This year has been mild, well, up until the beginning of 2016.
This quote comes from another post I wrote about winter.
I don’t trust March. It’s like an unruly kid who does whatever he/she wants, whenever.
Yours truly – Mary
Of course, I’m writing this in March and the quote is still true this year. Yesterday, it snowed again, which is the second snow in less than a week. Saturday will bring more snow. The picture above is the first snow of 2015, but it was early in the day. It had turned out to be about nine inches by nightfall.
This time of year there are a lot of complaints about the snow and cold. Let’s rephrase that last sentence. I complain a lot and only speak for myself. The bad part about snow this time of year is ice. Temps warm and then they drop. Then the melting snow freezes. Snow gets heavy to shovel. Traffic accidents happen. People fall. Wipers get frozen to the windshield. Fisherman (and kids, ladies & animals) can fall through the ice on lakes.
A young guy bagging my groceries the other day warned me a snowstorm was on the way. I told him I didn’t want to think about another one. The cashier chewed us both out for complaining, saying if we didn’t like it we could move because it’s like this every year. It’s nothing new. In a kind voice, I told him, “Not everyone can just pick up and move.”
On the positive side, snow is pretty to look at when it’s falling. It can come down in large, slow-falling flakes, or so hard and fast that it becomes a whiteout, and you can’t see for a few yards in front of you. If it’s windy, it’ll blow sideways and sting your face.
When fresh snow isn’t walked or driven on, it’s beautiful. I call it virgin snow. Depending on where you are, walking in falling snow can be quiet and ethereal. It’s also nice to see trees with snow on the branches or pine boughs.
I’m not a skier nor do I ride snowmobiles. I’d ride a snowmobile if I had one. You probably can’t live here and not drive on a lake at least once in your life, although no matter how thick the ice is, it terrifies me to be on the ice in a vehicle!
When I was young, I used to ice skate but didn’t mind the cold and snow then. It’s been about fifteen years since I wore skates, and a lot of the time I was on my butt. Maybe it’s the old bones now that can’t take the cold. 🙂 When I was a kid, I’d go ice fishing with my dad “up north” at my grandma’s house on a lake. I swear it snows daily up there.
I heard cardinals singing recently when the snow melted for a couple days, but I haven’t seen a robin yet. Spring is around the corner, so to speak. I can’t wait, but before long I’ll be telling you how hot it is. 🙂
Stay warm or stay cool depending on where you live. Have a relaxing upcoming weekend.
Mary J. McCoy-Dressel 
9 thoughts on “Snow Days in the 26th State”
Mary Ann
I saw a robin here in Minnesota last week, and I thought the poor bird must be confused, but fortunately it’s going to get up in the 50s the rest of this week. Nature is always so smart!
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Hi, Mary Ann. When I see a robin in the snow, I wonder too what they must be thinking and how do they survive. With the on and off snow this year, my dog looks surprised, or confused, when I open the door. One day it will all be melted and the next morning it will be back. She sits and watches it fall though from her warm spot on the sofa. LOL.
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davidprosser
I hope things don’t get too bad for you Mary J. Maybe the ‘Unruly kid’ will relent and bring you an early Spring this year.
xxx Massive Hugs xxx
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Hey, David, thanks. They’re saying the middle of the week should be around 60 degrees. If my weather app is correct, which I’m sure it is) that should be 16 Celsius? Either way, it’ll be warm. 🙂 Our weatherman said last night we had snow in early April last year. Sigh. Such is life and better than the alternative. Thank you for reading.
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D. Wallace Peach
When I used to live in Vermont, February and March were always the snowiest. The temps would finally rise enough for the air to hold moisture, and we’d get those snow dumps. Now in Oregon, I don’t miss the snow and yet I do, for many of the reasons you mention. Not the accidents, cold, driving, shoveling, and scraping – the other more fun stuff. The photo and caption of your car cracked me up. Spring is around the corner. Hang in there 🙂
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
From pictures I’ve seen of a Vermont winter, it looks gorgeous, but I know it has the typical snow issues, too. I had a cabin in the Allegheny Mountains in Pennsylvania and saw a lot of snow, which made for a beautiful landscape. You don’t get much snow in your part of Oregon? My son lives in Northern California and has the best of both worlds. He can go south to the hot, sunny beach, or north about an hour to snow ski or snowboard. Of course, going south is a long trip and north depends on the snowfall. My car is now free of snow. The image came after a thaw and then a new coating of snow. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings. 🙂
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D. Wallace Peach
Even though we’re a northern state we get mild weather off the Pacific – maybe four inches of snow a year. Tons of rain!!!
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teagan geneviene
Ugh…. I was afraid it would be like that. (As for the snotty woman at the grocery store, i hope an icicle falls down the back of her shirt…)
Fortunately the mountains and whatever topography protects my little “pocket” area broke up what was coming my way. I got an inch or two, but the streets were still pretty warm. For once (here) it really is the “pretty” kind of snow — or it would be pretty if I didn’t have such bad memories of snow in general.
Stay safe, Mary. Wishing you a wonder-filled weekend. Mega hugs.
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
The cashier was an elderly gentleman who said he had been gone for twenty years to a warm climate and came back. As I sit here, I see yesterday’s snow gradually melting off my car, but there are piles around it from cleaning snow off the other day. Water is dripping from my roof. Probably from the icicles. I hope to have that wonder-filled weekend by #AmWriting. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
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