Winter is Here

So, I'm relieved Autumn lasted so long here in Wyoming - at least, much longer than I really expected - but, Winter arrived yesterday evening. All day the wind howled around the house. I don't really know how else to discribe it... I know I've read about "howling" wind, but now I've really experienced it. The windows shake, the roof shudders and the fan vents whistle as the wind whips around the house. The trees do these amazing acrobatic shudders... At first I wondered if it was just our house, but no, it's just Wyoming winds.

When we were first considering moving to good ol' Wyo we drove several times between SLC and Sheridan. This drive sports many beautiful views. One very common sight are huge windmills. I remembering driving along and thinking, "I'm glad this state is contributing to the clean energy effort. What a good way to take advantage of some of these wide open spaces." I didn't really think through the fact that huge, energy-creating windmills really need to be positioned in well winded areas... short-sighted, I know.

Then, as we were looking for housing, we learned of a special type of roof shingle that interlocks so that the wind can't catch the edges and rip the shingles off. Our house happens to have this type... and now we know why.

When I went to bed last night I lay awake listening to the eery sounds outside and watched the rain decorate our windows. I wonder if I will get used to these sounds. When I woke up this morning, however, the wind had stopped, snow covered the ground and the sun was shining cheerfully. It is a beautiful day! I think, if the sun continues to shine, I'll be able to deal with the amount of cold and snow we should expect over this rather long winter...