Winter Wonderland

Hello from 2017!! New Year’s Eve was a whirlwind day for me. I woke up in Orchard Park, packed my bags and made a quick stop at Tim Horton’s with Tommy for a peppermint hot chocolate and a few donuts. It’s really hard to say no to that face! We headed to the airport and just like that, my last Buffalo winter came to a close. My parents and Tommy are moving to Arizona in June so instead of shuffling off to Buffalo next Christmas, it’s going to a Christmas in the desert. Which means 0% chance of a white Christmas. In between helping my parents sort boxes in the attic and making Goodwill donation runs, I took the chance to step back and really take in and appreciate the blanket of pure white snow covering my hometown.

When you grow up in the Snow Belt of Buffalo, snow is a part of life and something you take for granted as a given. I’ve been in DC for 2 heavy snowfalls but DC winters are much, much milder than the ones I experienced growing up. One time in my junior year of high school, I didn’t have school for nearly 2 weeks after an out-of-the-blue ice storm in October. I pretty much lived in my PJs for those 2 weeks and it was amazing!

On my second last day at home, my mom and I visited Chestnut Ridge Park to snap these photos and have fun in the snow. This park holds so many special memories for me. In the summer, my family has a family reunion picnic every year in the park. It was always a wonderful day filled with lots of yummy food, races, a balloon toss contest, and playing in the creek. I haven’t been able to go the last few years because of work but last summer, I planned my summer vacation for the same weekend as the picnic. It was a very special day for me to spend with my family. When winter comes, Chestnut Ridge is covered in snow and it becomes the perfect spot for sledding. Though I vividly remember how tough it was walking all the way back up the big hill with all those layers and a sled in tow! I loved visiting the park and seeing how magical it looked with the snow. It was the perfect way to spend the day.

Do you have a special spot in your hometown filled with happy memories?