Yep, it is snowing again this morning.
My car has a ground clearance of 8 inches. We've already had 4-5 inches of snow. What happens when the depth reaches more than 8 inches? I don't think that is good.
I really can't complain. When I feel really disgusted with the snow, I look at the little community of Sheboygan nestled along the shores of Lake Michigan. They seem to get 25% more of everything because of the "lake effect". Why would anyone want to live there?
Years ago my Grandpa Jiggs had a home on Lake Nemacagon up "nort" near Cable, Wisconsin. It was a central Lodge (home) surrounded by 5-6 cabins. It was called Wildwood Lodge. This was during the late 1940's and most of the 1950's. There was no electricity in the 1940's and water for the kitchen was obtained with a cast iron hand pump mounted on the kitchen-counter. That was considered indoor running water. An outdoor toilet was located 100 yards away from the Lodge. It was a "two holer". Going to the bathroom was a commitment especially in below zero temperatures. There was absolutely no lingering. Of course there was always a "chamber pot" in the house for going "No. 1". Central heat came from a big pot stove fueled by wood cut over the summer. The stove got stoked before everybody went to bed. By morning, there were just a few glowing embers in the stove and somebody (usually Grandpa Jiggs) needed to get up and put new wood on the fire. There were no fans to evenly spread heat around the lodge. The bedrooms probably got into the low 50 degree temperatures during the night.
Snow was always plentiful at Wildwood Lodge. It was 30-40 miles south of Lake Superior and it also got lots of "lake effect" snow every year. Despite the crude living conditions, there was always a feeling of being able to cope and Jiggs along with his only son "Big Jerry" did plenty of hunting and fishing. I remember the snow as being part of the identity of Wildwood Lodge and it was pretty and pristine. They didn't have snowblowers in those days and you shoveled just enough to keep paths open (like to the outdoor two holer).
I guess the dilemma with snow is that it is so pretty as it falls to earth and creates a blanket of white. Then comes the cold, the blowing and the shoveling. The nostalgia wears thin. Wildwood Lodge had a blanket of white that lured you into its spell. It made for pretty postcards.
So grab your shovels and snowblowers and ice scrapers and salt and sand. Go forth and get that white crap off your sidwalks and driveways. Remember how tough our ancesters had it.
Even though I vacilate between the pros and cons of snow, I can't imagine Christmas without it. Snow defines Christmas. Well, we've got it and isn't it great!
Love,
Dad