Winter in the capital

I don't think I posted a series of winter photos last year.  The cold, dreary days of January and February, with their lifeless trees and frigid sunlight do not inspire particularly alluring pictures and, further, make roaming around outside with a camera especially unappealing.  But there is something magical about about fresh snow - and we have had plenty of that this year.

Although it mangles my commute and schedule and, here in D.C., quickly turns a dull shade of grayish brown, I still have trouble disliking snow.  Maybe it's a remnant of my childhood - excitedly watching big flakes fall from the sky, hoping the ground was cold enough for them to stick and cancel school.  Or maybe, despite all of the annoyances, I still like snow because it brightens an otherwise depressing season with its unpredictable, breathtaking beauty.