Grandmother and grandchild enjoy a ride down the small hill at Alum Creek North despite the snow being compacted to ice, making the ride faster and more exhilarating than a typical sled ride. My Final Photo for January 10, 2025.

The late afternoon glow lights the horizon at Hoover Reservoir, where a rock exposed by the lake’s low waters is slowly encased in a layer of ice as the lake freezes in the low temperature. My Final Photo for January 9, 2025.

Light snow flurries fall across Jimmy V’s brightly lit closed patio, reminding frozen Uptown Westerville of warmer times, good food, and companionship. My Final Photo for January 8, 2025.

A set of Christmas lights reveal themselves, having melted their warm glow through the snow that covered them on the edge of a sidewalk in Uptown Westerville. My Final Photo for January 7, 2025.

Children, having chosen the smallest hill at Alum Creek Park North, enjoy their brief and less frightful sledding after the winter’s first significant snowfall. My Final Photo for January 6, 2025.

A frowning face appears in the ice and snow at the base of a cypress tree at Highlands Wetland, marking the beginning of a week of snow, wind, Arctic temperatures, and just plain foul weather, enough to put a frown on anyone’s face. My Final Photo for January 5, 2024.

A man holds the two cups of hot chocolate swirled whipped cream he took to his table to share with a companion on a cold winter afternoon in the warmth of Java Central. My Final Photo for January 4, 2025.

The last rake filled with detritus from the City Hall Holiday Tree is tossed into the recycling truck, marking a visible end to a portion of the holiday season in Uptown Westerville. My Final Photo for January 3, 2025.

After sharing a kiss at the corner of State and Main, a romantically inclined couple turns to the sunset lighting the eastern sky and skyline before crossing the street in Uptown Westerville. My Final Photo for January 2, 2025.

A family walks in the early evening on New Year’s Day past the 2025 sign displayed for photos and selfies in Rotary Park at Home and State Streets in Uptown Westerville. My Final Photo for January 1, 2024.

With their helium almost deflated, balloons celebrating the new year float close to the ground and blow in the wind across the sidewalk in Uptown Westerville. My Final Photo for December 31, 2024.

The smooth waters of Schrock Lake sit in a blue glow after sunset with the thin ice warning sign that might be more of a weather forecast and a statement of conditions as a series of polar storms are forecast to bring Arctic temperatures and winds to the Midwest. My Final Photo for December 30, 2024.