This showed up late afternoon.

Considerably more than 12 snowmen have sprung up in Maple Leaf Reservoir Park.

In fact, there’s a small city there at noon.

This snow castle (?) is being built on the restricted area of the play fields, normally fenced off. From Friends for a Greater Maple Leaf Park:

If people are walking on the grass areas that are just finishing establishing themselves, this could put off the removal of the fences even further into the spring.

Although half the neighborhood appears to be going to, at, or coming from the park, driving conditions elsewhere in Maple Leaf can still be tricky.

From the Maple Leaf Community Council: “All side streets, particularly those with hills, are slick and dangerous. Many streets, especially on the East side of the n’hood are either partially or completely blocked with stuck vehicles.”

And a Seattle Fire Department crew had to sled a man to the ambulance (again in the verboten lower playgrounds).

The department Tweeted: “Adult male transported to hospital for minor hip injury. Original dispatch stated possible sledding incident.”

Depending on where you measure, Maple Leaf got between 2.25 and 3 inches of snow overnight.

Streets, though, are mostly wide open, and the snow plows have been out.

As are children, sleds, skis and dogs.

To see a map of what’s plowed, click here.

The forecast calls for a few flurries today, then rain.

And more rain. For the rest of the week.

THE STEADIER SNOWFALL THAT FELL OVERNIGHT HAS ENDED AND THE AREA WILL GET A MUCH AWAITED GRADUAL WARMING TREND STARTING LATER TODAY.

So let’s enjoy the snow now.

8 p.m.: Snowing steadily!

7:07 p.m.: Snowing AND sticking.

6:41 p.m.: Very, very light snow has begun.

The forecast:

Snow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 31. East northeast wind 7 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Total nighttime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Tomorrow, snow and rain, with another half-inch possible.

Missing from our neighborhood this weekend: The Snow Goose art gallery and San Marco Grocery.

The Snow Goose, at 8806 Roosevelt Way N.E., is empty, and a phone call went unanswered. It’s been at that location since 1993, according to our news partner The Seattle Times.

And earlier in the week Jennifer wondered what was happening at San Marco, 8416 Fifth Ave. N.E. “They haven’t been open since Saturday Feb. 1.”

And today Kevin emailed: “I stopped in to the San Marco Grocery Friday evening for a bottle of wine only to find people packing up the inventory.” He says the owner told him they are moving - it wasn’t clear where.

She and her husband were such nice, welcoming people. A great part of our community. We hugged and she said “I will miss you. Tell your wife, your son I will miss them.”

Interestingly, San Marco was the only place to buy fresh fruit and vegetables that was - technically - within the borders of Maple Leaf. Both the Safeway on Northeast 75th Street and the QFC off Northeast Northgate Way are just outside the Maple Leaf Community Council’s declared borders.

Update: 9:15 a.m. Snow again, very very light. National Weather Service in Seattle issued this at 6:05 a.m.:

NOW… A BAND OF LIGHT SNOW WILL GIVE A DUSTING TO SOME AREAS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS.

——————————————-

At 5:15 a.m. very light flakes were drifting down. It was 25 degrees.

An hour later all’s quiet.

Next forecast of real snow is Sunday.

The kiosk and sign that disappeared from the Maple Leaf Playground last month have returned.

But this time they are in the upper Reservoir Park, next to the west entrance.

And so far they are graffiti-free.

Still no word on the zip line, though.

(Portions of this post courtesy of our sister site PhinneyWood.com)

The AARP Foundation is providing free tax help and electronic filing at several locations, including at the Northgate Branch Library, 10548 Fifth Ave. N.E.

You don’t have to be a member of AARP or a retiree to use the free service.

AARP’s IRS tax-certified volunteer preparers can handle most common tax returns for employed or retired individuals, which include earned and retirement income, investment income (Schedule D), and various education, child and earned income credits.

AARP Tax-Aide sites are not able to prepare returns with rental income or depreciation, but do prepare Schedule C for individuals with small businesses that have less than $10,000 in annual expenses. Taxpayers utilizing the free service can receive their tax refunds rather quickly as all AARP Tax-Aide sites will be using electronic filing.

Foreign students who need help with their 1040NR-EZ and Form 8843 can visit sites at the Northgate Library and Northeast Library for assistance.

For more information and to locate an AARP Foundation Tax-Aide site near you, visit www.aarp.org/findtaxhelp or call 1-888-AARPNOW (1-888-227-7669).

At Northgate tax help is available February 3 through April 14 on:

1 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Mondays

4 p.m. - 7 p.m. Wednesdays

With an hour to go before the 12th Man parade downtown, traffic is largely stopped.

