the bottom corner crack of the east-facing side door that needs a) to be replaced entirely or b) at the very least have some weather strip freshening.
When the snow blows in from the east, the drifting up here on the hill is pretty particular. The southwest corner of the house can be almost bare of snow, while opposite, the drifts can be pretty deep.
The snow began in fits and starts Saturday and mostly subsided til later Sunday. But Monday is when it really showed earnestness. All day, no let up. Cold, around 20 I think, but that’s nothing compared to what’s coming, multiple days with highs in the single digits. Epic winter.
The wind must have shifted at some point because the drifts along the front of the house, mostly south-facing, were several feet in spots. This is the view out the front door looking down the lawn. 
Clarence attempts entry but is rebuffed; goes back down to consult Nocci, who is neutral, and tries again, because, he is Clarence.
The dogs love the cold and the snow. In the deeper sections Clarence looks like he is swimming through it, it is up to his neck. When it is very cold, under 10 and windy, they get some paw burn I think, and I try to limit their time out. But they are like kids who though turning bluish-purple don’t want to come in out of the Maine surf. With Nocci especially I have to be careful too to remove the snow balls that freeze into the middle of the bear-like paw pads. If he comes in with them in place I can hear them clicking on the floor.
When I figure out the recipe widget I will begin loading some of my cold-weather sustainers here. Slow-cooked anything is de rigeur. Ragu, brisket, coq au vin. Meat, I need it. But here is a no-meat, one-dish Italian wonder that will do the trick too, a classic I found on Margaret Roach’s blog, A Way to Garden. It is as delicious and nourishing as it is easy. I made it per the recipe with kale; the drizzle of olive oil is perfection. Margaret had the bon mot with “molten.”
Next time am going to do it with mustard greens from the garden that I have in the freezer, sauteed with turkey Italian sausage. Just the thing for post-shoveling, post-romping recovery. So let it snow…