Tag Archives: snow

Go Away, White Witch!

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I woke up in Narnia this morning.

Well, not really, but it felt like it. Here’s a photo of one of our trees (those are buds that thought it was time to come out):

Iced branch and trees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, it’s beautiful. Yes, it’s historic. But doggone it, it’s dangerous and I’m tired of it!

It started yesterday with freezing rain, sleet, and ice. The stuff fell for hours, off and on.

Today, the folks who study these things are calling it a “monster storm.”

No kidding!

We’re in line for more ice today, as if we haven’t had enough. Then, we’re supposed to get six inches of snow. Then, the snow is supposed to get blown around in gusty winds.

Can you see the recipe for disaster here??

Iced power lines (no, my city didn’t bother to bury them like normal places do), iced tree limbs, and high winds.

My dog gives me the look that says, “What, are you kidding?” when I send him out to potty. Slipping and sliding on the skating rink that’s my backyard, he finally does “the deed,” then tucks his head and tries to scamper back inside.

Poor thing looks like a drunken sailor. No merry barking and racing around chasing birds and squirrels for him today!

Fortunately, we at least were forewarned. The prognosticators have been talking about this beast for a week now, giving us plenty of time to gather necessities: food, water, medicine, books, etc.

But how does one prepare for losing power when the temps drop to below zero??

It’s Snowing!

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As I type this, it’s snowing outside.

Now, for some people, that would be a nuisance and an inconvenience. They’re the ones who bask in warm temps year-round, who never have to worry about snow-covered sidewalks and icy roadways. They don’t own winter coats or mittens, and boots are purely a fashion statement.

Part of me envies them their sunshine. I, too, used to live in the south where it’s easy to put up outside decorations at this time of year. But the bigger part of me welcomes winter.

C’mon, how many Christmas cards depict palm trees and beach scenes?? How many carols sing of balmy weather and golf courses? And you can’t roast chestnuts over an open fire when it’s blazing hot outside!

Nope, this is the time of year when it’s supposed to be cold. Trees, grass, and plants are supposed to grow dormant. Squirrels and birds are supposed to become scarce. Daylight is supposed to become shorter.

People, too, are supposed to “hibernate.”

I can remember many winters as a child when we used this time of year to learn new things — how to play chess, for example. Or pinochle or hearts, monopoly or backgammon. Sometimes, entire days would go by when we couldn’t leave the house for the weather.

Talk about cabin fever!

True, shoveling mounds of heavy snow isn’t on top of my Fun-Things-To-Do list. Nor is driving on icy streets, having to wear a heavy coat and boots everywhere, and looking outside on yet another bleak, gray day.

But there’s something to be said for curling up with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate while the wind howls outside!

And, while winter itself sometimes seems to drag forever, it won’t be long before the days lengthen, the warmth returns, and the earth comes alive again.

That’s why I like having four distinct seasons!

Weathering the winter

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When did I become such a weenie about winter weather?

As a kid, I loved the snow. It was beautiful coming down, and it marked the beginning of the Christmas season. I got to wear sweaters and mittens; Dad made a fire in the fireplace, and Mom gave us kids hot chocolate with marshmallows for our after-school treat.

Some days the snow would drop by the bucket-load, starting at night and blowing into huge drifts next to the house. The administration would cancel school, and everybody would “hunker down” inside for several days. No problem — I’d curl up with a good book and magically be transported to another time and place.

Not so any more.

All those weather casters need to do is hint at snow, and I go into a tailspin! I stock up on supplies — does anybody really need fourteen cans of pork ‘n beans? I gas up the car and make sure I’ve got a thick blanket in the trunk. I dig out the snow shovels and the long underwear; I check to see whether there are flashlights (with batteries) and candles (with matches) just in case we lose electricity.

And I watch the Weather Channel on TV or Accuweather on my computer, examining radar screens, long-range forecasts, and so forth until I, too, am a master of the lingo.

Honestly, I don’t mind the snow so much — it’s the ice. Particularly when I’m driving.

I know enough to leave way before I need to be some place, then creep “old lady style” until I arrive safely. Nobody else seems to have learned that lesson. They zip along, merrily chatting on their cells or balancing a cup of hot coffee or punching buttons on their radio, without even giving a thought to how trecherous the roadways are.

So I’ve just got one teeny request. Slow down, okay? We both want to get where we’re going in one piece, and you riding on my bumper won’t make me go any faster, I promise!