When I was in the fourth grade it snowed in Austin, Texas, where I grew up. I remember it well because we got a day or two off from school and I was 9, the prime age for playing in the snow. However, being a southern girl, I did not having proper snow-weather attire and my mother and I scrambled to find something I could wear while my neighbor friend and I made a small but happy snowman. I did not care that nothing I wore was made for that type of climate. And because of a photograph my father probably took, I remember the mismatched hand-me-down, gray coat I wore that day. Along with some “faux leather” zip-up brown boots I actually did have, gloves and a knit hat with a ball on the top. Oh and sweat pants, because, hello those are WARM!
I am smiling from head to toe in that picture. I was SO elated to have snow on the ground, on MY ground, in our front yard, that I could claim and use as I wish and well, just delight in. It was such a rare thing where I lived that I figured it was some sort of gift that Mother Nature decided to bestow on us for an unknown reason and I was not about to question its arrival. I wanted it to never melt.
The last two mornings here have been frosty. As I drove the boys to school both days with K in tow, we passed some empty fields on the way. The kids were so excited to see the glistening, white frost all over the ground, covering it like a light blanket. K started talking about sledding (so cute!) and G wanted to know when it was going to snow and B wished for a white Christmas. I tried not to dash their hopes too much but I also told them that because of where we live that is probably not never going to happen. B then begged me to move somewhere that has snow and all I could do was think about my own childhood, that in the winter, was full of the same wishes.
I wished so hard for sledding and trees and hills covered in snow. I saw photos on Christmas cards or pretend winter scenes that I KNEW existed somewhere in real life, inside snow globes and wanted them to be my house or my neighborhood. I wished for delicate flakes to land on my “nose or eyelashes”. I did. And one day, late in January of my 10th year of life, my wish came true.
I do hope my children can someday experience the fun of a “snow day” like I did almost 30 years ago. Of course I want all their wishes to come true. But it seems for now, frosty mornings will have to do…
I wish I could send you a box of the eight inches of snow we got today..on top of the eight inches we got on Saturday. It canceled my whole day today! (but..shh…that was kinda nice. all the good stuff is planned for later this week, anyway)
Tamara recently posted…18 Things For 18 Months.
The first time I experienced snow, I was 19.
I was transfixed.
May your children get their wishes granted some day!
Alison recently posted…Where I’m From (Again)
You have to spend a Christmas with you Canadian family! I’m sure there is plenty of snow 😀
Kerstin @ Auer Life recently posted…Christmas trees past and present
I love this! Maybe your kids will get a snow day just like you had that year.
When I was a kid I used to wish for snow every day in the winter. We never seemed to have enough of it to play in, to build snowmen.
Now, I think snow is so pretty until I have to spend a half an hour chunking ice off of my mailbox so I don’t have to brave the snowy roads to get the mail from the post office.
Andrea recently posted…Master of the Universe
Both of these pictures are just soooo beautiful.
I took some frost shots too, which I’m putting up on friday.
You should have showed us the picture of you!!
Lady Jennie recently posted…Foie Gras Pops
I wish I had it to show you, Jennie. I think it’s buried in some box at my parents’ house… 😉
I would ship you the massive snow we have here. I agree that white Christmases and snow days are somewhat magical…even if by the end of January I am completely jaded to the beauty of snow and see only another layer of salt on my car, mushy slush on my boots and wet pants bottoms.
Katie Sluiter recently posted…a boring present
I live in Kentucky and while we, as a rule, don’t have a lot of snow we still get it. However, we do have those few years where we are over run in snow. I love it then too. Unless it keeps us from getting somewhere safely then I could live without it.
Southern Angel recently posted…Before you give that puppy for Christmas think….
Cady put “snow” on her Christmas list, which I thought was one of the sweetest things ever. It actually did snow on Christmas Eve the year she was born. It was magical.
