Having grown up in Chicago, the fact that I have not seen any snow yet this winter is certainly something to write about, possibly shout about and maybe jump up and down about. I'm sure this is the first time in my life I have not seen snow in at least one of the winter months. Since living in France, snowfall here has been quite different from what I was used to. Actually it was a nice change,3-5 of inches would fall; pretty, white, fluffy snow covering the landscape and then it would melt just as you were starting to get sick of it. I arrived here in December 1999 and after maybe just a few weeks, as my husband was getting ready to leave for work, it started snowing really hard, so thick you couldn't see five feet in front of you. I'm thinking, this is going to be a big one, at least 8-10 inches. He was going to drive to work, I convince him it's better to walk, might not be able to get the car out at the end of the day right? Thanks to me, he dresses as if he's going on a 3 day hike into a blizzard. He goes on his way, it continues to snow for about an hour, there's maybe 3 inches on the ground, the sun comes out and most of it is melted by the time he comes home. He had tried to convince me that it probably wouldn't amount to much but I was sure he was wrong. Well, I had never seen anything like it. When I see snow coming down like that, the brain goes into battle mode. Ready to fight the elements. I guess those days are over, over here anyway. This apparently is not the norm for this north eastern region of France though. Sounds like, several years ago, they had winters similar to Chicago; lots of snow, cold temps that lasted well into March or April. That has all changed. Guess there is something to global warming. Chicago winters have also been much more mild recently, except of course this current winter where they have been hit with record cold and snowfall in February. Sorry Chicago, but I do feel your pain!
The only problem with this wonderful change in climate is that I miss the snow! Really, I do. Ok, not the frigid temperatures or the mountains of snow piled up all around, but those few inches that blanket everything we see, turning our ordinary everyday scenes into a winter wonderland, that I miss. And I had assured the kids that during their winter break, we would most definitely be out playing in the snow at some point, building snowmen, but no it was not to be. Winter break here is almost finished and there is no snow in sight. Sometimes they'll look out the window watching the rain asking "when is it going to snow?" I've started saying to them, "see the rain there?, well that is snow, just melted!" Desperate times call for desperate measures....
They'll need to use those wonderful imaginations of theirs if they want to see some snow this year!
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3 comments:
Hi Margie,
How have you been doing ?
I didn't have the same "snow stories " to swap of growing up at home.
I grew up in Hawaii, so it was the opposite. The first time I saw my first snowfall was in France !
I have gotten used to winters when it snows.And since the past few years, I'am the one who shovels snow & salts the sidewalks.
Strange destiny for someone who once lived in Hawaii !!
Although, this was not a banner year for snow.
It's sad for the children not to have any snow to play in.
Take care
I really miss the snow too. It just doesn't feel like winter here. Hey - I'm from the'Chicago-land area' too.
We had ice storms in Texas which are really scary and impossible and dangerous to drive in. I've seen a little snow here in France and rush out in Paris with a camera if I wake up to snow hoping to get something interesting covered with snow. The snow is usually all trampled away by the time I arrive.
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