I was going to write about the snowfalls we've been having by making a comparison to the Eskimos and their 9 words for snow, but apparently according to wikipedia.org and several other sources, that's not true. Either way, we've been having some interesting weather. Just before Christmas, we had nearly a foot of snow fall, which is when we made that cool snowman. Well, that snow melted away and then we got another snowstorm on New Year's eve, resulting in about 6 inches of snow. That snow started to melt, and then we got a nasty sleety rainy slushy storm that left a thick icy glaze over the remaining snow. So now we've got a crunchy, glossy layer of snow carpeting the area, so thick that I can actually walk across parts of it without leaving a footprint. It's actually kind of pretty when the sun is shining and it shimmers, or at night when the moon reflects off it. We're due for another 4-8 inches of snow tonight, so that will make things interesting - thick snow over an icy crust. Could be trouble!
But thinking about this, and getting back to the Eskimo thing, it would be neat if we had more words to describe the snow. I guess we call it "powder" when it's a dry snow, and maybe "packed powder" when it's a little squished on a ski slope. But then, I don't really have a word for the kind of snow that's perfect for making snowballs. Then there's the "dusting" you get sometimes that doesn't stay. And this icy snow with a glossy finish, I have no idea what to call that.
It's been a few years since Paul or I lived somewhere where it both snowed and we had a yard to look out onto. Sure, Chicago snowed, but in the city it quickly turns brown and slushy. And it snowed once during our time in England, but actually we were in Poland at the time so we missed it. Now we've got the time (LOTS of time!) to look out the window and see the pretty snow. And who knows, maybe tomorrow we'll get another shot at sledding!
