“Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour.”
A dusting of snow was on the lawn this morning. It was the second dusting of the winter, and both are the only snow we’ve seen. The day is getting warmer, already up 5° since I first checked, and the warmth has made the dusting a memory. Today will be in the 40’s. During previous winters, a day in the 40’s was considered almost balmy but not this winter. 40 during the day seems to be the norm. The nights, however, are still cold, even freezing, and they remind us that this is really winter.
On our way to school on some windy winter mornings, we’d walk backwards when we had to go around the field at the foot of our hill. The wind whipped across that field with such ferocity I used to wonder if my nose would freeze and break off my face. Our coats were blown by the wind and our legs got so cold they turned red. We’d hurry as fast as backwards would let us to get pass that field because beyond the field was a street filled with houses on both sides which protected us from the wind. The cold, though, was something else. No matter how much my mother bundled us we were freezing by the time we got to school. We’d wear sweaters under our winter coats, and my mother shoved hats on our heads, mittens on our hands and scarfs around our necks. I even remember wearing some pink underwear my mother bought me which were like mini-leggings and went down as far as the tops of my knees. They were God-awful ugly but kept me a bit warmer. I prayed no one would ever see them.
Now, I am never outside long enough to get really cold. The other day I brought the bird feeders into the house as it was too chilly to stand outside and fill them. I’m cold only for a few minutes until my car gets toasty warm. I run to the store and run back to the car. I look outside the window here in my den, and I swear I can see the cold. I decide there is no reason whatsoever to go out, and I sit here and read in the warmth of my house. Like bears, I believe hibernating is the best winter survival tool.
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January 6, 2012 at 2:05 pm
It’s been a warm winter everywhere. This morning on NPR there was a story about how the lack of freezing temperatures was killing the ice fishing and snowboarding business in Maine. I think a frozen lake is required to ice fish.
Winters are always colder in your memory especially when you remember about going to school in the mornings. My parents always told me, when I was a kid, how they had to trudge through snow drifts ten feet high while they walked several miles in blizzard winds to school each winter day. I can remeber some winter days in NYC when I was in school when I thought that I was at the South Pole. But in reality it was only in the 20s with a brisk wind chill. Girls had a more difficult time walking to school in those days because they were not allowed to wear pants.
I wonder what parents who live in Florida tell their kids about how tough it was to get to school in January. I guess walking through orange groves can be a terrible experience.
January 6, 2012 at 10:03 pm
Bob,
You’re right about the frozen lake, The men bring out their fishing shacks, hack and saw a hole and wait.
I think the winters were so cold because we had to walk to school no matter the temperature. If it was 12° we walked to school. My father always left early and that was our only car and none of my friends’ parents had two cars so off we went.
My parents were never ones to tell us how bad the winters were. We lived in the same town they had after they moved from the city so they knew we wouldn’t buy their stories.
You’re right about being colder because of skirts. When I was young, I wore leggings under my skirt but when I got older, I never would.
January 6, 2012 at 7:05 pm
Boys wore long johns underneath their uniforms and I continued that even in High School on cold winter mornings. They were very uncomfortable coming home and I couldn’t wait to change. I must have lost 5 lbs in one afternoon from sweating.
And Bob, we wish we still had Orange Groves. Very few left here but when our grand children want snow, they pay Disney to go to snow mountain, man made of course, but enjoy the snow ball fights and sledding. This year we gave them season tickets. Most kids still wear shorts to school but not this week. Today we at least got into the 60’s.
January 6, 2012 at 10:05 pm
Z&Me,
I don’t think anyone wore long Johns that I knew. Boys would have been horrified at the thought.
Here, they wear shorts when the weather is a balmy 60!
January 7, 2012 at 1:48 am
We’re having summer temperatures noiw compared to the two latest winters 🙂 🙂 It’s around 32 and later today we’ll get snow they say.
I remember that when we came to school those windy, snowy or rainy days we all took our trousers off and put them on the radiators, both boys and girls. Since it was a rather poor neighborhood avaeryone had the most odd colored long legged underwear. No one cared as long as we kept warm 🙂 🙂 🙂
My dogs forces me out no matter how cold it is 🙂 But at least they usually turn home quickley if it rains 🙂 🙂
Have a great day!
Christer.
January 7, 2012 at 11:01 am
Christer,
It will be in the 50’s here today. If this keeps up, Florida will be coming here for the winter.
I had to wear a skirt to school and the nuns would have been horrified at the thought of clothes coming off.
Gracie is out and in quickly in the cold.