Ramblings-n-Writings

Archive for February 11th, 2010

So we were forecasted to get a bunch of snow … ya know, 6-12 inches which for around here is a lot. All the milk and bread disappeared from store shelves. Schools closed their doors. And everyone prepared for the worst … that never came.

Only a dusting of about 3 inches of really light powdery snow filtered from the sky during the past 48 hours. Definitely beats the 2-3 ft of snow that landed in my home state of Pennsylvania!

I guess things could’ve been a lot worse, like back in December when we really did get 12 inches of snow. That blast of snow sent our county into a blackout with many not having electricity for 5 days or more.

So I’m grateful that we didn’t get another 12 inches. But either way, I learned a few things from all this snow …

1. Our road crews are definitely doing a better job this year with road care. I’ve seen more snow plows and cinders this year than in the previous four winters combined! While this may not sound significant, it’s a really big deal when you’re used to not being able to drive on the roads for at least 48 hours after an inch of snow. In fact, from what I’ve heard, they’ve actually treated the roads so well this year that they ran out of salt/cinders/sand and had to purchase some from another county.
2. It is physically possible for cows to eat the entire center out of a round bale of hay and leave the outside layer still standing and in tact. I really wish I had a photo of this, but imagine a huge round bale of hay standing up on it’s side (the rounded part, not the flat side). Then make a great big hole right through the center, and keep the top of the bale still in place so all it looks like is someone drew a great big circle of hay and forgot to fill it in.
3. Electricity and internet are luxuries. Heat is a necessity. Gas stoves are marvelous appliances. I can do a lot of things without electricity, and quite a few more things when I’m not distracted by the internet. However, if I’m cold, I can’t do a thing! And you can always cook a meal on a gas stove.
4. If the snowflakes are big enough, it is possible to see the individuality of each of them. If you’ve never seen the detail of a snowflake, it is truly amazing. I saw some of the most beautiful flakes, each one unique. Some of the flakes looked similar – maybe the same tips on the points but different centers. I imagine the snowflakes are just like us. God made each of us unique yet we have some of the same characteristics – hair color, eye color, voice accents – yet we’re all different. The design of our human bodies is intricate with so many parts relying on other parts to make up the whole. To me, a snowflake reflects the same intricacies.
5. And finally, the most profound lesson … if you want the electricity to stay on, don’t bother resetting the clocks to the right time. Inevitably as soon as you do, the electricity will go off again … even if for a split second but enough to start the clock flashing again!