Where is Winter?

I found this image on Pinterest this week and it brought a smile to my face.  It is from a blog by The Queen of Re about making a snowman.  I just love the idea of a snowman standing on it’s head.  The boots are hilarious and the smile on the snowman’s face says it all.  Winter is fun and so is snow.  But, here is southwest Virginia where I live, we have not had snow to speak of so far this winter.  Sure, we had an ice storm and a dusting of snow a couple of mornings and the mountains have had some snow, but not here.  Not where we live.  I mean, it’s January.  And yesterday it was in the 60’s and this weekend they are calling for the 70’s.  Say it ain’t so!

I grew up here and we always have had snow in winter.  Yes, some years have more snow than others and some years there are blizzards and some years there are ice storms that drive you crazy, but to me, this winter is kind of crazy.  We haven’t even had a lot of rain to speak of.  I don’t think that will fare well come spring and summer. 

I can remember one year when I was little my Dad built this huge snow lady in our yard.  She had a skirt that he sculpted with a snow shovel, he made hair for her and I think she may have even had a girlish figure, if you know what I mean. 

I think around that time we also had a huge snow come that was up to my waist.  Now I was about three or four, so it didn’t have to go much higher than 18 inches or so to get to my waist, but that was a lot of snow.  I can remember lots of sleigh riding, making trains with sleds by hooking your feet into the sled behind you and going down the hill (road) trying to keep the train in one piece all the way to the bottom.  Back then they didn’t clear the roads in the neighborhoods and you pretty much had the streets to yourself.

I can remember sleigh riding in cow pastures and trying to dodge the trees at the bottom of the hill one year.  Our neighborhood was surrounded by a farm and in several yards you could crawl under the fence to get to the cow pasture which had a huge hill to fly down.  Of course, if you hit the trees, you had to bail off your sled.  I remember someone’s sled crashing into the trees and breaking into several pieces.  Luckily it was just the sled, not the rider.

Then there were the times we just used cardboard to go down hills where water had been poured down to create an icy path of fast, flying, fun.  Our church sponsored a cottage at the local Children’s Home and the kids there had a great place to sled, they just did not have sleds, so cardboard came to the rescue.  It was a lot of fun and you really did fly when you got about midway down.  It was better than a sled for speed.

I thought that I would try the icing down the hill part at our house when I was in the 6th grade and instead of cardboard, I used our flying saucer.  This was back when they were made of metal.  Ours was red and it worked like a charm.  I think my dad may have even waxed it, like we had to wax the runners on the sled.  Well, I iced down the hill and we built a ramp out of snow at the bottom so that you got that airborne lift at the end.  The next day I went out by myself to take a ride on the flying saucer and hit the ramp and landed wrong on the ground and broke my collarbone.  I ended up on my back, laying on the snow, not able to get up or move.  It was one of those things you hear instantly when it happens and you know you are gonna be in trouble, not just in pain.

I remember laying there on the ground, knowing that something snapped and it hurt to move and started yelling for help.  My mom who was inside heard me and asked my sister to see what I was screaming about.  My sister looked and told my mom I was just out there playing around.  Finally, after what seemed like forever, our neighbor came out and went and got my mom. 

Back then, it seemed like when it snowed, the snow stayed around for days, not just one, like it does now.  Of course, I know there were single snow days and days where it didn’t last a day, but as a kid, you just remember how fun it was being out of school for several days, being able to play outside in the snow until you couldn’t feel your feet and hands, coming in and eating hot soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.

And the snow lasted for days because it was so cold.  I can remember building snow forts that lasted for days.  For us that was such a treat.  I know if you live in a place that sees snow all winter, the kind that never melts until spring, you must be thinking this is nothing, but here in the south, it is what we are used to, at least what we used to be used to.  Now it seems that winter is so short we don’t have time for it to get cold enough to give us snow that lasts for a long period of time.  My spring bulbs are blooming earlier and earlier each year. 

I miss those old winters, the ones where you rush out to make snow angels, look for icicles to see who can find the longest one and simply enjoy the world covered in a downy white blanket of peace and quiet.  The quiet of snow falling is one of the true miracles in this world.  Everything changes from hustle and bustle to soothing and calming wonder and amazement.  And being by a fire seems all the more cozier, comfort food tastes so much better and staying under the covers is so much more inviting.

I hope that we get some snow this winter and I hope that we get some soon.  I don’t want a blizzard, just a couple of inches that hangs around for a day or two so I can get my snow fix!

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