Snow, Snow, Beautiful Snow...

[Northern Piper]

So, last week we had a skiff of snow - made the roads a bit treacherous, but it was just a teaser. Gradually evaporated over the week (although there was still a bit around for Remembrance Day, which is always fitting.)

But this morning, woke up to a real snow fall coming down - fluffly flakes, bit of a breeze, landing nicely on our spruce tree (which I left the lights on last night, forgetfully, but it made the scene all the better when I got up in the dark). The world is white, and peaceful.

Sitting here, with tea, and soft music on the player, and the snow - winter is here!

And then I will walk through the gently falling snow to my piping lesson, taking in the crisp air and the quietness of the world muffled.

[whiterabbit]

I'm jealous.

Where I am, we've gotten a couple of small snowfalls (an inch or two) but nothing really good yet. I want snow, dammit!

[Omega Glory]

Make that two jealous people. I'm almost always the odd one out when the people on the news and in the stores are complaining to each other about the snow we got/are going to get.

[Savannah]

I love the snow, too. (Yes, we do get it on southern Vancouver Island.) We live about 15 km from Victoria proper, and it's enough to give us more snow, or snow when the city doesn't get it. That's fine with me! I love the smell of it, the soft whiteness, the tickle of falling flakes on my face, and the quiet. I love it when there's snow falling and sun breaking through at the same time and the sky is this amazing soft pastel-hued wonder. I love walking at night when there's been a snowfall, and instead of night being black, it's softly alit from the reflective white and I can see where I'm going! Christmas lights twinkling through snow... so pretty.

I have a shovel; bring it on.

[mnemosyne]

I think it snowed at my parents' house last night, but not here in the city. I woke up today wanting to look out the window and see white all over, but no luck. So far all we've had were a few flurries that melted before even hitting the ground.

[whiterabbit]

We're supposed to get some Monday. I sure hope so. Among other things, we need snow so the skiers come to town and give us their money. The snow machines can only make so much, and I think those are cheating anyway.

Everybody keeps telling me don't worry, I'll have more than enough snow soon. But I want it now!

[kushiel]

Originally Posted by Northern Piper

So, last week we had a skiff of snow - made the roads a bit treacherous, but it was just a teaser. Gradually evaporated over the week (although there was still a bit around for Remembrance Day, which is always fitting.)

But this morning, woke up to a real snow fall coming down - fluffly flakes, bit of a breeze, landing nicely on our spruce tree (which I left the lights on last night, forgetfully, but it made the scene all the better when I got up in the dark). The world is white, and peaceful.

Sitting here, with tea, and soft music on the player, and the snow - winter is here!

And then I will walk through the gently falling snow to my piping lesson, taking in the crisp air and the quietness of the world muffled.

DO NOT WANT. This is my first year I've had to drive extensively in winter, and in Saskatoon to boot. Traffic here is bad enough, and the drivers are idiots when the roads are dry. Ugh.

[fifty-six]

It has been snowing very lightly the last couple days. Up on the Hills it is heavier. The roads seem to be fine though.

I cant wait for the big dumps though. I love the snow.


He I was wondering about studded tires in other parts of the country.
There are allowed here and most people have them.
How about your neck of the woods?

[Duke of Rat]

Fuck I hate snow, hate ice, hate winter, hate cold weather. All of you that enjoy it, please keep it for yourselves.

[whiterabbit]

I'm in Ketchum, Idaho -- right next door to Sun Valley -- and I have 'em. The tire guy I was sent to asked me straight off if this was going to my first time in snow, and when I said yes, he said I need the studs. So I have them. I think a lot of people up here do, though from what I've seen not very many people have got their snow tires on their cars yet. I figured I'd rather have my car ready before the snow hits, being a total winter novice (I just moved here in August!).

I still don't think I'll be going very far once the real snow and ice hit, though. I've got a little Saturn, and she's a great car, but I'm not so sure about taking her on an icy highway...

[Sunspace]

:: unable to parse title of OP ::

I think I'm getting spoiled by living in Toronto. We always get significantly-less snow than even close-by areas. Last winter I needed no snow boots until January. I have no explanation for this.

