Gradual Snow

This is the third year we have been living in Minnesota.  We have seen three different types of winters.  As long we avoid a Kansas type winter, I'm okay with whatever snow we end up with.  Three inches of snow followed by two days of rain to melt it all away is not good.  And then it gets cold enough to turn the rain to ice but not snow.  How can you be all happy and merry around Christmas time when there is nothing but dead grass and piles of grey snow in parking lots?  

The first year was a bit of a disappointment.  We barely had any snow and was one of the warmest winters in recent memory.  I am under the assumption it was the Weather Gods punishing us for moving away from Kansas.  'You miss winter?  That's cute.  Here's three inches of snow.  Suck it!'  At least that is what is going on in my mind and how I saw them teasing us. 

The second year was more like it!  We got hammered a couple of times early on in the month of December.  Seeing a couple of days of eight to ten inches of snow each time.  It was never ending.  Many people would end up complaining about all the snow by the time it was all melting, which was in March.  Luckily, it was all gone by Opening Day for the MLB season.  

This year, so far, has been gradual snow.  Two to four inches here and there every couple of days.  Nothing that shuts the city down, but enough to clear your car off in the morning.  It's a nice way to ease into winter.  We are all but guaranteed a white Christmas (barring a heat wave that is going to come out of nowhere) now.  It's not as much snow as we had last year, but the ground is covered and the snow drifts are piling up.

Winter, as I have said in the past, is my favorite time of year.  I have just always loved the cold and the snow.  It mostly has to do with growing up in the U.P.  If you aren't hearty enough to handle five months of snow (I'm not kidding) you aren't worthy of living in God's Country.  I was spoiled living there and it wasn't until we moved to Kansas that I fully understood that.  I did live in the Detroit area for the first eight years of my life, but I don't full remember the winters there.  So I don't remember if we had three feet of snow or three inches.  Regardless of how much, I just love having snow on the ground during the winter months.  

happy dream

I had a dream last night about ice fishing. I'm pretty sure I have written about how much I love and hate ice fishing. It is fun to get in the ice shanty and be isolated from the world for a few hours with nothing but your thoughts, some beer, and a line in the water. The frustrating part is being able to see the goddamn fish swimming around just looking at the bait and not biting. Even if you are unsuccessful in your trip onto the ice, you can take a lot away from it. I always felt rejuvenated at the end of the day. Is it a pain to wake up early and bundle up? Yes. Is it a pain in the ass to get the ice auger out and hope that fish are under the ice? Yes. Is it cold as balls? Yes. Is it worth all the hassle, the loss of feeling in your fingers, and the time it takes to fish? Most defiantly. And I wouldn't trade any day on the ice for nothing.

This dream I had made me happy all day. When I woke up this morning I wanted nothing more than to go home and spend some time on the ice. We are trying to get home in February before all the snow and ice melt. The only problem right now is the prices are through the roof.