It's snowing outside. Yay!! Okay, so there isn't much on the ground (maybe a half inch on my porch and pastures) but it's been snowing for hours. It's beautiful. And makes me want to take the girls to Michigan. I haven't been back for twenty years but times like this really make me want to visit. I remember playing in the snow as a child, going tobogganing with my family, sipping hot chocolate with frozen fingers after snowball fights. I want those experiences for my girls.
My memories of snowstorms are colored by the fact that I've never really had to deal with it as an adult, responsible for driving to work and protecting my children. I will admit that I'd love to have all the fun with none of the danger like black ice and drivers who don't know how to handle slick roads (of which I am one).
My Dad and I were discussing the sled he brought with us when we moved to Alabama. It has metal runners, steering and probably lead paint. But the thing can fly. And he still has it stashed in the garage just in case. I want my children to experience the thrill of coasting down a long hill, the wind in their face and snow floating around them.
Do you have any winter memories? When was the last time you saw snow?
Instigator
12 comments:
The sled I had as a child had lead paint too and I'm still alive and kicking. As long as your girls don't eat the sled, they should be a-ok. ;)
I haven't seen real snow since I left college. It snowed all the time there. The first time it snowed, my friends and I piled outside to make snowballs and snowangels (we were from Vegas and Phoenix, primarily, and just weren't used to it). Then one Easter, it snowed 3 feet overnight. School was cancelled, we were trapped in our dorm. It was awesome. When we were finally able to get outside, we could practically swim in it. Somewhere, there's pictures of my friends with their heads just sticking up over snowdrifts. That was just crazy.
Never been on a sled, though.
Well, my hubby is from Buffalo, so last night he was laughing his *ss off at the news. Snow was the lead story. They spent over 10 minutes talking about it, going to different locations and showing pics of dirty snowmen (you know, where you've scraped up all the snow to make it and there's nothing but dirt left on the ground). Then, they reported from a mountain that had, gasp!, 1/4 to 1 inch. Hubby howled.
In Alabama's defense, and as a native Southerner, I told him we just don't get this kind of thing often. It IS news here, and it's so different from what we're used to. Those half dirt snowmen reminded me of my childhood in Arkansas. The glee over snowflakes, the hope that school would be closed.
OTOH, I've certainly lived in snowier places. Germany was the last time I saw snow, and that was about 4 years ago. We didn't get a lot where we lived, but you could count on about a foot every winter. Pretty.
And, I've been to Buffalo at Christmas. Now THAT is snow, y'all. Hubby may snort and guffaw, but he'd rather be in Alabama than Buffalo any day. :)
It was awfully pretty coming down. Girl was disappointed, however, that they didn't have a snow day. The DH and I, however, were very excited that roads were good so he could keep business appointments. No appointments = no money in the door.
The last big snow I remember around here was about 12 years ago. I was still working on the Arsenal and there was enough snow they closed schools and closed the Arsenal. Our old house was on a hill and there was a side street across from the house next door and it was steep. Once back in the 80's we had a big snow and the DH put on his skis and skiied from the top of our drive, down our yard and then down that side street. The neighborhood kids were impressed. Of course there wasn't a lift to ride back up.
The local meteorologists are saying we're overdue for a big snow. It's fun to watch but really snarls this town up because we're not prepared for it.
I remember Smarty Pants's Easter snow. We'd flown to Phoenix and were driving north to a little town near the Grand Canyon. We were able to get to the town but the next morning there was 18 inches of snow and they'd closed the interstate. We couldn't get to the park and had to cancel our reservation at the lodge. But there's an excursion train that runs from that town and we quickly made reservations. So we got to see the Grand Canyon after all, but not the Easter sunrise service at the canyon rim.
I remember looking out from my window as a young kid and seeing snow on Mt. Fugi year round. I remember sledding (sled with metal handles) down a cool hill as a teen n Germany with 4 kids on top of me, crashing 2/3 of the way to the bottom just as the sled blade ran over my right wrist with everyone on board. Luckily, I only fractured my wrist and didn't get my hand cut off.
I remember the Blizzard of '96! We lived in NJ right next to a Golf Course. The DH's business trip was cancelled and we were excited because that meant he got to stay home a few more days. School was cancelled. We built tunnels in the 4 ft. high snow in our yard, all the way to the street. Neighbors helped neighbors dig cars out. And we sled down sand traps on the Golf Course. It was the best time!! A most welcome reprieve. The world stopped. It was playtime for all.
Oh! I forgot to mention. Driving through the snow yesterday felt like speeding through a time warp. The snow was thrusting toward us like stars in the galaxy. Sooo cool!
Wasn't it pretty? The kids came home from school, bundled up and went outside to play. Last time we saw snow? In Colorado, Christmas before last. Beautiful! Would I want to drive it in? No. But I love how quiet everything becomes. Just lovely.
Well, I live in the Frozen Tundra, so snow is a way of life. It's pretty coming down, if you don't have to go out in it.
When I was a kid, we lived near a huge hill, so sledding was done on a regular basis with real sleds. When the saucer types came out, we literally flew down that sucker.::g::
Now I'm so over snow and cold winters. I need to relocate somewhere very warm.
I lived in snow for 47 years. Grew up in the Great White North when there were drifts 10 feet high,blizzards and extreme cold but we walked back and forth to school no matter what and lived through it. I hated every minute of it except for the skating and sledding was fun. Glad I am out of it now and have warmth.
I'm with Barbara Vey. I could use a warmer climate. I'm looking at snow out my office window...now. :-)
Snow memory: An old boyfriend was going tobogganing. As he walked out the door, I laughed and said, "Break a leg." Dope that I am. I know. I know. That's for the stage. Guess what? He did. I spent the next weeks as his slave. Washing his hair, tidying up, hauling his butt....
I owed him. ;-)
Lynn - I used to live across the river from Buffalo. Nothing beats that ol' lake effect!
I've been to Buffalo in the winter. Amazing. When I found out I would be going on the trip (it was a book tour thingie) the publicity gal very soothingly said, "Go to a department store and buy a winter coat." After a long pause, I explained, "This is Alabama. It's February. Flowers are already blooming. The department stores have their summer clothes out." I had to wait until I got to the frozen North to buy a coat and boots, both of which I still have, and this was . . . oh, twenty years ago. Haven't needed them since, so they aren't worn out.
In 1999 (I think; may have been '98) hubby and I were going to a fishing tournament in Las Vegas, which of course meant we were pulling the boat. On April 1st, we got snowed in at Flagstaff, AZ, with 19 inches on the ground. It was actually very gratifying, because hubby missed the Great Blizzard of '93, because he was in Texas on another fishing tournament. I had to deal with six days of no electricity by myself. When he was freaking at the 19 inches of white stuff in Flagstaff, I was very calm. I kept telling him, "This is nothing. You should have seen the Great Blizzard." :-)
With luck, we'll see some more white stuff this weekend.
Linda
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