“The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of a world and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found?”
If someone was giving out gold stars, I’d get a few. I feel so accomplished. This morning I had blood drawn, went to the bank, the dump, the pharmacy and Dunkin’ Donuts, all by 9:30. Yesterday the @#$%$$#dump was closed because of the snow on Tuesday night. My trunk had been filled with potentially smelly trash so I was not happy. Luckily it stayed cold. Now I am done with errands and intend to stay inside cozy and warm. I have earned it. A sloth I will be.
Both my papers had stories about Atlanta. One headline was “City Brought to Standstill by 3 Inches of Snow.” It gave me the chuckle I suspect was meant.Β We got between 4 and 5 inches overnight on Tuesday which is not even considered a snow storm, a dusting maybe. The schools were even open.Β I swept the walk all the way to the car which plowed easily through the snow in front of it to the road without needing any shoveling or sweeping. By late morning the sun was shining, and the road was down to pavement. Today the sun is shining again with that shimmering light that only comes with winter and the sky is stark blue, both helping the day take on the illusion of warmth. It was 20Λ went I went to the dump.
The threshold between childhood and adulthood is hazy and comes in steps. Thinking of snow as a bother is one of those steps. When I was a kid and it had snowed, I was just so excited. I’d grab my sled and we all, the whole neighborhood, sledded, and flew down the hill whizzing by those trudging up the hill, those who had already flown. We’d build snow forts and use water to ice and reinforce the walls. They’d last for weeks. We had snowball fights. The world was a giant play-land. Some time or other all that stopped and snow on the ground meant shoveling and not much more. That’s still my current stand about snow. Once you cross the line, it’s usually forever.
The sledding and the snow forts may go, but a few pieces of that childhood and snow never disappear. I think snow is lovely when it falls, when the world is hushed. When I was young, I’d watch the flakes fall in the shine of the street light by my house. Now I turn on the outside lights and stand at the door to watch the flakes falling and sometimes I put out my hand to catch a few.
After the storm, I used to pile on the winter clothes, put on a hat and mittens, shovel the walk and then free my car. Sometimes it took hours depending upon the amount of snow, and I’d come close to freezing. The snow had stopped being pretty and had become a nuisance. Now I stay and wait for Skip, my plowman. The snow is pretty again.
Explore posts in the same categories: MusingsTags: 4-5 inches of snow, accomplishments, cold day, dump, dusting of snow, errands, shoveling, Sledding, Snow, snow flakes, the fun of snow
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January 30, 2014 at 12:13 pm
and the excitement builds in Detroit, predictions, no almost guarantees of 3/10th inch of snow by the close of the month to ensure that yes this was the worst snow month ever – Bring it lets get it done – three Polar Vortexes (new term this year and really appreciated) , endless snow shoveling and blowing and an awful head cold – lets get this done and booked before Maximus shows up on Saturday and starts the new month with a solid 8.
Lacking sympathy or communion with the troubled souls of Georgia I watched the NBC World news while Al Roker refuted claims that the snow was the weatherman’s fault and rear wheel drive foreign cars with inexperienced drivers went ditch diving while their occupants abandoned and took a nap at Home Depot. My kid couldn’t get home from Kiddy Daycare screamed NBC’s man on the spot, such drama, where was Michael Brown ?. All they had to say is that it is such a rare occurrence that it makes no sense to burden the tax payer with Michigan like response crews, but lets blame Al.
Meanwhile Michigan is in the middle of a pothole controversy. Mark Heckel, the ambitious Macomb County Executive boldly announced that if you see a pothole dial 911 and they will fill it within the hour. Rather sniffily the Michigan Police announced it was an inappropriate use of the emergency line. Heckel, isn’t backing down – I need to find a good pothole for his crew.
Before im6 gets in on the act, it was 45 years ago today that the Beatles with Billy Preston took to the roof of 3 Savile Row and shocked the heck out of the lunch time crowd. There time as the Fab Four was almost done, but this would be their very last live appearance.
January 30, 2014 at 12:47 pm
My Dear Hedley,
Set the record. Bring on that snow!! You might just want to go tubing again!!I too loved Polar Vortex. It sounds like the plot line of a very bad scifi movie, one I know I’d love, “We have to stop the Polar Vortex or it will bring another ice age!”
