Thinking About Snow
by
Steve Watters
on Dec 27, 2007 at 10:07 AM
Here in Colorado Springs, we had a perfect combination of snow. We had the white Christmas that so many songs pine for this time of year -- with beautiful swirling flakes throughout the day. Then on Wednesday we had a blue sky that made for ideal sledding.
It's snowing again today. I'm watching the cars in the parking lot slowly get covered in a blanket of white. But as the flakes dance around outside my window, I have to admit I have mixed emotions.
As a North Carolina native living in Colorado, I appreciate the opportunity to see snow more often. We had a white Christmas in North Carolina back in the 1990s that was the first in a hundred years. I like that the precipitation we get here during the winter is more likely to be snow than rain. Snow is more comforting than rain in the winter and it's a lot more fun to play in -- but then again you don't have to shovel rain. Shoveling snow can feel festive in December, but oppressive in April and May.
How do you feel about snow? Love it? Hate it? Ever seen it?
1. Andrew R. (aka Canadian Boy) had the following to say on Dec 27 at 10:19 AM:
Love it. It's hard to be sad when it's snowing.
In fact, I'm off to sled right now.
2. Louise had the following to say on Dec 27 at 10:42 AM:
As a lifelong Midwesterner, I say the less snow the better!
It does look pretty after it falls, but it's just not worth the mess, the inconvenience and the travel danger.
3. DannieA had the following to say on Dec 27 at 11:16 AM:
I have the perfect life. AS a southern Californian, when I want snow, I drive an hour to the mountains....I play and then I come back to a snowless home...just the way it should be...no mess! LOL
It is pretty though...I don't think I could live with it for 4-5 months though.
4. Chrysti had the following to say on Dec 27 at 11:26 AM:
I love snow... as long as I don't have to drive in it :o)
5. Leann had the following to say on Dec 27 at 11:28 AM:
Here in Arkansas, we normally get ice rather than snow. Ice and then maybe it will be topped with snow. Power lines go down. Heat goes out. Cabin fever sets in. We very rarely see a beautiful, simple snowfall but when we do, the whole state freaks out and closes down the schools just in case there is ice to come...
6. Jo had the following to say on Dec 27 at 11:36 AM:
Love it if I don't have to drive in it. :) We hardly ever get 'proper' snow where I live... but I'm off to Prague and Poland for New Year so I'm hoping for pretty Christmas card snow while I'm there!
7. Robert J Espe had the following to say on Dec 27 at 12:05 PM:
If it is going to be cold, I prefer snow, and although I could generally do with less, now that I'm renting and don't have to shovel, I'm a lot more indifferent.
8. P&P had the following to say on Dec 27 at 12:08 PM:
I don't care how pretty it looks, I'd rather bask in the sun.
Although Central Park during a snowstorm is a pretty magical place.
9. Anna had the following to say on Dec 27 at 12:35 PM:
Ever seen it? Being an Ohio native, I thought I knew school well. Then I decided to go to college in Michigan. The last few winters have definitely reacquainted me with the white beast. Let's just say it's a lot less enjoyable when you have to drive through it and scrape your car off and slip and slide through mush constantly.
But I still love it.
10. Jennifer had the following to say on Dec 27 at 1:25 PM:
I must say snow is beautiful with a moonlit night or bright blue sky and I love shoveling the stuff however like most have said there can be many challenges brought on with the winter blessing. The rain you spoke of being easier to deal with must not include the freezing rain typically prevents me from getting in my car or which creates black ice that helps me remember how hard the ground is. I believe both bring entertainment for all. I'm pretty sure I saw squirrels snickering from a near by tree when I tested the road and if you have ever walked by a field covered with snow you surely have seen the animal tracks that seem to scurry about as though the animals play in the snow as much as we do.
