This past weekend we had our first major winter storm where we got about 8″ of snow during Saturday night. Which was very pretty and cozy. Our second storm just hit. Icing on the cake of a day that started at -8F/-22C. It is now 9F/-13C. We are supposed to get a few inches but we got that already today and it’s still going. On the plus side it may let us have a white Christmas. I’m afraid I jinxed it the other day saying we’re guaranteed. Like I am a rookie or something! We’ll have three days over the weekend above freezing with some rain. Not good.
Watching my kids get excited about the snow brings me back to when I was their age. There was nothing better that several inches of snow. Epic snowball fights, endless runs down the hill on our sleds. My dad would do a run with bumps for us from our next door neighbours into our back garden. As an adult I doubt the bumps were huge but to a small kid we were flying!
As an adult now I think about the roads, how much shoveling and snowblowing will we have to do, and when’s a good time to walk the dogs. This morning Guinness was very intent on getting round. He couldn’t wait to get back to the door. Murphy could care less. I have to say I put as many layers on that would allow my coat to still fit. I looked a bit like the little kid in “The Christmas Story”, the bit where he can’t put his arms down. And I was still cold!
If the snow was right when we were kids we’d make snow forts into our hill and hang out in them. Little caves. Of course now they tell you not to do that as they could collapse. I want my kids to be safe and all but sometimes common sense sucks the fun out of it. Our first winter here we dealt with the blizzard of ’78. My dad dug us a 4′ deep hole, plunked us in, and set about moving several tons of snow. My Grandma came over that winter for the first time. My parents tried to warn her of the cold and snow but living in Yorkshire for most of her life she felt she’d “be fine, lad”. It took her breath away.
To be honest though if the snow is right we’re right out there with the kids building forts and having epic snowballs fights. We’ve gone on for hours sometimes. So we’re due for the sticky stuff, not this dry snow. As long as it’s on a weekend. 🙂
I love snow! I always look forward to it but living in England it means everything coming to a standstill as soon as we see a flake of snow.
I know, there were many years without much snow over there that people seemed to forget but you would think after several years now of it getting all the way down to Swanage it would be less of a standstill. When we move back I think I’ll bring all season tyres with me. 🙂
You definitely should! I always wonder if the rest of the world chuckles at us being defeated by millimetres of snow.
It happens here too even though it snows every winter. And forget it further south. 🙂
Love your comment – ok it can stop now. I am not a winter lover and I am happy that I live in the south, especially when I see your excellent photos.
I actually like snow but I don’t like the cold or people forgetting how to drive in the snow.
Snow can be so beautiful in a fresh fall, but mostly, I find it a pain, especially when commuting. You cope with it admirably!
I stay close to home. 🙂
Minus 12 C is the coldest I’ve experienced, in Prague and W. Berlin (just after the wall came down). I was so cold in Berlin I ended up wearing an extra jumper as a scarf. Didn’t care what I looked like! Enjoy the snow for me 🙂 I prefer to look at the photos!
Much warmer to look at photos. It will be warm this weekend. Hopefully it won’t melt all the snow.