February and Finally Snow!!

Nearing the end of February we've experienced the mildest winter in the nearly seven years we've lived in southwestern Virginia. Oh, we've had some cold days and many a morning finds me sitting in front of the fire but there has been no snow. And it just isn't winter without snow.

During the 55 years since I left my parents home in Wisconsin, I've had the good fortune to live in lots of beautiful places. California, where poinsettias bloomed outside my window in the winter sunshine. Washington, where storms blew in over the Pacific Ocean just a stones throw from my front door bringing wind and pounding rain for several months of the year. And then Alaska. The two winters we spent there found the snow piled so high it covered our front door and we couldn't use it for weeks on end. The navy sent heavy equipment  into housing to pick up and drop off my sailor husband as he stood his watches. No running out for milk and bread during those winters. We learned to stock up and be prepared for emergencies as we shopped during the four hours a day, monday through friday, when weather permitted the small commissary to open. We loved every minute of it.

Back in Wisconsin, we enjoyed the winters we knew while growing up. Lots of snow and cold weather. Tree limbs falling under the heavy snow and power outages a regular occurrence, we just took it in our stride.

It wasn't long before we were on the road again. This time we moved to South Carolina. No hint of snow here as we sweltered in the humidity all year round. It had its own beauty, of course, as we spent many days at the ocean and for four years we enjoyed almost tropical weather. Aside from a hurricane or two, these years were uneventful and we were happy when orders came for us to move to Maryland.

There was a huge snowstorm the February we drove to Maryland to find a place to live. It was wonderful to enjoy some of this winter weather once again....and we had lots of snow during the two years we spent in Maryland.

Time to move south to Virginia. The next twenty years found us on the coast as we settled into the most beautiful and historic home yet. It was such a lovely place to live and we knew this was where we would spend the rest of our lives. As retirement drew near, we moved 200 miles inland where we would once again experience some snow in the winter and less humidity in the summer.

That brings us to today. The first snowfall this winter is gently falling outside my window. No sleds or toboggans or ice skates as in days gone by. I am content to sit in my easy chair and enjoy the beautiful snow as it falls outside my window.