It has been snowing since yesterday with little break. It is the first appreciable snow we've had for two years. Last year, and even earlier this year, all it seemed to do in the valley was rain. That's mostly annoying if you like snow as I do, but wonderful if you are like lis who hates the snow and the cold.
For a moment I thought it would have been a snow day for school since we haven't had snow like this for so long and folks here tend to get jealous of places that completely shut down in even the slightest amount of snow or ice. But no--the True West has taken over and most folks head out into the storm to get to their jobs or school or whatever. People leave early and drive slow (mostly). Snow plows are out all night, cutting their way through the streets.
Despite its inconvenience and cause for caution most people seem to be in a good mood this morning. Folks wave to each other as they shovel off their cars. Bus stop waiters chat about the weather and the cold and joke about weathermen.
Yes, the snow smooths things over--even people. They fail to see the cold and the bleakness of winter and succumb to the magic of snow that, overnight, has exploded out of the nothingness of clouds and cold.
It's true, snow makes things feel magical, even if only for a few hours after it stops falling. I think it's because we have to adjust our routines. We could be irritated by it, but it kind of feels like a little holiday. I remember the big snow we had over Christmas a couple of years ago--it was fantastic. In my neighborhood, it broke enormous tree branches and we had big piles of snow in our north-facing front yard well into spring. The days it was snowing were otherworldly.
ReplyDeleteit is a beautiful day now that i am not driving. the snow really does brighten the city up. too bad, it makes some of us moody.
ReplyDeleteBah. Snow sucks. But I do agree that it provides people with a reason to slow down, to not do unecessary things. And I do sort of like wearing my snow boots. Today would have been better with a snow day. I have never had a snow day in my entire life and it makes me grumpy. I almost made it a self-proclaimed snow day, but then I felt bad about abandoning my students (not that they would have actually cared).
ReplyDeleteI'm jealous. Just remember, in a day or two it'll turn into that dirty crusted-over ice, Humbug!
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