Jennifer recently posted…It’s okay to be sad at Christmas
Elaine,
You know I grew up a Southern girl and rarely saw snow. Or should I say I never saw real snow in LA, only when we traveled to Wisconsin to see my now-deceased grandparents. Anyway, I’ll happily share some KC white stuff with you soon!
that top picture of the leaf took my breath away!!
xoxo
erin margolin recently posted…Just Write: Waving the White Flag
When I lived in AR, our snow days canceled school, but everything was melted by noon. I loved snow growing up, though, and my kids do, too. I hope yours get to experience it, too!
Greta recently posted…Old School Blogging: Holiday Edition #iPPP
There is something very magical about snow.
Lovely photos. As always.
We are hoping to head up to the mountains after Christmas for a little snow play.
Tonya recently posted…Old School Blogging: The Holiday Edition
That’s really cute! Maybe you need to take a little vacation to the North? We have lots of snow in Ontario!
K recently posted…Wordless Wednesday and iPPP: First school Christmas concert
You are totally welcome to some of the snow that we have here in Montreal. We seem to have plenty to go around 🙂
I love having a white Christmas and am so disappointed on the occasional year when we don’t have one. I guess that I’m a little spoiled. I hope your kids get their wish someday even if you have to travel to make it come true.
Kat recently posted…The little things
We actually had a snow day today and had a weekend snow day on Sunday, too. We got a chance to play in it before it changed to rain – I am not sure how much will be left tomorrow. There is something beautiful and magical about snow – especially when you don’t get to see it often.
Gorgeous photos, too!
Kim@Co-Pilot Mom recently posted…Running Standing Still
We’ve got plenty of it…I wish I could send you some! The kids had a snow day yesterday and a delay for icy roads today…and I went snowshoeing!
Michelle recently posted…Tis the Season to be Thankful
I haven’t been away from snow long enough to miss it or long for it. But I do understand why every kids love snow and why every kids needs to experience a special snowy day. What a lovely memory!
Ilene recently posted…Ten Reasons You Don’t Want to Date Me
Those snow days were absolutely magical as a child (definitely less so as an adult when you’re the one who has the shovel). I hope your kiddos get a chance to experience it. Would love to see that photo of your childhood snow day!
Cheryl recently posted…Bronzed love
I think a trip back up here in the winter is necessary for your family. But not for Christmas unless the kids are also wishing for -30 Celsius. Early March maybe?
As much as I complain about winter, I have never had a snow free winter in my almost 40 years and believe it or not, I wouldn’t change that! We went to Florida over Christmas when I was a kid once…it was….weird.
kami recently posted…The Great Scuffle Epiphany of 2013
Frost can be so absolutely beautiful. We get hoar frost here and it’s stunning. But snow days are good too. We have a ton – come and visit! 😉
Having grown up in New England and living now in New Jersey (where we have already had multiple snow falls this season!) it is hard to imagine not having snow in my life. When I get grumpy about it, I am going to remember this piece of writing. Thank you for sharing it!
Stacey recently posted…Old School Blogging: Holiday Edition
It does make a pretty image in one’s mind, doesn’t it?
But let me tell you, after having my children lose 3 pairs of mittens, one pair of snowpants, and two hats in one week I could leave winter for good. Constantly dressing them all up just to go outside is insane. And then of course the dryer is constantly going to dry all the clothes off. Blah.
I constantly ask myself why I still live in WI.
Then again, a white Christmas is lovely. 😉
Beautiful post, Elaine!
Kat recently posted…Almost There
I wonder, has it ever snowed in LA before? I know it did a couple times in Houston (I remember coming out of church Christmas Eve in 2004 to tons of the white stuff. It was so magical!)
We reminded the girls today that it’s the first day of winter, and they were all excited that it’s going to snow (I think they forget we don’t live where it snows very often!)
We live so close to the coast that we rarely get a lot of snow, usually just enough to be annoying but not enough to play in. Jack’s first Christmas it snowed a lot and it really was magical.
Julia recently posted…Old School Blogging – Holiday Edition