Travel stinks with the roads are snow packed or ice covered. Nights without power when the temperature is below freezing aren’t too enjoyable (especially if your well only works with electricity). Overall, it’s a choice. To enjoy or not to enjoy that is the question. After the last power outage I became one of those who prepare for the worse so I say “Bring the snow or freezing rain! Winter has no hold on me!! I’ve got enough food and water to last a month.” Besides when else do you have an excuse to roast little smokies on a fork?
11. Anna had the following to say on Dec 27 at 1:47 PM:
Sorry, there was a typo in my last comment. I meant snow, not school in the second sentence. :)
12. M had the following to say on Dec 27 at 2:12 PM:
I live in Colorado and I love the snow (as long as there is no dangerous traveling to do)! It's been falling all day here. I was so happy to have snow falling on Christmas Day :)
Last winter I did get tired of the snow because we had a blizzard every weekend for several months. The snow just piled up and there was lots of shoveling and snowblowing to do. In fact, during the 1st blizzard before Christmas my dad cut the end of his finger off with the snowblower. We praise God that he didn't lose more of his finger!
13. Lois had the following to say on Dec 27 at 2:17 PM:
I alternate between New Brunswick and Alberta, and get snow -- sometimes piles of it! -- both places. The verdict? I love it. It's beautiful. There's nothing more beautiful than a fresh snowfall, and or so comforting and Christmasy as big thick flakes drifting down outside.
We've hit the ditch 4 times on the way to church (we drive an hour to a reserve) one day in AB. Grew up sliding and digging snow tunnels. I don't like NB wet snow quite as much as AB's "dry" snow. Snow on the melting/freezing point makes for real bad roads.
14. Jason Ganzer had the following to say on Dec 27 at 3:21 PM:
Love it!!!!! Wish I lived in Colorado! I am trying hard to move up there.
15. Melody had the following to say on Dec 27 at 3:55 PM:
Well, I for one love the snow. We don't get much here in the great northwest - i.e. Seattle. But this Christmas I got my Christmas wish. God has been teaching me a lot lately and it has been tough for a few months. I prayed for snow on Christmas and when I woke up on Christmas morning there was none. But later that morning it began to snow big flakes and heavy and it snowed just enough to make the trees look frosty and then it promptly got rained away after dark. The point is though that there was no snow in the forecast for weather in the 40s and God granted my request! Yay for God! (And snow!) Happy New year!
16. Adam T. had the following to say on Dec 27 at 5:39 PM:
Hate heat. Can't imagine life without snow. Went skating today! :)
17. Nikki had the following to say on Dec 27 at 6:59 PM:
I think the snow is lovely to look at and play in occasionally. But I'd be happy if we had snow for about three weeks each year. (Midwesterners aren't too optimistic, though.) Christmas should definitely be white, and so should New Year's Day. So mid-December through the beginning of January is okay for snow. But any other time, especially when I have to drive in it, it is the bane of my existence. It's hard to remember the beauty of it when it makes you late for work, cancels events, and makes you get in wrecks costing thousands of dollars. Nope, I can't get past that. :)
18. Tom Neven had the following to say on Dec 27 at 7:40 PM:
One thing not mentioned is that there's no such thing as just "snow." Here in Colorado and the Mountain West it's nice and dry and powdery. Anything less than 2 inches and I don't shovel my driveway; I sweep it. Ditto for windshields; usually a quick swipe of the wipers is enough to clear most of it. Usually the sun comes out the next day, and in addition to making it really pretty, it melts off the roads and driveways (except those stuck in a permanent north-facing shadow).
In the Midwest and back East, snow is wet a gloppy and heavy. It quickly turns to slush and refreezes as ice at night. I can understand how people in other parts of the country would hate snow. Here in Colorado, it's beautiful. (Plus, we have great mountains for skiing, not those pathetic hills you just call mountains back East!)
19. Samuel PG had the following to say on Dec 27 at 7:58 PM:
I have always lived in California's Central Valley and I attend school in Los Angeles, so I have never had snow at home. It's always within an hour and a half drive, though. I'm off to Oxford for a semester, however, so here's to hoping I get to experience some British snow.
