Climate Change...Cha Ching

If snow in Georgia is part of climate change...it's one I'll enjoy. I think. For the second year in a row, we've had enough snow to play in. Last year was the first time 7-year-old Savannah had enough snow to really enjoy. Last year's snow was perfect. A soft, wet snow that covered the ground, was great for packing and was gone the next day. This year's snow was a little different.

We were predicted to get snow and then it was to turn to ice...maybe accumulating up to 1/2"! So our excitement about the snow was mixed with anxiety about the possibility of losing our power. Jodi and I tried to decide whose house it would be better to "hunker down" in. In case of a power outage, we could build a fire in the fire place and bring the grill into the garage to cook on. So we became the house for the snow party. I thawed a bunch of chicken breasts that we could cook on the grill if we needed to and Jerry did something he hasn't done in years -- cut fire wood. Jodi's family and Jess came over. We made chili and got ready.

What we got was a "snow sandwich". It started just about dusk and was just sleet at first. Then that turned to snow and when we went to bed it was getting really pretty out. In the morning we had about 3-1/2" of snow, but we could hear the sleet again. So there was all the pretty snow...between two layers of icy stuff. But just after breakfast the fine, sleety rain quit and we went outside to play. It was pretty cold, but we had a good time anyway. We got out the trusty trash bags and used them for sleds. Once we got a few paths made down the slope in the front yard, sledding was good. In order to build a snowman (or snow woman), we had to sort of chip the top crust off, but then the packing was good. I like to make my snow persons sitting on something. This year I made a little person sitting on the fence. The other...more impressive...snow person was a family effort. We all rolled and packed and finally got a good sized body made. I went to the garage to get Grandpa's old straw hat and the kids' broom while Emery went in search of sticks for arms. Savannah, however, had different ideas about accessorizing. She went into the dress-up clothes box and came out with a green Tinker Bell nightgown and matching (of course) green sandals. Now this girl was ready to be decked out. We went back to sledding and it wasn't long before we noticed Jeremy using the snow girl as target practice!! He took her hat off with a snowball and we all cheered...then joined it. She was cute, but short lived.

Last year I remember the kids complaining of being cold after a while. This year even though the temps were lower the snow was drier and didn't get in their sleeves and necks so they didn't want to come in even for hot chocolate. Another difference between this year and last is that this year's snow wasn't gone the next day. Luckily, we never did lose our power. But it stayed cold and the roads stayed slick. The snow started on Sunday night and the precip part of it was finished by Monday morning. On Monday afternoon Jodi and Jeremy made their way home...by driving 20 mph all the way. Jess only lives 2 miles from our house but at the end of our road she has to go uphill to get there. She was with us till Tuesday afternoon...and then made her way carefully home. But she still didn't go back to work till Thursday.

Today is Friday and the schools have been closed all week. Any daytime thawing has been followed by nights in the teens and refreezing. Today is supposed to be warmer, so that should get us back to life as we know -- and like --it. Jerry and I ventured out to Kroger's on Wednesday afternoon...all of a mile away. But when we got there, they had no produce, no eggs and very little meat. It was easy to save on groceries this week.

The Perfect Storm

Usually the term "perfect storm" brings to mind a series of events that converge to make a horrendous impact on the weather and those affected by it. But last weekend, we had what I would call a "perfect storm". Emphasis on the "perfect" rather than the "storm". We were under winter storm advisories, but it was wonderful.

We are always skeptical of weathermen calling for snow in our part of the country. If we get anything at all (and more times than not, we don't) it's hard to even see it or it is in the middle of the night because that's the only time it gets cold enough. We get excited about a little dusting on the ground about once a year and everyone goes into panic mode -- for no reason. But last Friday the weathermen were right on. It started snowing...and actually sticking...at about 2:30 in the afternoon -- just like they said it would. For a few hours these big, soft, beautiful flakes floated down at a pretty good rate. We got about 4" at our house and it covered everything and was as pretty as anything you've ever seen on a Christmas card.

Jodi and the kids had a Valentine party to go to, but they were coming over after that. They got here about 5:30 and it was great packing by then. We made a snowman, had snowball fights, made snow angels and just enjoyed being out in it till after dark. Then Jess joined us and we had a spaghetti supper. After that, we set the air mattress up in the living room and all settled in to watch the Olympics' opening ceremonies. Jess' work was cancelled, so she got to spend the night, too.

In the morning, Emery woke me up all excited that the snowman was still there. The sky was as blue as it's ever been and the sun was shining on all that beautiful snow. After a breakfast of streusel muffins (yum...thanks, Jodi), Jess and grandpa went out to play with the kids. We discovered that a large trash bag makes a very good sled. And who knew we had a "sledding hill" in our front yard? They had a lot of fun sledding. We decided to name them our Olympic Trash Bag sledding team. Go, USA!

By the time they were getting cold (oh, please. They don't know what "cold" is!) and ready to come in for some hot chocolate, the sun was doing what sun does to snow. It was starting to disappear. By Monday morning, there was no sign of it anywhere. How magical is that?

I know, some of you reading this live in other parts of the country and you are sick and tired of snow and cold this year -- and you might even welcome the chance to have a conversation with Al Gore. But you have to admit that when you have a snow "storm" as rarely as we do and it looks like this and then goes away...that's just about "perfect"!

Fleecy Skid Stuff

"The moon on the crest of the new-fallen snow

Gave the luster of midday to objects below"

Boy, it was light last night. After a dusting of snow on the ground, the clouds moved away and the moon came out. You could (and I did) walk around the house without any lights on. The weathermen were predicting a little snow for us and so that was the "buzz" all day yesterday. Folks around here get all excited at the mere mention of snow flurries. "Do we need milk? Do we need bread? Will school be closed?"

I have a picture that I hang up in my kitchen when I decorate for Christmas, but it gets to stay up a little later than the rest because it's a winter picture. It shows two snowmen. Beautiful, white, plump snowmen and it reminds me of winter the way I remember it as a child. We have lived in Georgia over 19 years now and in that time we have seen a few really pretty snow falls. Five or six inches of soft white covering the pine trees. Gone in two days. Perfect snows. But that's been several years ago. Now if we get enough to even attempt to go out and play in, what you see the next day are these scrawny, anorexic "snowmen" that are made up of as many dead leaves and sticks as they are snow.

The coolest (pun left intentionally) snowman I ever built was when I was a sophomore in high school. One of those old metal outdoor chairs was still in the yard from summer time and so I made one sitting in the chair. It was easy, really. Just fill the chair with snow. Then I built legs coming up to it and added some shoulders and a head and arms. He was awesome.

So last night after our little dusting of snow, Jodi and Jeremy went outside and built a "snowman". I just think that is so sad.