Winter clutches desperately to maintain dominance over Spring
Even as the pear blossoms begin to bloom throughout the Rogue Valley winter hangs on bringing new snowfall in the middle of April. This is fascinating to me having never lived in snow country before. It’s interesting to watch the changes in the weather here as springtime moves in. The other day people were sunbathing and wading in the creek at Lithia park and today we have new snow down to about 1000 feet. Just yesterday I was wondering to myself what the green shoulders of the mountains would look like covered with a blanket of snow. As the thought crossed my mind I was thinking that I’d find out next fall as winter approached and Southern Oregon received the first snowfall of the season.
The spring storm that blew in yesterday gave me a glimpse a lot earlier than expected. Driving into Ashland I could see that there was plenty of snow on cars and roof tops, in the gutter of the streets, on lawns… It’s a very pretty sight, but I’ll keep quiet as I enjoy the view. The locals will spot me for a tourist from California in an instant if I let on to the novelty of a new snowfall in April. 
We can’t let that happen.
I grew up in the North Eastern “snow country” in CT. However we didn’t have mountains such as those in the North West so I am so facinated by your photos of the snow high up in the moutains.
I don’t think the locals will mind if you show a little joy over the beauty of their homelands. Go for it, enjoy the moment no matter what others may think.
Anyway I just wanted to say great images and see you back at John Chows.
Deb, Thank you so much for the great comment. The locals are really great, and its fun to so to speak. Ashland is a very liberal town and I say that I’m a republican… (I’ve really got to look into that because I do not like what the current adminstration is doing.) …. which ruffles feathers. It gets great discussions going.
See you around
Even though I have grown up in the Northwest I am still amazed and delighted every time it snows. I still would rather be in San Diego though!
San Diego is a great city. I was down about a week before moving up to Ashland, Oregon. I’m always amazed at how vibrant and diverse the place is.
But of course San Diego doesn’t have the Rogue River, or beautiful snow capped mountains, or zero sales tax…
I love the green fields below and the white snow above! I grew up in Southeastern Wyoming, where it’s white and… Um… White. And snow in April is to be expected. And now I’m in LA where it’s green and brown, and maybe some white way off over there somewhere, if you can see it through the smog.
Of course, I keep saying I miss the idea of snow far more than I actually miss snow. Because I don’t miss digging my car out of drifts. And I don’t miss the icebergs that would build up under my fenders. (Fenderbergs, my husband calls them. He’s from Chicago - he knows from snow!) But, oh, those pretty white mountains!
ChiaLynn, Well so far I haven’t had to deal with the reality of living in snow country. That will be an experience for next winter. Meanwhile this appears to have been winter’s last hurrah! I’ll be watching out for the fenderbergs next winter.