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12.27.2010

the blizzard's aftermath.

a photo account of montclair, nj post-storm. all photos taken by my brother (since i was stuck here in the city).
the after photo

dreamscape

approaching the church

christmas cheer

flying dog

across the street

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

new yorkers were encouraged to stay home today. 
work was cancelled. the day was suddenly mine and free.
my family was only twenty minutes away in new jersey. however with the 20-24 inches of snow on the roads they were as good as across the world.

so i was snowbound. all by my lonesome. 

and what's a girl to do when the day stretches long before her? clean, of course. 
i scrubbed the stove. the inside of the fridge. i soaked the garbage and recycling cans (in the bathtub, no less). got down on all fours and worked away at the spots on our aging wood floors. 

and when all was said and done i took a walk. 

i felt how the snow changes the city. how a quiet takes hold. inundates everything, everyone. how when the snow settles, but has yet to be cleared the city takes deep, gasping breaths. reaching for the stillness, the calm. pulling it into itself. storing it away. reveling in the short time it  is allowed to simply be. to exist. and when no one is looking--when they're shielding their eyes from the snow, or digging a car out of the snowbank, the city exposes its heart. for just one moment. it opens up, unfolds, unfurls. feels the electric cold against its great, naked nerve. and then closes again. recharged. ready for the next. 

if you're really quiet. if you stand really still. and you get really lucky. you'll feel it--the reverberations of it--in your bones. and the heart carries on. 

24 comments:

christine said...

You beautifully captured how I felt during the Snowmageddon I & II during February 2010 in Washington, DC. The city is so amazing after a great snowfall.

Enjoy!

Brittany said...

gorgeous! i love how quiet it gets.

kelly said...

love your words in this post.

emily said...

this is the perfect description of how i would imagine nyc in the silent snow. so beautiful.

The Magnificent Lou said...

Beautiful post! And I adore the color of the door in the sixth picture.

Alyssa said...

Every pic you post is always exactly what i would expect to find in America. Like the perfect little town. Snow everywhere. Picture perfect cute family houses.

jasmine said...

mmmm, that's beautiful. these words melted my stress away. maybe i should come back & read this post every day 'til my wedding?? i think so!!

Larissa said...

beautiful! I love how snow makes everything more quiet!

Laura Darling said...

I love how snow makes everything quiet too. I live in the suburbs of Philadelphia and we got around 13 inches. Aren't unexpected snow days the bes?!

Anonymous said...

Just lovely, Meg. :)

Molly said...

There's definitely a special silence that comes with a snowfall. It's what I anticipate the most when I hear it's going to snow!

Alex said...

Eloquent as ever :)

NJ after a blizzard is absolutely picturesque, by the way.

Kelly said...

beautiful photos.
props to you for cleaning on a snow day!
and as always, you write beautifully, extraordinarily.

Unknown said...

So pretty! I've been seeing all of the snow on the news, but it's always nice to see photos taken by people who are actually living through it!

Dee Paulino said...

The beauty of snow is the peace it brings with it.

Jay said...

These photos are lovely!! I pretty much drove home for Christmas in a blizzard myself :) But you got to cleaning? I would have snuggled up in that reading chair so fast it might have fallen over ;)

Sonja said...

this is beautiful.
The photos, and the words :o)

becky said...

This isn't so much of a comment is simply quoting yourself back to you, but this paragraph:

i felt how the snow changes the city. how a quiet takes hold. inundates everything, everyone. how when the snow settles, but has yet to be cleared the city takes deep, gasping breaths. reaching for the stillness, the calm. pulling it into itself. storing it away. reveling in the short time it is allowed to simply be. to exist. and when no one is looking--when they're shielding their eyes from the snow, or digging a car out of the snowbank, the city exposes its heart. for just one moment. it opens up, unfolds, unfurls. feels the electric cold against its great, naked nerve. and then closes again. recharged. ready for the next.

is utterly, utterly sublime. That, right there, is literary talent. And that, right there, is the reason I check back here, at this url everyday. (Sometimes more than once; sometimes just to browse the archives; sometimes just to read real, natural beauty.)

The Rookie said...

Beautifully written.

Shoshana said...

These pictures are just divine. I grew up very close to Montclair, and it never ceases to amaze me that I took all of the beauty completely for granted. Through the eyes of visitors I get to really appreciate it as I should have all along.

Jessica said...

Absolutely beautiful!

Brittan said...

i am so sad i missed the blizzard! i need those feelings so much right now. i love walking down broadway after school when it's quiet, empty and covered in snow. sigh. enjoy it! also that second picture looks like a christmas card that i want to live in. so beautiful.

Jennifer M. said...

Love these pictures! It feels like a storybook-land. :)

Shorty said...

Wow. Montclair looks like a beautiful place. I've never been there.