20. Elizabeth had the following to say on Dec 27 at 8:06 PM:
Ahh... snow. I love it! Having been out West the last three winters with rain instead of snow, I am appreciating it all the more now. Constant rain is depressing. Snow, on the other hand, reflects the sunlight and makes everything bright and cheery. Both my parents love winter driving, and my dad has done ice racing. The days I spent in a snowsuit, watching him race... Such fun! I still have to get better at winter driving myself, but my parents are good teachers. And then there's the sledding... digging snow tunnels with my brother... impromptu hockey games on a frozen pond... skiing... oh, and the joy of coming inside and sipping a nice, hot mug of steaming cocoa.
Plus, the arrival of spring is all the sweeter when one has anticipated the return of plant life for several months.
In short, I love winter and wish I lived even further north.
21. lilian had the following to say on Dec 27 at 9:03 PM:
Snow is beautiful!! I love it until I have to drive in it. It's not so much fun when we've already had 18 inches in December and still have 3 more months of snow season to come in the upper midwest...
22. BDB had the following to say on Dec 27 at 9:40 PM:
With proper equipment, snow is fun. I think I was driving my grandparents through the snow Melody mentioned. At least it's not sticking too much here North of Seattle.
However, in Denver at the end of last April, not so fun. The forecast mentioned a chance of rain. If I'd had Gore-Tex boots, and gloves, and a hat, and an ice scraper, it might have been fun. Without them, the sideways-blowing snow was not fun to scrape off the rental SUV.
23. Rachael had the following to say on Dec 27 at 10:16 PM:
Snow's fun, but I'm glad we don't always get too much of it. On Christmas this year we actually had some swirling flakes, but they didn't stick around for long.
I think some of my students saw it for the first time this year, and I would've loved to see the expressions on their faces.
24. Cathy had the following to say on Dec 27 at 10:49 PM:
I am a native Floridian. I remember seeing snow around Christmas in 1989. It was late at night and you had to turn the headlights on to see it. When it hit the ground it would melt, but it stayed on the cartops for a moment. Other than that I have never seen snow, but I have heard it is beautiful.
25. Adam D had the following to say on Dec 27 at 11:10 PM:
Grew up in western NY all my life and I pretty much hate snow. As soon as I finish my degree, I'm definitely heading southward. Just sick of snow that lasts into May some years.
26. Don had the following to say on Dec 28 at 1:58 AM:
I loved snow when I was a kid, but now I hate snow. It looks nice for about 5 seconds, but then it gets all dirty and gross. I'd be happy without any snow.
However, it is fun to watch people see snow for the first time. My first roommate my freshman year was from the Philippines and had never seen snow. He was so excited that he ran outside in his pajamas. I don't think he even had shoes on at the time.
27. Christina had the following to say on Dec 28 at 6:56 AM:
Here in the Adirondacks, we get snow 6 months of the year. You have to LOVE it in order to not go nuts. It's also cold enough to play hockey for 3 months outside.
28. Melissa D. had the following to say on Dec 28 at 8:47 AM:
We had a white Christmas here in Maine for the first time in at least 3 years. Love it! What I don't love are the two huge snowstorms we had last April. I'm ready for spring by the end of January.
29. Louise had the following to say on Dec 28 at 8:49 AM:
Has anyone else besides me ever been in a serious car accident during a snowstorm?
30. Carrie (the original) had the following to say on Dec 28 at 9:29 AM:
The snow . . . as a northerner now residing in the South, I feel superior in my "deal with it" attitude I have towards the white stuff.
It didn't really bother me back in the day, scrapping off the windshield was part of life. You slow down, steer in the direction you're swerving (if it happens), and don't drive like a maniac. Down south, wow, it's a different world.
If there is a forecast for snow, everybody grabs milk, eggs, bread, and batteries from the store. People get ready to "hunker down" for a week, eventhough the snow will only be here for a max. of 48 hours.
It's craziness and I laugh at them.