The weathermen here predicted the snow in Atlantic the day before that enormous snow storm pummeled the city and deadlocked the roads sending people to sleep in supermarket aisles. The governor or mayor or whoever it was didn’t want the blame for not closing the schools the day before or sending people home in shifts. Sure, blame Al!
They need a dedicated pothole line. Former Mayor Menino gained the love and devotion of the people in the city of Boston by having a dedicated line for problems like potholes or traffic lights which didn’t work or any other of the problems a city brings. They problems were solved quickly endearing the man to an entire city.
I was in Ghana when the Fab Four said sayonara. I read about it much later and was shocked to the roots of my being. Oh, no, not the Fab Four! I was also in Ghana when Simon and Garfunkel called it quits, and that was massively painful. I even had Bridge Over Troubled Water with me.
January 30, 2014 at 1:17 pm
Kat, Polar Vortex does rule as a term and I am very happy that some of these snow storms now have names just like a hurricane. Winter Storm Maximus is bearing down. How much fun to cuss out Maximus when I remove snow once again from the driveway. Much more personal than references to friggin snow.
Did Art’s hair loss have something to do with them packing it in, or was it because Arthur rolled on a really cool last name and Paul Simon’s extraordinary talent ? Just asking
I’m coughing, and hacking and looking out of the window for those magical 3/10th flurries.
Meanwhile – where is your review of The Super Deluxe Edition of Another Self Portrait ?????? Bob will be advertising Chrysler on Sunday, stay tuned.
January 30, 2014 at 1:38 pm
MDH,
I have been busy getting ready for company, entertaining my company and cleaning up after. I just haven’t made the time for BD. Sorry!
Maximus is a great choice of a name. Let’s stay with all names from Latin, sort of classy for a storm.
Depression was probably a factor for poor Art’s loss of all those curls and his white man’s afro. He had one song on the charts and his albums languished on the shelves. Paul had all the post-duo success. His wikipedia entry is interesting:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Garfunkel#Voice_classification
January 30, 2014 at 2:25 pm
My sister had Angel Claire in the house, a piece of rubbish that at 38 minutes was likely to turn a young man to Newcastle Brown Ale.
I am getting tired of these Ghanian type excuses for not cranking up Bob – You had made all the woofing noises about buying the 4 disc and not the 2 disc version and not even a hint of review, not even a comment on the books. I know Gracie needed a dump run but put that thing on and lets all hear what you think. Its my only missing Bob and I am willing to be guided.
January 30, 2014 at 4:11 pm
MDH,
You must learn patience!
I had to be the consummate hostess. Even today I am doing the laundry from my company’s beds and doing their towels. I will get to it this weekend.
You could always take a chance yourself as it is a giant hole in your collection, a Grand Canyon of a hole!
January 30, 2014 at 4:25 pm
MDH,
I have just listened to the first three songs, and if the others are this good, then I am fortunate. I am including a link to one of the songs which will cause you to go and order this set.
https://app.box.com/s/qr8hp79eif5syo89mwml
January 30, 2014 at 5:30 pm
Kat, three tracks does not a Super DeluxeEdition make…I shall wait
January 30, 2014 at 5:33 pm
MDH,
I’ll get there, I’ll get there. Already I am nearly through that first disc.
January 30, 2014 at 12:55 pm
Hi Kat,
I’m slipping back over the kid snow line just a little. Retirement has given me the luxury of enjoying snow as long as it’s snowing on a day that I have no errands. True, I am not going sledding or snow ball fighting or even x-country skiing. Crunching about in it and taking photos of pretty snow or throwing ice chunks for Rocky to fetch is the most I will do.
Speaking of ice and snow and dogs, I stumbled across a lovely little book about a winter mountain climbing mini schnauzer and how he changed his owner’s life. The book is titled Following Atticus. It’s written by his owner Tom Ryan the former publisher and chief writer for The Undertoad which was the paper one read for all the dirt on Newburyport politics and city life. Some of the dirt is in the book which made it interesting to me because I had an office there for several years. π Anyway, it’s a happy and sad and inspiring story as are most books about wonderful dogs. It’s on Kindle and worth a look.
