First Snow

[bigtree]

Last edited Wed Dec 16, 2020, 02:04 PM - Edit history (1)

...it's our first significant snow in my state today.

Not anything major, but most of us here slow down or stop to gawk at it or pretend we're all snowed-in. The saucer kids are already out in the street.

I wrote this poem a few years back... 'When You Smile at the Falling Snow'

When you smile at the falling snow,
You're likely remembering joy and beauty,
Experienced over a lifetime.

From the very first time your parents
Bundled you up with layers of long underwear;
Woolen trousers and several pairs of socks,
Oversized sweater over a turtleneck,
All crammed inside that impossibly small snowsuit.

You remember that first misshaped snowman
Mixed with dirt and grass, and snot;
More brown than the white ground surrounding it.
Well-dressed in Mother's good scarf you borrowed,
And perfectly natty in Father's old cap.

There's hastily erected snow fort on the front lawn,
Fully fortified with a neat pile of perfect snowballs,
Smoothed over by stiffening, soaked mittens,
Too precious, maybe too deadly to actually throw.
The fort is everything; only room for friends, and you.

Was there ever a truly safe hill for sledding?
One without the sharp drop into the half-frozen creek?
A sledding hill without that fence at the end,
Or that busy street with cars whizzing by past the curb
Threatening to drown, decapitate, or drive over you?

Soaked to the bone, soaked through seven solid layers.
Stubbornly ignoring frostbitten feet and swollen hands.
Struggling with your sled back up to the top of the hill,
Standing in line behind the big kids, you spot your sister
Shivering from the cold; you're suddenly shivering, too.

I was able to recreate all of that winter magic, as an adult;
My own sons, layered and stuffed into impossibly small snowsuits.
We made our own dirty snowmen; sturdy snow forts,
And sledded down unsafe hills, scraping swollen knuckles,
Stubbornly shivering as we stayed too long.

It's snowing, and there's a family of deer in my suburban yard,
Taking refuge on the softer land, ground deliberately layered
With the trees' insulating debris and evergreen ground cover.
There's spirit here; they know it's safe from predators,
A perfect place to digest their food and nibble a bit more.

They startle when I open the door to scatter birdseed,
Standing perfectly still, once more, when they hear my voice,
Softly reassuring them there's no reason to run away.
They're covered with snow, and one is trying to lick it off of the other.
The snow is falling fast, and I'm smiling again.

...stay safe, everyone!

[Klaralven]

1. I remember being snowbound for about 2 weeks in the early '50s

Helping to churn butter from the souring cream that couldn't be sent to the creamery.

[bigtree]

2. yummy

...when it's not a chore.

[malaise]

3. Then there's this Diary from a Jamaican man - hilarious

https://jamaicans.com/jamaican-joke-diary-of-a-jamaican-in-winter/

October 8th
We have arrived in America!!! Finally!!! This marks a new chapter in our lives. It’s very nice here. It’s a little cool, but who needs HOT weather?

This is perfect, not too hot, not too cold.

October 15th
It is getting a little cooler, but we are adjusting. We bought some sweaters today and went for a short walk. Loving America!!! This is what life’s about.



October 30th
The weather is definitely cooler now. We taped all the windows shut, so cold air cannot creep in… Outside may be cold, but it feels like Jamaica in this house.

November 11th
The news reports say snow is on the way… we cannot wait!!! We have never seen snow and
it should be pretty exciting to see it for the first time.

November 14th
Started snowing. The first of the season and the first real snow we have ever seen. The wife cooked buttered buns and we sat by the window watching soft flakes drift down, clinging to the trees and covering the ground. Could never do anything like this in Jamaica. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT!!!
---------------------------------
Go to the link for the middle
-----------------------------------------
December 10th
The power still off. The toilette freeze up!, and some part a di roof look like it out fi cave in.

December 15th
Eleven more **&#$$ inches a snow an’ice!!!!!!!!!! Jah know…dis no right. I damaged di snowplow wid di pick ax, but di lucky driva manige fi get weh. De $(@*$&!

December 16th
The wife took off and left me.

December 18th
The r&@# car won’t start and mi tink mi ah go snow-blind. Mi caan feel mi toe dem and mi nuh see the $@###$%^& sun fi weeks!!!! An’ guess wha? The weatherman ah predict more snow!!!! Good fi *&%% him. The wind chill is %$&*^ degrees below zero!!

December 22nd
Me a move back to Jamaica tideh tideh*! ‘Cause dis place yah a go kill mi!!!! If mi can ketch a flight, at least mi will reach just in time fi Christmas dung a yard.

Tideh - today

[bigtree]

4. oh

...that's simply hilarious, malaise!

"The r&@# car won’t start and mi tink mi ah go snow-blind. Mi caan feel mi toe dem and mi nuh see the $@###$%^& sun fi weeks!!!"

[malaise]

5. I do love it

The best part is how quickly he reverts to native tongue when pissed off

[bigtree]

6. .

[USALiberal]

7. First snow happened last January! nt

[bigtree]

8. my state's

...!