UGH! THE SNOW IN THE WENATCHEE VALLEY!
UGH! THE SNOW IN THE WENATCHEE VALLEY!
I was chatting with a listener on the request line who was heading home from work, looking forward to more snow to fall in the Wenatchee Valley. “Really?”, I asked. “Yes! The snow is beautiful!”, she replied. “I love it!” My jaw dropped, stunned. “Well…ah…ok.”
“Come on! You can’t hate everything about the snow! We’re lucky to have four seasons here!”
“Well, I think people are just tired of the snow already.”
“NO! We still have a couple of months of this!”
We laughed, but to be honest. For me. The thought of cold wintery weather, which came early this season, for two more months seems like forever. I’m that beach boy who’s used to an over night low of 60. Remember that 1990’s animated Christmas special, Frosty Returns? There was this guy named Mr. Twitchell who invented a spray called, Summer Wheeze, which would instantly make all the snow disappear. I want that product.
Like some people, the snow just causes so many issues. Cars crashing on icy roads. Pedestrians slipping and falling. Schools get closed or delayed. Frozen pipes bursting. Breaking your back shoveling the sidewalk and driveway. Trees branches breaking off and landing on power lines. Orchards are ruined. Avalanches in the mountains. Unprotected live stock. I can go on and on.
But as I was carefully heading home navigating around the snow berms, yelling at people who were driving without their headlights on, I thought about our positive lover of snow. You see, as I approached my home on a dark road, the falling snow was being highlighted by my own headlights. It made it feel like I was speeding through outer space. You know. Like I was piloting the Millennium Falcon, running from TIE Fighters. And that was pretty cool.
I started to wonder. Am I just being a fuddie-duddie? Much like how the Christmas season came and went so quickly because I was too busy working. Never enjoying the holiday. Never stopping to let it be Christmas. I’m always thinking of all the negative things of traditional winter weather.
You see, I grew up on the beaches of Southern California. I’ve only experience the fake snow that falls on Main Street USA at Disneyland after the Christmas fireworks show. So I never really looked at the snow with child-like eyes. Throwing snowballs. Making snow angels. Building a snowman. Sledding down hills. Catch snowflakes with your tongue.
Perhaps I need to appreciate and embrace the season. I do love those Hallmark Christmas rom-coms that often take place in towns like Leavenworth. I do love taking photos. I bet I could get some fantastic shots on the Columbia River. I’m not a skier, but I wonder if snowboarding is anything like surfin’? Maybe take some lessons up at Mission Ridge. But who says I had to do outdoor activities? How about a staycation at Lake Chelan? Do some wine tasting. Oh my gosh! The ideas were flowing. And what better way to slow down, take in the season, with a friend.
Yep. That’s it. That’s what I’m gonna do for the rest of the winter. Forget about being stuck in the house and cleaning all weekend long. That can wait til Spring. Unless someone convinces me otherwise. Then I’ll probably need to hire someone todo some spring cleaning around the house.
I don’t recall who the listener was, but if you’re reading this…thank you. Thank you for listening. Thank you for your positive insight. I really needed that. And I hope anyone else who is reading this that has felt the same way I did, can stop and rediscover your inner child…and play.