As I explained earlier, snow is a rare occurrence for us US southerners. Soooo, when we get a snooooow, we make the most of it.
First, of course, everything grinds to an absolute halt. We carefully planned our trip yesterday from work to home to avoid the big snow-rush-hour. We made it home without any undue delay or problem. We didn't even skid. Which brings our first southern tradition. One of my favorite... never mind. One of the favorite snow pastimes of young men in this part of the world is finding an empty parking lot and sliding around in our cars. You get going and then you suddenly cut your wheel and have a blast. Although this is quite juvenile, it doesn't sound as bad if you explain that you are just experimenting with ways to get out of a skid.
Another favorite is sledding. I am guessing we are one of the few families in Alabama to have a genuine sled. Our dates from 1997 when we lived at USMA, West Point, NY. It still has the writing on it showing our address. Even since yesterday and despite the very low overnight temperatures (15 F), a substantial portion of the snow had already evaporated (that's right, in dry air snow can evaporate without going through a liquid phase (called sublimation). Our grandson Jem was close by, so we dusted off (literally) the old sled and gave him a thrill.
He enjoyed it almost as much as the adults.
The most unusual southern tradition to those accustomed to snwo is snow cream. Yep, snow cream. You take clean snow, mix in sugar, milk, and vanilla, and voila' you have something remotely similar to vanilla ice cream. It's pretty good, but mostly a tradition. We were surprised to learn that the Swedes never do this and most had never even heard of it.
Alas, all that snow going to waste!
But that's not the saddest thing going to waste. I think of all the potential in Christians that goes to waste. I think of all the lives of my loist friends that are going to waste.
I guess wasting a little snow, and the pleasure it could bring ain't worth mentioning.
First, of course, everything grinds to an absolute halt. We carefully planned our trip yesterday from work to home to avoid the big snow-rush-hour. We made it home without any undue delay or problem. We didn't even skid. Which brings our first southern tradition. One of my favorite... never mind. One of the favorite snow pastimes of young men in this part of the world is finding an empty parking lot and sliding around in our cars. You get going and then you suddenly cut your wheel and have a blast. Although this is quite juvenile, it doesn't sound as bad if you explain that you are just experimenting with ways to get out of a skid.
Another favorite is sledding. I am guessing we are one of the few families in Alabama to have a genuine sled. Our dates from 1997 when we lived at USMA, West Point, NY. It still has the writing on it showing our address. Even since yesterday and despite the very low overnight temperatures (15 F), a substantial portion of the snow had already evaporated (that's right, in dry air snow can evaporate without going through a liquid phase (called sublimation). Our grandson Jem was close by, so we dusted off (literally) the old sled and gave him a thrill.
The most unusual southern tradition to those accustomed to snwo is snow cream. Yep, snow cream. You take clean snow, mix in sugar, milk, and vanilla, and voila' you have something remotely similar to vanilla ice cream. It's pretty good, but mostly a tradition. We were surprised to learn that the Swedes never do this and most had never even heard of it.
But that's not the saddest thing going to waste. I think of all the potential in Christians that goes to waste. I think of all the lives of my loist friends that are going to waste.
I guess wasting a little snow, and the pleasure it could bring ain't worth mentioning.
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