Snow
It snowed last night, the first real snow of the winter in the Twin Cities, and it's going to be cold enough this week for the snow to stay. 4.2 inches in St. Paul!
My response is joy.
The streets are already plowed. Minnesota snow plow drivers have always been heroic. I remember an article in the Star Tribune years ago, back when we had winter. There had been a snow storm, and the reporter interviewed a supervisor in the state highway department. The supervisor described how the plows in the western part of the state were going through huge drifts -- I think I remember fifteen feet high, which seems unlikely, but there is a lot of wind in western Minnesota. In addition to battling the snow, the drivers had to keep an eye out for cars. If they saw one stuck in the snow, they had to stop and go check, knowing that they might find people frozen to death. The supervisor concluded by saying, "Days like this are kind of hard on the boys."
I wonder how Minnesotans are going to handle the change in our climate. Our sense of who we are is to tightly wound up in having harsh winters. What are we going to do without winter sports? The ice fishermen will probably stay home and fight with their wives. The snowmobilers will buy ATVs and do serious damage to the ground in state forests. I have no idea what the skiers and hockey players will do. How can we be Minnesotans, if we can't play hockey outside in city parks?
My response is joy.
The streets are already plowed. Minnesota snow plow drivers have always been heroic. I remember an article in the Star Tribune years ago, back when we had winter. There had been a snow storm, and the reporter interviewed a supervisor in the state highway department. The supervisor described how the plows in the western part of the state were going through huge drifts -- I think I remember fifteen feet high, which seems unlikely, but there is a lot of wind in western Minnesota. In addition to battling the snow, the drivers had to keep an eye out for cars. If they saw one stuck in the snow, they had to stop and go check, knowing that they might find people frozen to death. The supervisor concluded by saying, "Days like this are kind of hard on the boys."
I wonder how Minnesotans are going to handle the change in our climate. Our sense of who we are is to tightly wound up in having harsh winters. What are we going to do without winter sports? The ice fishermen will probably stay home and fight with their wives. The snowmobilers will buy ATVs and do serious damage to the ground in state forests. I have no idea what the skiers and hockey players will do. How can we be Minnesotans, if we can't play hockey outside in city parks?
posted by Eleanor at 8:12 AM
2 Comments:
It used to snow here, too (NW Arkansas, Boston mountains) -- not a lot, but two or three good heavy snows every winter. No more. I miss winter.
We'll do like the Irish and Norse and take to drinking halls, where we'll sing--off-key and all together--and play instruments and dance and generally frolic at the comraderie.
It happens that way in my head, anyway.
Post a Comment
<< Home