But let there be a hint of wet cold darkness at rush hour, and the drivers on the Evil Death Highway of Doom lose all rationality, skill, and/or memories of their experience, and the highway descends into bedlam.

[rowrrbazzle]

I know this poem from a setting by Randall Thompson: Velvet Shoes by Elinor Wylie http://www.poemtree.com/poems/VelvetShoes.htm

Let us walk in the white snow
In a soundless space;
With footsteps quiet and slow,
At a tranquil pace,
Under veils of white lace...

[LavenderBlue]

We had flurries this morning in my corner of Northeastern America.

My husband and daughter were happy.

I was not.

I do not want to see any fluffy flakes before Thanksgiving.

[N9IWP]

We had a few flakes earliere but Saturday was teh 1st sustained snow - it melted right away, but it was difinitely snowing.

Brian

[StGermain]

It was 65 and beautiful here today. Lovely weather. I love living in Tennessee.

StG

[Lamar Mundane]

In the Denver area its been shorts weather since April. Temps in the 70's (20-25) in mid-November. We did have one shot of about 3-4" last month, but it was gone before the day was out.

The forecast for Wednesday is snow and temps in the low 20's (-5).

We'll get ours in time.

[PastAllReason]

The snow pretty much all melted today, so Northern Piper didn't get to enjoy it for long, though right now I expect he is so happy about the Riders heading to the Grey Cup , that that news is overshadowing anything else.

[Cunctator]

It snowed in the centre of Sydney in June 1836. You never know...it may do so again one day.

[Sunspace]

Originally Posted by Cunctator

It snowed in the centre of Sydney in June 1836. You never know...it may do so again one day.

Wasn't that before the climate started to warm, when ice bears roamed the tundra of southern Australia?

[Shagnasty]

Originally Posted by Cunctator

It snowed in the centre of Sydney in June 1836. You never know...it may do so again one day.

Wow, that must have been scary. I bet the people didn't even know how to drive in it. Did they have enough tire chains for the cars? Were the horse plows able to get everything cleared?

[Cunctator]

Originally Posted by Shagnasty

Wow, that must have been scary. I bet the people didn't even know how to drive in it.

It certainly scared the Aboriginal people in Sydney if contemporary newspaper reports are to be believed. Presumably the colonists, having come from the UK, weren't so fussed:

The earliest reported snowfall and the only significant fall in Sydney's history occurred on the morning of 28 June in 1836. According to the report in the Sydney Morning Herald, the city experienced freezing weather "of a type never before occurring in the colony." At 6am the temperature was 32 degrees F (O degrees C) and light snow continued to fall until mid morning with little change in the tempertaure. By mid morning, the hills down to the shores of the harbour were white and the SMH report went on to say that "the terrified state of the natives indicated the rare nature of such a visitation." An examination of the records indicate that this was the only real snowfall in the city's history although press reports indicated that snow fell again on 2nd and 5th July 1836 - it must have been a very unusual week.

[Rysto]

My first reaction on reading that was "Holy shit! They got snow in June?"

[whiterabbit]

I figured out real quick, Rysto, that if I see a reference to seemingly-opposite weather, to check who is posting and where they are from.

Darn Aussies, with your backwards weather! You like messing with our heads, don't you?

[pbbth]

Today was the first time it has snowed since I moved to New York. I am so excited! I wanted to call in sick and play in the snow but it wasn't sticking so that would have been a waste.

[Johnny L.A.]

Showers headed this way, and temps around 30ºF. We might get flurries. If we do, it will turn to rain later.

[Eleanor of Aquitaine]

It's been seven years since we had any significant winter weather here - an ice storm on New Year's Day 2001. We're overdue for a little snow.

[TroubleAgain]

How 'bout some pictures for your Southern friends to drool over, OP?

[Omega Glory]

Until he gets back with some nature shots, here's a picture from last year of the beagle after leaping into a drift. He was out for less than a minute though (to his dismay, he loves snow more than I do), so don't worry.


Ah, I can't wait for winter to come again.

