Snow. Finally.

On Leap Day, Albany received its first major snow fall of the year.  On February 29th.

This is not funny, Mother Nature.

Anyway, it was a very pretty sight.  It rained a bit the next day, and most of it is now gone. But our brief visit with winter was long overdue and sorely needed.  Having four seasons in the Northeast is necessary for the soul.

The storm also led to The Great Facebook Snow Pun Thread of 2012:

I don't know why they're different sizes. Click on them and they'll be easier to read.

Scenes from The College of Saint Rose, 2-29-12:

Taken from the Patricia Standish Curriculum Library in the Lally School of Education.

From the Saint Rose quad.

Between two buildings on Madison Avenue, which is in the background.

Outside the Hubbard Interfaith Sanctuary.

The Alumni Garden, one of my favorite places on campus...in summer.

Alumni Garden again.

The alley between Moran Hall and Saint Joseph's Hall.  Moran hall was the original Saint Rose campus.  The link goes to an old photo of the building from the Capital District Library Council's  Digital Collections.

From the mezzanine of the Neil Hellman Library, looking out through the windows of the Reference Room, to Western Avenue.

Looking at the quad from the Interlibrary Loan Office.

Saint Vincent's Church on Madison Avenue.  Before the Massry Center for the Arts was built, this was often used for musical performances.

Partridge Street, looking toward Western Avenue, from Madison.  What a beautiful winter street scene.

Partridge Street, in the other direction, not looking so hot.  Saint Rose demolished a few houses on this stretch to make way for the parking lot of a new dorm on Madison Avenue.  While the dorm is an improvement, Partridge Street is scarred.

Crows in the trees, easy to spot in a snowstorm.

The construction site with Centennial Hall, the new dorm, behind.

Saint Vincent's.

Another view of Partridge.

Partridge Street again.  It took a while for the bus to get there and I just kept taking pictures.

Madison Avenue, with Centennial Hall on the left.

Brace yourself.  There are tons more photographs.  We're not getting much winter this winter, so I need to get as many photos as I can while the opportunity is there.

Scenes from Center Square and Washington Park:

The Trinity Methodist Church, which has been featured heavily on this blog, as I don't have to leave my apartment to take a photo.  I'm moving in a couple of weeks, though.

Lark Street looking north.

Lark Street

Hudson Avenue

Hudson Avenue

The Lark Street Business Improvement District (BID)

Chestnut Street

State Street

A condominium building's storefront on Lark Street.  Formerly the home of Australian restaurant, now the location of the Alacrity Frame Workshop, which was robbed by an 11 year-old boy recently.

A super cool alley between the Trinity Church and the building next to it.

Lark Natural Foods, a really great new store that was very recently opened.

The condominium entrance on State Street.

Looking west on State Street toward Willett.

One of these buildings is where I'll be moving to soon.

The parking lot of the First Presbyterian Church, with what looks to be an enormous monastery attached.  I've always wondered what this building is.  It's too big to have been a rectory; it's as large as the mansions on State Street.

Washington Park.

Really awesome buildings on and off of State Street.

A sweet little nook off the church.

One of the many alleys on Willett Street that goes to carriage houses beyond.  Many of these are also enormous, like the mansions on Willett themselves. 

Willett Street

Willett Street, with the park opposite.

This photo is tilted, which is annoying. But how cool is that?

Really nice porch behind the arched, covered alleyway. 

I've always loved walking by this statue on my way home from class.

Willett and Lancaster.

Little kids sledding.  I wanted to join them.

These geese did not seem thrilled with the change of weather.

In addition to these doggies, I was impressed by how many people and pets were in the dog park that day.  The doggies were absolutely loving the snow!

More kids sledding on a different hill.

The Lake.  Almost frozen-ish.

Hudson Avenue between Willett and Lark Streets

Let's hope that's not the end of the winter.  Here are some updated pictures from this afternoon and evening:

Saint Rose, looking west on Western Avenue from Partridge Street, as I waited for the bus.  This side of the streets has the most snow, as it is on the north side of the buildings.

Looking south on Partridge, in the opposite direction as we looked earlier in the post.

The LaSalle School, with a south-facing lawn, bare of snow.

The University at Albany.  In my most popular post to date, we've visited this campus before.

The new monstrous building on campus.  I can't remember what it is.  I'd post a rendering but under construction is probably the most interesting it will ever be.

That wraps up last week's snow storm, for this blog at least.  Stay warm!