Day 50: February 19, 2010

Words in the Snow

I am almost too angry to write just now.  When I got home last night, it was 8:30 and dark.  My daughter mentioned that she'd seen the words "Welcome Home, I Love You" written in the snow paralleling our driveway when her grandma dropped her off after school.  I thought, "how sweet - must be the neighbor girl's boyfriend or maybe the husband did it for his wife" (we share a driveway).  This morning I got to see the words and also noticed a large heart along the front sidewalk.  

As you can see from the photo above, we have a large double lot with a lot of pristine snow surface.  It must have been too much temptation for someone, because today when I was bringing in the garbage can after work, I saw the REST of the lettering in the snow in my yard.

There is a racial slur and mention of a well-known white-supremacist group as well as references to someone being fat and the word s*x.  I am angry.  Some say it's just bored kids who couldn't resist the canvas that is my snow-covered yard.  I say it's vandalism and a hate crime, regardless of whether I was the target or not (I don't believe it was directed toward me - I do think it was high school aged kids in the neighborhood).  The police agree it is a hate crime and want to come take a statement. 

So I'm waiting for them to show up (could be hours - not exactly a high priority, I realize).

And I realized the only pictures I took today were of the words in the snow (evidence and all that).  So you get the above shot - heavily tweaked on the color balance and contrast sliders.  I kind of identified with the blue cast and the heavy shadows from the trees - mirrors my current mood at the moment.