[Northern Piper]

Originally Posted by PastAllReason

The snow pretty much all melted today, so Northern Piper didn't get to enjoy it for long, though right now I expect he is so happy about the Riders heading to the Grey Cup , that that news is overshadowing anything else.

:: yawns ::

:: stares groggily at that bright yellow thing that wasn't up in the sky last night when coming back from the airport to greet the Riders at 2 a.m. ::

:: puts on the tea kettle ::

Okay, I'm starting the day. I'm tired, but it's a good tired. Plus I seem to have chilblains in my hands from waving my flag at the corner of Vic and Albert last night.

Snow seems to have gradually disappeared, I'm afraid. But I'm sure more will be here soon.

[gigi]

Jealous here too...we've had frost and I hear tell of snow farther north, but we may not get any anytime soon.

[TroubleAgain]

Originally Posted by Omega Glory

Until he gets back with some nature shots, here's a picture from last year of the beagle after leaping into a drift. He was out for less than a minute though (to his dismay, he loves snow more than I do), so don't worry.


Ah, I can't wait for winter to come again.

Good start! Snow and critters makes for good pictures.

[Kythereia]

Originally Posted by Sunspace

But let there be a hint of wet cold darkness at rush hour, and the drivers on the Evil Death Highway of Doom lose all rationality, skill, and/or memories of their experience, and the highway descends into bedlam.

This is different from usual?

(All we've been getting so far is wet flurries and icy rain--come on! Enough with the half-arsed effort, Mother Nature, I want some real snow!)

[Muffin]

My first ski tracks this season were in my yard at 8:20 p.m. on 7 November, but the snow has since melted away.

The lift area where I have a pass has been blowing man-made snow for a few days, so it won't be long until skiing starts there, but it will take a few natural blows before I can ski over from the ski hill where I live over to the ski hill where I ski.

On the other side of the border in Minnesota, Lutsen is already open, albeit with only one run so far.

As much as I hope for lots of snow, I'd rather that it holds off for a few weeks so that the gound can freeze solidly and deeply before the snow arrives. Perfection would be a copule of weeks of deep freeze follwed by a couple of days of freezing rain ending in a further deep freeze, and only after that a decent snow storm. But I'll be happy with whatever we get.

[Muffin]

Originally Posted by Sunspace

:: unable to parse title of OP ::

I think I'm getting spoiled by living in Toronto. We always get significantly-less snow than even close-by areas.

You poor misguided soul.

Let's parse it out for you.

If there is snow, there are snow-bunnies.

If there are snow-bunnies, you will be very happy.

In Toronto, there is no snow, so in Toronto there are no snow-bunnies.

Therefore, you will not be very happy in Toronto.



What is it, about 3 million or so seasonally depressed people in the GTA, while the rest of us north of there have a blast in the winter. Head north, young man, slap on some skiis, and start ski-running with the snow-bunnies.

[Muffin]

BTW, in case you hadn't noticed, snow bunny logic does not recognize fallacies the way formal logic does.

[whiterabbit]

Awww, cute puppy!

And I'm too old to be a snow bunny, never mind if they call me that in the MMP.

The lying weather people keep saying it'll snow and then it doesn't. Bastards. Getting my hopes up like that!

[ThirdCultureKid]

Bah. Double Bah.

I move from the area I've lived in for 17 years, where never once did we have a full-blown "White Christmas" (frost, if we were lucky).

Then I move to a country which is supposed to be cold and snowy four months a year... and nothing.

And my mother calls me to tell me they have snow.

Make it snoooow!!

Bugger Bugger.

[gigi]

Yay! Woke up to steady snowfall. Not even knowing it was predicted, and not having changed my tires over yet, I took it very slowly. So did almost everyone else, with traffic jams at every town. That small group that every year insists on driving the way they always do was seen in the medians and off in ditches. We got maybe four inches altogether; not a real storm but a good start!

[NinjaChick]

Ooh, we're supposed to get snow Thursday and Friday, which has me extremely excited. We've had one flurry so far this year - and the snow melted off the mountains! I'm not traveling this weekend, so I'm definitely hoping for lots and lots of snow.

