Snow Day

I live in the land of snow and ice.

It’s a fact.

Winter’s last almost 7 months here in the Frozen North. Let that sink in: SEVEN months. It usually starts in October, with snow falling usually about 2 weeks before Halloween. We’ve had a full on snow storm prior to Halloween that has meant kids going out in the snow to trick or treat. And yet, we don’t live that far north, not really, but we are on a huge continent that sits just beneath the Artic circle.

That means, most of Canada experiences long draw out winters, with the joke here being there are, in fact, only 2 seasons: winter and July. You get the picture. And it’s true, I’ve experienced it for over 25 years. Spring and autumn last approximately 2 weeks when we slip from winter to July and back again. Those two short transition periods being mild and benign and amazingly transformative.

All this to explain just how many words we have up here for snow and snow conditions. I can’t remember if I was told this or read it somewhere, but the number was 50+. And, you know what, I can believe it. It’s snowing now. But it’s a crystalline snow. Ice crystals that form in the air from what little moisture there is because the temperature at a certain level create the perfect conditions.

I’m currrently watching these teeny tiny snowflakes right now being buffeted around on the wind. Dancing a crazy dance out there. I don’t know how long they will last knowing they won’t stick. Too fragile and not enough of them. But it is fascinating to watch them and even more so, to catch them in a gloved hand and watch them melt.

Tiny perfect snow crystals each one different and distinct. And, just like that, they’re gone.

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