Surprise!

 Late yesterday - April Fool's Day - snow began to move into the Miami Valley, Where we've had pleasant spring weather on many days in the past month, we're back to winter this morning.

 The average temperature for today is 46° and we'll be lucky to reach that for a high temperature. And yet snow in April isn't unusual. When the Xenia tornado ripped through the valley on April 4, 1974, it was followed by snow.

 Last night as I went to bed the clouds had already rolled in. All was quiet and eerily dark. The radar lit up with snow just off to our west. It came, it snowed but the morning began with clear, blue skies. The ground was covered by an inch of snow.

 As I fixed breakfast I looked through the back door and saw the moon setting through the snow-covered branches of a maple. This is just past the Blue Moon two days ago.

 A closer maple had its branches festooned with feathery snow. As we're supposed to climb into the  40's today, this will likely all be gone by early afternoon.

 Sunrise was at 7:19 am and it rose through retreating clouds. This row of trees is just west of Venus Road.

 I took a letter out to be mailed and had a pretty view of Pinehaven with the new snow. Schools are not closed (for a change). The roads, driveways, porches and other hard surfaces have no snow on them at all. The ground was too warm (yesterday's high was 49°).

 The maple at the southwest corner of the house held half an inch of snow on it's budding branches. I'm sure it is an unaccustomed and unpleasant weight.

 Our wisteria, too, was coated in a thick layer of snow. The snow came from the north. The south side of many trees and patches of ground beneath them was wholly clear. By the way, I'm counting on this wisteria to bloom this year. It was planted many years ago and has never bloomed once. I wish Mom had lived to see it but I will enjoy it for her.

 Looking northwest from the garage apron, winter is again the season of the day.

 Turning around and looking east along the driveway, the sunny, clear skies forecast that this snow will be soon cleaned up by Nature herself. It was only a cruel mistake.

 The bird feeders are again a popular spot. Even the red-bellied woodpecker is back for breakfast.

 Here's a final view out the window at the top of the stairs. As cold and wintry as it appears, there is no wind and it's almost a pleasant morning, I'll be mowing within a week, I'll wager.