No, that's not a ski run with fresh powder. That's a look down our driveway (above) after the six inches plus of snow that fell over the weekend and before I started the fun task of clearing it for use as the new week approaches. The light, fluffy stuff also coated branches and our front yard gazebo (right) before ending Sunday morning. A fresh snow always leaves a soothing coating of white that offers its own beauty just before it starts to melt and we have to clear it out of the way so we can accomplish simple tasks like driving out to the main road and heading into town. Schools may be closed in Floyd County today but Amy and I have a full day on the schedule, including a trip to Mt. Airy and a half dozen other errands and tasks. The northeast got hammered a lot worse with this snow, one of the few times that we in the mountains got off light while other areas were pounded. Still, the amount that fell was enough to disrupt weekend activities and keep the cops and wreckers busy with a host of cars off the road. But, by week's end, the snow should be gone as temperatures climb back into the 50s and rain is in the forecast for Friday and Saturday. The first snowfall of 2006 will soon be history.