London is blanketed in a thick layer of snow and it's STILL coming down. In fact, we're supposed to get 20 to 30 centimetres today, 20 to 30 cms more tonight and then 20 to 30 cms tomorrow. Yikes! That's a lot of snow.
Ironically, I was discussing the snow of my youth with a friend at lunch on Friday. In my memory, there was so much more of the white stuff back in the 70s and 80s. We lived in the country and our neighbours kindly plowed our circular driveway with their tractors. I remember one year when the pile of snow was as high as our ranch-style house. Talk about playing king of the castle.
We also had a creek in our backyard that would freeze each year, allowing us to skate and slide down its icy surface. The snow would pile up on the banks, so my sister and I would dig into the white surface to build little cubby-hole forts and tunnels. Great fun.
I also vividly recall one winter day in high school when I awoke to hear all schools and buses were cancelled for the day. I didn't understand. The grass was green. The sun was shining. But I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth (what does that saying really mean anyway?) and I crawled back into my warm bed. From my bedroom, with its two exterior walls, I felt the storm hit as I was lying in bed. Visibility was nil and the world was white. Crazy!
I heard on the radio this morning our current environment is creating the perfect atmosphere for this lake-effect snow storm. The Great Lakes are like hot tubs, providing lots of moisture to create the snow, while the cold weather and wind carry it over the region.
The representative from Environment Canada said, Mother Nature must have looked at the calendar as it flipped to December and thought about snow. London's received 100 hours of the white stuff since Dec. 1 - and it's still coming down. If the weather predictions are right, we'll have more snow in the first six days of the month than we received in all of December 2009, and two-thirds of the accumulation for ALL last winter.
The snow now swirling around outside reminds me of the snow of my youth. My children are thrilled because the schools are cancelled and they're outside. They've shoveled the snow (bless then) and are now happily playing. I envision hot chocolate in our not-so-distant future.
Unfortunately, Michael's at work. As for me, I'm hunkering in on this snowy day.
Tina
I, too, remember so much more snow. When we moved to the North Thompson Valley when I was six and to our land that had no electricity or running water I remember taking the snowmobiles to the creek for water with my brothers and driving OVER the tops of fences (about 3.5-4 feet). No snow plows came as far as us, and certainly not much traffic then, so it was pretty much a winter wonderland for us. Hunker down!
ReplyDeleteTina, I remember lots of snow growing up too. Maybe it's just because we were shorter, I don't know, but the snowbanks seemed way bigger! We received some snow over the weekend as well, but not as much as you are getting! Fresh snow always reminds me to appreciate the beauty of even a frigidly cold winter day. Enjoy the time with your kids and that hot chocolate!
ReplyDeleteWe have about a foot of snow here today in Maine! I unfortunately still had to go to work while my roommates (who attend the University down the road) were fast asleep on their snow day. I'm so jealous! But I brought hot chocolate to work to make my day a little more cozy and bright ;-) Enjoy your day! xo
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