It’s a balmy 23ΒΊF here and the sun is shining. They keep revising the projected high for the day downwards. It started at 30 and is down to 28. I think this is as high as it’s going to get.
Enjoy your sloth day. You earned it. π
January 30, 2014 at 1:29 pm
Hi Caryn,
That was what I meant into the second from last paragraph-that the snow has become wonderful to watch fall, and I don’t shovel any more. A piece of that childhood still remains.
I have some money left in iTunes so I’ll take a gander. The only problem is sad stories about animals get to me. I always want happy endings in movies or stories about animals. I once read a direction mention that you can’t kill dogs in movies. Kill as may people as you want but not dogs. I’m still traumatized by Old Yeller.
It is getting warmer here as water is dripping from the snow on the roof, and I’m getting long icicles.
Thanks-I intend to be the perfect sloth!
January 31, 2014 at 1:25 pm
I saw Old Yeller once and never would again though it is a good movie. I’ve never had to shoot my own dog but having to make the decision and hold the animal while someone slips in the needle is bad enough.
The book has some scary bits and sad bits and some uplifting bits. It ends well. It’s more about how the author changed because this dog came into his life. Humans have trouble with knowing themselves. Dogs generally do not.
And there are pictures of the dog on the mountaintops.
January 31, 2014 at 2:02 pm
Caryn,
I will never watch Old Yeller again. That was a horrible ending, but like you, I have held my animals close as they passed away in my arms. That is just the saddest of things.
Gracie is a marvel. She knows all of my weak spots and takes full advantage.
January 30, 2014 at 1:07 pm
We’ve had snow fall on and off since last night but it isn’t noticiable on the ground, that’s the only snow fall I still like π The wind has finally calmed down some, from storm to gale π They say temperatures finally will tise above 32 during the days again π
The only time I can remember liking snow as an adult was when I went to the cottage I rented further north during a christmas vacation. It was well below 0F outside, clear sky and the snow sparkeled in the moon light. It took three days just to get it reasonable warm in the kitchen of that cottage, the only place worth heating up π
Have a great day!
Christer.
January 30, 2014 at 1:32 pm
Christer,
The snow is still pretty in the yards but ugly on the sides of the road. We’ll get a bit warmer but not all that much.
I just sit and wait for Skip to plow and shovel so I stay warm inside the house after it snows. That makes me hate snow less!!
Have a wonderful evening!
January 30, 2014 at 9:06 pm
We in Dallas, Atlanta, Houston and New Orleans are just winter disabled. We don’t know what winter tires are nor do we live where they have any snow plows. Cars actually don’t rust out after a few years from the salt that is not spread on the streets. After all how many people do you know who retire to Detroit or Buffalo New York. I had a former colleague from Montreal who retired to Edmonton only because that’s where his grand kids lived. It’s only a winter wonderland when you are a kid because they close the schools here when the first flakes of frozen precipitation falls. Big people have to go out and make a living in the stuff.
I spent the first Arctic Vortex in Toronto and that was enough for one winter. There is nothing like scraping frozen snow off the car in minus 24 degrees Celsius without the wind chill. With the wind blowing it was cold enough to sting. Of course you can’t have everything. In Florida they get hurricanes, in Hawaii they get volcanos and California gets earth quakes.
January 30, 2014 at 9:27 pm
Bob,
I knew there were no snow plows. Why would those cities spend the money when the plows would be used so infrequently?
We don’t have snow tires anymore, just all weather radials. At one point my dad used to put chains on his tires then when snow tires came into use my dad bought a set and would have them put on in November for the winter.
My nephew was in New Orleans during the storm and wrote on Facebook how funny it was that everything was shut down for only a few inches of snow.
I spent every winter leaving around 6:15 for work, and I had to scarp my windshield almost every day. I hated it. Now I seldom go out before the sun melts the frost.
We are also lucky enough to have hurricanes.
January 30, 2014 at 10:06 pm
If you had volcanoes then you would have everything except a warm winter π
January 30, 2014 at 10:27 pm
Bob,
That’s funny!