Our news partner The Seattle Times reports “passengers are unable to board ferries, buses and light rail due to overcrowding.”

Buses at the Northgate Transit Center were jammed, with long lines waiting for the next bus - or the one after that.

On a day when 12th Man traffic is already a mess, there is a white van on its side blocking a lane at Northeast 77th Street and Lake City Way Northeast.

This afternoon around 2 p.m. we added a new species to the Maple Leaf Reservoir Park bird list.

(Note: It’s black and white, not blue and green.)

A pair of bald eagles were soaring over the water tower.

And on the tower itself, a peregrine falcon that had been hanging around at least since 10:40 this morning.

12th Man.

12 noon.

Maple Leaf Reservoir Park

By 12: 12 p.m. it was over.

Dozens of Maple Leaf residents formed the numeral 12, and Donna Hartmann-Miller snapped the photo.

(The ladder is on loan from Maple Leaf Ace Hardware, where the 12th Man special is still on until 3 p.m. - when they are closing for the game.)

In other neighborhood news, the Eagles invite you to watch the game at their lodge North East 82nd Street and Lake City Way.

And Cloud City Coffee closes at 3 p.m. As does Cafe Javesti. The Blue Saucer closed at 1 p.m. CAO is having a $21 COA Pitcher! Super Bowl Special. I don’t know what that means, either.

And at the Maple Leaf Dog Oasis:

12th Man.

Sunday.

At the park.

Noon …er, 12 p.m.

A group of Maple Leaf residents are pulling together a 12th Man photo op on Seahawk Super Bowl Sunday.

The plan: Meet at the viewpoint on the southeast side of Maple Leaf Reservoir Park at 12 p.m. Sunday.

Wear Hawk gear. Make a giant “12.”

From Donna Hartmann-Miller of Friends for a Greater Maple Leaf Park and the Maple Leaf Community Council, who is looking for a tall ladder:

If it is overcast, we can take the photo from the viewpoint INTO the park and maybe get the water tank in the background. If it is a clear day, we can take the shot TOWARDS the viewpoint and get Mount Rainier.

Which, for the event, has been renamed Mount Seattle Seahawks by the state Legislature. (Don’t tell the Salish.)

Also from Donna:

Something fun for kids under 12 — Maple Leaf Ace Hardware is offering free Seahawks inspired face painting this weekend, Saturday and Sunday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The store is at 9000 Roosevelt Way N.E. and this is part of our 12th Man Special Weekend. If a grownup (or anyone over 12) wants to match, it will only cost $2 to be the most Seahawk-y fans around.

Finally, help The Seattle Public Library beat Denver! (Hash tags #SEAreads and #ReadingBowl)

Several neighbors have recently asked when the popular zip line at the Maple Leaf Playground will be fixed.

It broke, apparently, last weekend.

“Wanting to ask why the Zip Line seat and hanging part disappeared on Saturday,” wrote DanM.

Since then, fencing has been installed around the “launch platform” at the top of the line.

We expect to hear back from Seattle Parks on this early next week.

If anyone has answers now, please leave them in comments.

While we were at it, we also asked Parks where the (graffiti-ridden) sign at the west entrance to the playground has gone.

The January meeting of the Maple Leaf Community Council kicks off tonight at 7 p.m.

On the agenda:

7:00 p.m. Call meeting to order and announcements

7:05 p.m. Political Changes

7:15 p.m. CleanScapes - A Really Neat Opportunity

7:25 p.m. Bike Master Plan (http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/bikemaster_materials.htm)

7:45 p.m. 2014 Maple Leaf Community Work Plan

8:30 p.m. Seattle School Board Member Sherry Carr

9:00 p.m. Adjourn

The meeting is at Olympic View Elementary School, 504 N.E. 95th St. Free child care is provided.

It was as foggy as it’s been this year at Maple Leaf Reservoir Park this morning. (And that’s saying something.)

It’s lifting here now, but is forecast to return through the weekend.

In a short-term forecast, the National Weather Service warns:

AREAS OF DENSE FOG HAS FORMED OVER THE INTERIOR WATERS FROM PUGET SOUND TO THE NORTH INTERIOR. LAND AREAS NEAR WATER WILL ALSO HAVE DENSE FOG OR FREEZING FOG AT TIMES THIS MORNING.

VISIBILITY MAY DROP BELOW A QUARTER MILE AT TIMES. MOTORISTS SHOULD SLOW DOWN AND USE CAUTION IN AREAS OF LOW VISIBILITY. WATCH FOR ICY SPOTS ON ROADWAYS WHERE TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW FREEZING.