31. Nicole had the following to say on Dec 28 at 10:50 AM:
4-6 inches falling as we speak! I live in the midwest on a Great Lake and get a lot of "lake effect" snow. I absolutely love it until December 26th.
32. Will had the following to say on Dec 28 at 11:27 AM:
Carrie (the original), you are so right about people in the south! I live in NC and if there is even a chance of half an inch, schools are delayed and people don't go to work....It makes me laugh...Maybe it is because I was born in Jan but I really love snow, since I am currently living in NC it is rather sad since we don't get it much. :( I had forgotten just how much I missed it until I went up to NY a few weeks ago and we had 9 wonderful inches drop on us. Not much but enough to have a snow ball fight. :D
33. Carrie (the original) had the following to say on Dec 28 at 11:29 AM:
Louise -- I've been in a pretty bad accident in the snow, but no physical injuries happened. I had a friend killed in January once, I think he skidded on ice by train tracks and ended being hit by a train. I don't know if ice and snow were actually involved though.
Also, a few years ago, a pretty terribly storm hit blanketed the middle of Ohio and I was driving through it. I didn't get into a accident, but I came pretty close to getting by a semi when I did a 180 on the interstate. Also, I saw stranded vehicles and I know there were rollovers and such.
34. Ryan had the following to say on Dec 28 at 1:07 PM:
I wouldn't be a snowboarder if I didn't love snow!! :-D
35. Brian had the following to say on Dec 28 at 8:43 PM:
Lived in/near Missouri my whole life, and we get just a few snow storms each winter, with only one or two dropping more than 3-4 inches. I absolutely LOVE snow. I love seeing it through the front window, I love driving in it (even though I've had two accidents), I love playing in it, I even love cleaning it off my car!
I marvel whenever I see snow at how God thought of something so crazy. He didn't have to make snow, he could have just made boring sleet or freezing rain! I look at a beautiful snow-covered forest and I stand in awe of God's creating and his endless imagination! I feel sad for all of you who have never gotten to experience this wonderful part of God's creation!
36. Shannon had the following to say on Dec 29 at 9:07 AM:
Ugh, snow. Live in Minnesota and when the first snow falls the first thought in my head is "I better be sure to get up twenty minutes early tomorrow to shovel my car out." - I prefer to simply visit snow - it was much more magical and wonderful as a child, now it's more a nuisance to be suffered with until April. I prefer to love snow from afar. This is why I have to move back to the South. That and you can't find sweet tea around here. :)
37. Stefanie had the following to say on Dec 29 at 4:30 PM:
Snow is beautiful. I wish it would snow year round in the midwest.
38. Stephanie had the following to say on Dec 31 at 8:55 PM:
I love a good snowstorm, and I think that snow is beautiful. But, as a Mountain Girl transplanted into Florida I have a difficult time spending much time in the snow. I freeze! On the other hand, if I have skis.... :)
39. Vanessa had the following to say on Jan 1 at 8:45 AM:
Despise snow with a passion. I moved from Michigan to Florida to escape the white curse. I figured I'd take my chances with the hurricanes over blizzards. Guess what? No hurricanes in over 2 years...but my parents have had several blizzards.
40. Leah had the following to say on Jan 13 at 9:09 AM:
A quick geography/weather lesson for Americans (and even some Aussies):
Yes, there IS snow in Australia. (Aussies will know that. Americans may not).
Even in Summer. (Many Aussies will NOT know that).
Sometimes.
I love snow. I only get to see it every few years when I go on holiday, but I love skiing. Our south-eastern states are the ones with snow (New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania), and snow season is usually mid winter to mid spring (June-September). If you're really lucky, there might be snow later in the year. But not enough to ski/sled on :P (On Christmas Eve 2007 it snowed at Lake St Clair in Tasmania, for any Aussies who may be interested :P).
I wouldn't want to live in it though. I love the cold, but not for months at a time! And it's too much of a nuisance to be bothered with for weeks upon weeks...