This photo was taken last year on February 14, the first day of the second week of DLTI. I drove down to Elat Chayyim / Isabella Freedman a day early on account of snowstorm; I spent part of the 14th bundled into snow pants and polarfleece, walking in my snowshoes on the frozen lake.

I'm having some déja vù today, because this year, once again, we're besieged by wintry weather on the day we're slated to begin our retreat experience. This time it's a deluge of freezing rain and sleet. My friend Joe is once again unable to fly north in his small plane; I'm hoping people won't be trapped in their travels, or get into trouble on the road as we make our way to the retreat center for these last few precious days. (Hell, I'm hoping I can make it down my own driveway!)

I broke the LCD screen on my digital camera on my way to Ohalah, so I am -- alas! -- camera-less these days. Which means I won't be posting photos from DLTI, and I don't blog while I'm there. So...have a sweet few days, everyone. If you're the praying type, please say a prayer for all of us who are traveling today in the "mixed precipitation." An early Shabbat shalom to all, and I'll see you on the flipside!

Technorati tags: winter, Judaism.