SNOW ANGEL
With the temperature twenty-five on the beach, the last thing we expected was snow, but after a night of heavy
rain the mountain shone brilliant white.
After lunch we hired a car and drove
up to look. It was magical but freezing, and we weren’t dressed for snow.
Driving back round never-ending
hairpin bends, my foot slipped on the pedal and we slid towards a vertical
drop.
Two feet from certain death we
stopped, with the bonnet touching a snowman.
Or so I thought, until our snowman
spread its beautiful wings and soared away over the sunlit void.
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Thanks to Rochelle for hosting Friday Fictioneers on her blog https://rochellewisoff.com/ and to Jan Wayne Fields for the photo prompt. You can read other stories by following the above link.
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When I lived in Tenerife, the sight of snow on the mile-high Mount Teide was an annual treat for the eyes. Once the Cabildo had cleared the very steep and winding access road, locals would drive up there to play in the snow, even enjoying barbecues, before building snowmen on their bonnets and driving down - the winner being the driver who got the furthest before the snowman melted!
There is so much more to Tenerife than the average tourist sees - it is hardly surprising that my adopted island inspired my Living Rock series of books. If you would like to buy A Volcanic Race, the first in the series, click on the cover at the top of this page.
Magical!
ReplyDeleteThanks Helen.
DeleteBeautiful story.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of snowmen being driven down to the beach too :-)
I don't think any ever made it that far, though I did see one in Escalona.
DeleteI believe in snowmen. I have a harder time with angels. But a lovely piece
ReplyDeleteThanks Neil - we can't all believe in the same things.
DeleteSuch an unexpected, magical story. Loved this one, Liz.
ReplyDeleteSusan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
Thanks Susan.
DeleteI hope once the snowman/angel flew off the car didn't start moving towards the precipice again :-)
ReplyDeleteIt's strange to see snow high up when you're all warm and dressed for summer.
Even more strange to go up there in summer clothes, as we did the first time!
DeleteDear Liz,
ReplyDeleteYou had me scurrying to the Celsius/Fahrenheit converter. Love your magical story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
I got so used to Celsius in Tenerife that it's second nature now!
DeleteI love this magical tale, Liz.
ReplyDeleteThere are definitely angels amongst us...
Thanks Dale - another believer!
DeleteTruly magical, Liz.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ali on the thought of seeing snow when you are dressed for summer. Strange! But that's nature, I guess with all its surprises.
Thanks,
Norma.
Thanks Norma. Nature is wonderful - and as Mt Teide is a mile high, rain at ground level in winter falls as snow up there.
DeleteA guardian snowman, I like that idea :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Iain.
Deleteit was an ending i didn't expect. i hope they made it ok on the other side. :)
ReplyDeleteWith the help of an angel, of course they did!
DeleteNicely written. DId they make it safely ? A real cliff hanger...
ReplyDeleteWith some very careful reversing.
DeleteA guardian angel! Lovely story.
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda.
DeleteWell, you surprised me with that twist! There must be something your MC has to do, inspired by the angelic intervention.
ReplyDeleteSuch as take greater care when she's got her family in the car?
DeleteIt's the same with picture prompts and with angels: It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see. A stunning story, Liz. Magical, like the first commenter said.
ReplyDeleteThank you Gah.
DeleteSo magical.
ReplyDeleteA magical twist in the end. Nice one.
ReplyDeleteGlad you like it, Subroto.
DeleteI was interested to read this as they do the same in Madeira, bring snow down from the mountain for the kids to play with
ReplyDeleteInteresting! How high is the mountain there?
DeleteSnowmen, angels and summer clothes. What a magical unexpected mix!
ReplyDeleteSummer clothes and snow don't mix happily, as we discovered on our first trip up Mt Teide.
DeleteOh I saw the tradition of the snowman on the bonnet on Madeira too... I do not think there was enough snow when we were on Tenneriffe...
ReplyDeleteTenerife's snow usually falls in January/February.
DeleteOh! That's lovely.
ReplyDeleteThank you Patsy!
DeleteThat made me smile :)
ReplyDeleteGlad it pleased you, Dawn :)
DeleteLucky and magical at the same time.
ReplyDeleteVery lucky. Thanks for visiting, Irene.
DeleteNothing like a bit of magic realism, Liz. Well done.
ReplyDeletemarion