Just when we were resigning ourselves to the prospect of a brown Christmas, the snow moved into the Twin Cities yesterday afternoon.  It snowed throughout the evening and into the early morning hours, and when I awoke today our scenery was coated with four inches of white and fluffy snow.  I grabbed my camera and headed over to Como Park early.  There were few people on the streets but even the sound of the three or four cars was muffled by the snow.  After about 15 minutes of walking I could hear a snow shovel scraping the pavement.  When I arrived at the park I could see, and eventually hear, the sound of the trail groomer as she laid down the cross-country ski track;  we exchanged waves as she drove past.  Another five minutes passed before I heard the whish of a skier coming up behind me.  And shortly after that the sound of geese flying south filled the air.  It was one skein of geese after another, no longer content to be in an area of frozen lakes and ponds and headed to warmer climes.  I watched and wondered how far south they would fly today.  Another ten minutes passed and I could hear children’s laughter and squeals as they were sledding with abandon down a nearby hill.  The time passed quickly and as I headed back home the city had awakened.  Traffic was moving carefully on the snow-covered streets and people were either shoveling their walks and drives or using snow blowers to clear the paths.  The sounds of winter have arrived once again.