deep snow

Gambol and Buddy hunted for voles in the deep snow. The boys plunge their heads under the snow and shovel forward. They pop up 5-10 feet later, blow snow from their noses, and shovel on. The meadow tracks show clearly that they can't run more than 5 steps in a straight line. There are moments that I can see one or both dogs only by their wagging flag, their entire body is under the snow. Gambol caught and ate 2 voles before Buddy noticed that he'd missed lunch. I wonder what the Diamond Pet food people think of these snacks.
Although the sun is bright and the sky blue, at 25 degrees we still have 14 undrifted inches. It's not light and fluffy though. It is dry, not so good for snowballs, but more grainy than flaky and not sparkly in the brilliant sun. The dogs look like white poodles after about 15 minutes in the meadow.  Buddy has longer hair so he collects more ice balls all over himself: ears, belly, legs.  He actually jingles when he runs. They must weigh him down, but he doesn't give up.  Gambol isn't immune to the ice pack but he is better able to shake off.  It takes us almost as long to de-ice the boys as we spend outside.  Neither dog cares for the hair drier so we just rub them down with towels.
I've opened the chicken coop but the birds aren't enthralled with the white stuff.  They sit in the sun but don't venture out to the snow.  No ice balls for them.
Paul finished hand shoveling the driveway today.  He was able to plow below the shed yesterday in a narrow lane before the RTV gave up and would only go to first gear, no reverse.  Then he used the tractor shovel to do the hill but something is wrong with it now.  Dodderers, we'll be calling. A lot of what he did is dry now.

Reading:  Split Second (Baldacci)***murder and politics. Two disgraced Secret Service agents are unwilling actors in a reenactment. The good guys win.