The snow ended late yesterday leaving us here in the Green Ridge section  of Hazle Township in Northeast Pennsylvania  with almost twenty inches of snow on the ground. It was clear and a frigid 9 degrees when I left for my daily two mile morning  hike.

The roads were plowed and passable as I walked under the crystal clear, deep blue skies. There were a lot of folks out shoveling and snow throwing the deep powdery snow.

The section of Hazle Township called  Green Ridge actually refers not only to my area in Hazle Township but also to the western portion of West Hazleton. I walked by  my parent’s house and up to North Street, and passed  the homes of middle class folks, and also  the historic Pulaski Club, established by Polish coal miners in 1915.  This area was once almost all of Slavic , and mainly Polish heritage , but is now home to a mixture of nationalities.

I usually crawl through a fence in the Mountain View Cemetery and walk through this peaceful tree lined place to visit my dad’s grave.  Not today, the hole in the fence was covered with snow so I walked along the cemetery and into West Hazleton.

Again I ran into a lot of folks digging out from the snow as I walked the streets of this quiet town. I headed east along Ridge Ave, observing the beauty of the snow drifts created by the storm.

I walked to Broad Street, the border of the Green Ridge section and headed back west walking past my church, formerly known as Transfiguration. Lot of memories on these streets.

I walked back to the entrance of the Mountain View Cemetery and trudged through the heavy snow and into a winter wonderland. The gravestones and bare trees  contrasted with the deep blue skies and the pure white snow.

I made my way to my dad’s grave and spent a few moments reflecting on the many good times we enjoyed together during the many snow storms we shared over the years. I find much peace out here. This is a link to some more photographs from my visit to the cemetery  

I trudged back through the deep snow and back to the streets of West Hazleton.  I walked past my old alma mater, West Hazleton High School, now used as an elementary school. I walked the streets back to my home. Here is a link to some more photographs from my walk through the streets of Green Ridge, 

After warming up, and  a  few cup of coffee, I headed back out to the woods on my property behind my house. It wasn’t easy going but the deep blue skies and white snow once again made for a Winter wonderland . And of course I had to built a fire to keep warm. There is something so comforting about a fire crackling in the snow on a frigid January day.  After warming up by the fire I trudged my way back home. I am not a snow or Winter fan but I will have to admit it was a pleasant morning, even with almost two feet of snow on the ground.  Here is a link to some more photographs from my hike in the woods. 

When snow falls, nature listens – Antoinette van Kleeff