Snow: Things You Don't Think About

I've lived in the snow long enough to realize that aside from the romanticism of snow, there are some funny/interesting/annoying things to consider about this gift of winter.

First, the "Silence of Snow". When it's snowing, it's eerily quiet. I like it. In fact, I enjoy going outside and just listening to the silence. It's calming and hypnotizing.

Second, the "Second Snow". As far as I know, my Dad coined this phrase. The second snow occurs after a good snow fall is over and the snow that is stuck to tree limbs starts to fall to the ground. If you couple that phenomenon with the occasional wind gusts that we have up here, it appears to be snowing all over again despite the blue skies overhead.

Third, driving lanes mean absolutely nothing. When you are driving to work after or during a major storm, don't worry about staying in your lane. In fact, you probably can't see the lanes anyway. The entire street is caked with white snow/ice and you can't see below that layer to find your lanes. Basically, you have to go by the tire marks of the person who drove in front of you. It's fun and a little bit scary. Three lane highways can become two or even one lane highways until the snow melts enough to see the lane stripes.

Fourth, parking lots become a free for all. Just like the issue described above, if you can't see the parking spot lines, you get to make up where you park. Some people are horrible judges of where the spots used to be and park all over the place. It's interesting to park in the morning after a snow storm and find your car later that day when some of the snow has melted to see if you actually made it into a spot or not. Most of the time, no one is even close.

Fifth, scarves are not just a fashion statement. In California, people wear scarves for the fashion of it. In Colorado, there is a function. Scarves keep those cold snow flakes from falling into your jacket and down your back. Scarves help when it's 8 degrees out (like this morning) and your face is a solid block of ice and the -20 wind chill is like hundreds of tiny razor blades being dragged across your face. Simply wrap that scarf around your face and voila....instant relief. Scarves rock! Also, they can act as a tourniquet, should the need arise.

Snow is beautiful and can be quite an adventure. These are just some of the observations that I've made while living in the snow. I still like it, though. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.