Until he gets back with some nature shots, here's a picture from last year of the beagle after leaping into a drift. He was out for less than a minute though (to his dismay, he loves snow more than I do), so don't worry.

That's one adorable pup.

[Antigen]

I'm going to miss snow this year. After spending 25 years of my life in Montreal, where it can take you a full afternoon, with your neighbour's help, to dig your car out of its parking spot on the street after the plow passes, I don't know how I'm going to deal with a mostly snowless winter here in Maryland.

[Muffin]

Originally Posted by fifty-six

I was wondering about studded tires in other parts of the country.
There are allowed here and most people have them.
How about your neck of the woods?

In Ontario, vehicles registered in northern Ontario can use certain types of studs, but vehicles registered in southern Ontario can not use studs. In reality, very few vehicles use stubs here.

[gigi]

For New England, from here, studded tires are OK:

Local State Studded Tire Regulations

CONNECTICUT: November 15 - April 30
MAINE: October 2 - May 1
MASSACHUSETTS: November 2 - April 30
NEW HAMPSHIRE: No restrictions
NEW YORK: October 16 - April 30
RHODE ISLAND: November 15 - April 1
VERMONT: No restrictions

Here's a summary of chain laws in the US and Canada. Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont have "no chain laws" and I don't know if that means they are allowed or not allowed. I didn't think passenger vehicles could use them on main roads??

What really stinks is private plow trucks can't just plow main roads, even if it would help them or other drivers.

[Muffin]

[Muffin doing a happy dance!]It's been snowing, and the temp has been dropping![/Muffin doing a happy dance!]

[mangeorge]

Originally Posted by Northern Piper

So, last week we had a skiff of snow - made the roads a bit treacherous, but it was just a teaser. Gradually evaporated over the week (although there was still a bit around for Remembrance Day, which is always fitting.)

But this morning, woke up to a real snow fall coming down - fluffly flakes, bit of a breeze, landing nicely on our spruce tree (which I left the lights on last night, forgetfully, but it made the scene all the better when I got up in the dark). The world is white, and peaceful.

Sitting here, with tea, and soft music on the player, and the snow - winter is here!

And then I will walk through the gently falling snow to my piping lesson, taking in the crisp air and the quietness of the world muffled.

You can have my snow too, my friend. And the cold. My old bones aren't up to it.
I'm so nice.

[whiterabbit]

We got a temp drop, but no snow. I believe our high today was about 28F. Brrrrrr!

*waiting impatiently for snow, maybe later next week*

[kushiel]

Originally Posted by fifty-six

It has been snowing very lightly the last couple days. Up on the Hills it is heavier. The roads seem to be fine though.

I cant wait for the big dumps though. I love the snow.


He I was wondering about studded tires in other parts of the country.
There are allowed here and most people have them.
How about your neck of the woods?

...Studs? Chains?

We just switch driving modes. Some people cave in for the winter tires. Most people I know? Time to take the combination brush/ice scraper out of the trunk, put a shovel in the trunk, and rejoice for your car starter.

[mangeorge]

Originally Posted by kushiel

...Studs? Chains?

We just switch driving modes. Some people cave in for the winter tires. Most people I know? Time to take the combination brush/ice scraper out of the trunk, put a shovel in the trunk, and rejoice for your car starter.

Me too. Of course I have M/S tires on my 4wd pickup.

[Muffin]

[Muffin proudly poses]I carry chains, and I am a stud.[/Muffin proudly poses]

[ThirdCultureKid]

Update:

Yay! It IS snowing! Like, you can't see the top of Mount Royal for clouds, thick-and-fast flurries, and already at least ONE impromptu snowball fight!

Woohoo!

[Kythereia]

It's snowing! Okay, it's all slushy and wet and icy, but it's snowing! And we're supposed to get ten to twenty centimetres by tonight!

(I've been amusing / scaring my family members by randomly pointing outside the window and announcing, with great glee, "It's snowing! Look, it's snowing!" all morning. And singing Christmas carols to myself not-quite-under-my-breath when going to school.)