Friday, September 13, 2013

Unexpected



And on the 12th day of Spring, snow fell on the farm for the very first time. 

It was so unexpected, which just made it all the more thrilling. 

We awoke to the sight of a snowcapped hill on the opposite side of the River. We dashed outside to get a better view when suddenly snowflakes started falling from the sky. They fell and they fell and we let them cover our heads and the kids caught them on their tongues. 

"It's just like Christmas!" they squealed, knowing full well we don't get snow in most parts of Australia in Winter, let alone at Christmas in the peak of Summer. "Can we have the day off from School?" they cried. "Oh, Absolutely!" I said, completely caught up in the thrill of it all. "We'll make Snowmen and play in the snow all day long and have hot chocolates with marshmallows!!!"

"YAAAAAY!!!" they all screamed. 

We just stayed out there letting the snow fall all over us and listening to the sound it made as it landed on the flower beds. I never knew snow made a sound when it landed but it does and it is sublime. We were all transported to a magical faraway land and were completely oblivious to the cold snow permeating our pyjamas or whatever bits of clothing we managed to don in the mad dash outside. "This is the best day ever!" one of them said and all 7 of us shrieked with excitement and danced our way further up the hill to see if there was even more snow up there. 

And then, like the flick of a switch, it all stopped. There was a moment of stunned silence and then it started raining, the baby started crying, one child moaned they were cold while another grumbled that they were hungry. The snow disappeared almost as quickly as it arrived and the clouds gave way to a brilliant blue sky. 

"Well I guess I better jump in the shower and get ready for work, forgot I had that meeting on this morning" he said. "Yep, and I suppose I better do the school lunches then". Sigh. And just like that we were jolted back to reality, but not before the unexpected magical moment became etched in our minds forever - the day we all stood in the middle of the paddock and got completely lost in the moment as snow fell on our faces as well as the farm for the very first time. As fleeting as it was, it's the unexpected moments like these that I love the most.

Happy Weekend!

Linking up with Maxabella's Weekend Rewind.

32 comments :

  1. Yippee! What a fun memory for your family, even though the snow was so short-lived. Not much chance of that happening here in Sydney, but it's always been my dream to wake up and find snow outside!

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  2. Wow that is so amazing!! It last snowed in our Hills Town about 17 years ago.... we've been hoping every winter since. So glad you got to enjoy it, fleeting as it was! That's a memory that your kids will never forget.

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  3. aww what an awesome story! I so love that you live in a spot where these sorts of things can happen. I wish it would snow here.

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  4. Oh bless. What a lovely moment. I was completely there with you in your excitement! I could just imagine the magic. And then the slap back to reality ...

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  5. How beautiful was that moment:) I love how you captured the happiness on your little ones face what a shame it didn't last all day. xx

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  6. Snow is magical. We were holidaying in Norway when they had the first snowfall of the year and people were unbelievably excited, even though they were going to have snow every day for the next few months. How disappointing yours was so short lived.

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  7. Snow! Crazy.........makes for a very wonderful photo xo

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  8. Aren't we having some crazy weather at the moment! This afternoon as I looked out the window I could see snow on Ben Lomand, yet my children were enjoying the sun in their shorts and t-shirt. Tasmania is full of surprises!

    Beautiful photo.

    www.twinsplusonemumma.com

    xx

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  9. What a magic moment! Hard to believe when Queensland is scorching at the moment!

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  10. What a glorious moment depicted so beautifully, I ust wanted the story to go on and on. How wonderful to experience the complete unexpected and snow, oh my who would have thought. I'm so pleased you enjoyed it. I have such wonderful memories of the only day it snowed in my 24 years in SA, but it was the best day ever!! Happy weekend to you too, hope you at least enjoyed the hot chocolate at some point that day, I know mine wouldn't have forgotten that promise :-) xoxo

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  11. Even if for a simple moment in time, how lovely.

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  12. I love that photo. What a fun, surprise event for all of you. I love the way you wrote about it.

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  13. Even here where snow is plentiful, it's always magic when the first snow falls. Kids still scream with delight, adults still smile and at the beauty of it. How wonderful that you enjoyed its magic if only for one brief morning. Wendy

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  14. How absolutely exciting and thrilling that must have been. So, so special you got to capture a photo too. What a perfect, magical moment and memory you've all been left with.

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  15. A fantastic picture just capturing the moment! What a shame you weren't able to enjoy it for long.
    Sarah x

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  16. What a marvellous moment, brilliantly captured here so we might share it.

    I find myself longing to be able to send you a 'snow day', the kind we get once or twice each winter, where roads are blocked and everyone is snowed in and whole communities turn to shovelling snow for neighbours and building snowmen. The sound of everything changes when there is enough snow. And best of all the night after, when skies clear and temperatures plummet and starlight makes stars in the frozen snow.

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  17. Amazing! What a wonderful moment, beautifully captured (in both words and that wonderful photo.)

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  18. Wow, that looks awesome, Mel. What a fab surprise! I can't believe it's your first snow and it's in springtime. Bizarre! x

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  19. Ahh falling snow - it's such a treat for those of us who would never normally get to experience it. And it's interesting to hear that where is does fall, people still get excited about it. We used to live in a little town called Millthorpe (just outside of Orange NSW) and we got several snowfalls during the Winter. I'm sure my boys will always remember walking to school in their gumboots and having huge snowball fights with the teachers out on the oval. xx

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  20. So magical isn't it. I loved seeing the pics on Instagram from all the Tassie people I follow. No snow for us, but damn it got cold! (briefly :-)
    Gorgeous moment Mel

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  21. oh my gosh mel! i got chills looking at your gorgeous photo and thinking of the thrill! how exciting!

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  22. Hi Mel, google 'Hobart snow 1986'. Snow settled in southern Tas to sea level and was quite thick on the ground. It only lasted a bit over a day but was absolutely magical.

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  23. Oh Mel, totally get your kids excitement over this. My too were beside themselves in the aftermath of a hail storm last year ( closest they have come to snow). Love your pic too, totally captures the joy of the moment. mel x

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  24. How lovely! What a wonderful, magical memory for your family.

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  25. I am not a fan of cold, but if it is going to be cold, it might as well snow! How wonderful. Now if it could just do that on Christmas morning one year!

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  26. I remember the first time I saw real, proper snow when living in London - it really is a magical moment. Everything is quiet and bright and cold (of course), but a good kind of cold. I know exactly what you mean about the sound snow makes! Perfection, I really do miss that! x

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  27. How lovely, even if it was followed by rain! I don't like the winter here when it's cold and wet but there is something special when you see snow falling and light a roaring log fire all snug indoors.

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  28. How gorgeous. I loved the unexpected snow fall when I used to live in Armidale. No chance of it here! x

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  29. How fabulous and wonderful. I'm like a little kid myself when it snows, whopping and dancing around with my little ones.

    Nina x

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  30. What a wonderful post! Waking to snow is one of the most magical things ever and even as an adult it makes me giddily happy and excited. What a shame it melted so quickly. Nice while it lasted, though. xx

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  31. What a precious moment. I've always thought snow seemed suited to Christmas too :) I'd like to experience a white Christmas one day... although snow falling at any time of the year would be extremely exciting!

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