I was born in Florida and spent lots of my childhood enjoying the sunny, warm weather and all the fun activities that go along with it. When I was thirteen years old, we moved to Dayton, Ohio. I was so excited; we were going to be living in a place where it snows! I was so curious to see snow! Well, boy did we ever see snow our first year; it was 1978, the year of the big blizzard! I quickly learned that snow brought with it another big bonus- SCHOOL CLOSINGS! Being ordered not to go to school and miss another boring, long lecture in World History…if I’m dreaming, DO NOT (I repeat) DO NOT WAKE ME UP!!!! I’ll be more than happy to cooperate with local authorities!
I really love snow! I’m definitely not a hot weather person! I love COLD! The room in our home in which I spend most of my day is surrounded by windows. Snow magically transforms the room into a real-life snow globe! It isn’t a fairytale; I actually live in it! Believe me, it is totally awesome and beautiful to be encased in a snow globe! I have a very good friend, who isn’t quite as enthusiastic about the snow as I am. Every time it snows, even the faintest little flurry, I’ll take it upon myself to call him and make him aware of the lovely precipitation we’re having! His nickname for me is “Snowflake!”
Mom loved to play in the snow! She was adventurous in her snow creations, she wasn’t going to settle on the average snowman, not my Mom! Oh, no, no, no! We have a picture of her as a young woman sculpting a snow swan! I’m lucky enough if I can just make anything slightly resembling the average, basic snowball! I remember, one day while we were still living in Dayton, Mom, and a couple of us kids were trying to build an igloo. I don’t think we got too far, but it’s a happy memory!
Mom was always enthusiastic for us kids to experience fun things! Mom thought a pond to ice skate on would be fun and we attempted a few homemade versions with the hose that never really went to plan. She wanted it more for us kids than for herself! Well, Mom got her dream! We moved from Dayton to Columbus; to a farm with about eighty acres. We had a wooded area on our property with a small pond! One year, to Mom’s delight and happiness, the pond froze, hello ice rink! We made a party of it…skating and drinking hot chocolate. Even though I couldn’t participate in the actual skating, it was fun to sit with Mom and watch all the merriment!
Mom passed on her joy of playing in the snow! One day, a couple of years ago, my sister Joyce and I decided to try our hands at making an igloo! I want to give credit where credit is due! Joyce set me up for a day of success! First, she made sure I was dressed warmly enough. Then, she put me in my wheelchair and had a table set up for me, which, to my joy, became the perfect ice-brick making station! I told myself I could last a good five minutes!
Well, I was pleasantly surprised! I found myself really getting into it! Joyce and I found our technique and we were working like a well-oiled machine! It was perfect snow for packing! Joyce did the leg work. She would gather mounds of snow and bring it to me. I would take clumps of snow and mash them into a rectangular Tupperware container. I would then wipe off the excess snow on top and tip it over and very carefully and slowly raise the Tupperware container. Amazingly, I would have a snow brick! I could hardly believe it; my snow bricks actually came out looking like bricks!
After I would make the brick, it was Joyce’s job to place them. She did a great job, as the architect, placing the bricks and filling in the cracks between bricks with snow! I’m happy to tell you that I lasted a lot longer than five minutes, we were busy creating our igloo until supper! It was the first time it actually turned out! Mom would have been so proud!
While snow can make driving difficult and hazardous, if you’re lucky to stay home, drinking hot chocolate under a cozy blanket, it can be beautiful and lovely to watch coming down. I love watching it stick to the tree branches! I also like to think about this, God made every single snowflake its own individual pattern, no two alike! Typing this now, I can think of just one word, AMAZING!
In my opinion, you’re never too old to play and that includes playing in the snow! If you’re bored and tired of building snowmen, put your architectural skills to the test and try building something new and different! One of the best parts is coming in, warming up with your favorite hot drink and relishing a job well done!
Comments
14 responses to “Snow Much Fun”
I loved reading your blog, Cate!!!! It brought back wonderful memories of my childhood building igloos too. It was such fun. Thanks for sharing your story. You are amazing and have such a fun-spirited attitude, Cate, that makes me smile.
Thanks for going home and reading my blog!!!! I have enjoyed getting to know you!!!! You are a great friend!!!! Thanks for your encouraging and sweet comments!!!!
Have just reread your post on Traditions and enjoyed it again. Not only a tea party on Christmas Eve, but you have done quite a few at other times. It was very interesting to learn about the Tea Service coming down through the Family. I also love the snow and have gone out late at night and walked my back yard. I must say I am glad that I am retired and can stay in these days and not have to go to work.
Cate, I’m with you in loving to be in snow and then revelling in the afterglow of being inside a warm place afterward. You communicate a sense that skating, making an igloo, sliding in snow makes a person feel alive.So true. As you write, snow is beautiful. You look so happy with the magic of snow.
Come to think of it, you convey the same feelings with swimming.
Xoxo
Aunt Mandy
Snowflake, there is no one exactly like you. Somehow, you made me long for the days of blizzards and cold. You’re quite the writer my friend, magical topic, magical writing, magical memories. Love ya!
Thanks, ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Yet another great topic! The excitement of a childhood snow-day school closure is one of life’s pure joys. That is a gift bestowed upon children that is always embraced with great enthusiasm! I can remember watching that school list scroll on the tv screen, hoping that my town would appear in its alphabetical location. I like how you also remind us that even in our adult years, we can continue to find pleasure in snow.
Thanks, I not only got snow days for school, but I also got them for work too! I loved my job, but it never bothered me getting a snow day!!!!
Oh what fun it must have been in making an igloo like that! Your blog brought back many good memories for me as a kid when it snowed. Precious memories for sure!!!!
I’m so glad I brought back good memories!!!! Thanks ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Wow that’s an igloo great job. I remember very well that winter of 1978, I was 18 and cars were in the ditch and stuck in snow every where. The most snow I ever saw that’s for sure, Great times Cate thanks for sharing this beautiful story.
Thanks!!!!
Your blogs are always so refreshing and they bring back such great memories for me. I grew up in Northern Ohio where we always had a lot of snow. I was blessed with a large extended family and we all looked forward to winter with anticipation. For us it was not only the snow but all fun we cousins would have together. My aunt had a large hill and the cousins that could make it would all meet up on the hill. We had sleds, barrels, and even a tractor tire to roll down the hill in. We even waxed the runners to the sleds and marked whose sled went the furthest. My uncle built a large outdoor fireplace for all of us to stay warm and he would keep the fire going in case we got cold. My aunt would make a huge stew pot full of hot chocolate. The girls would all complain if they had to go in through the basement and take their things off to go upstairs to the restroom. Us boys, well we just made a quick trip to the bottom of the hill and then kept sledding!
Sounds like a wonderful, fun time!!!! A huge stew pot of hot chocolate sounds amazing! I’m craving a cup of hot chocolate right now!