We Middle Georgians are fluent in the language of hot summers. We know what we’re talking about when we utter terms like humidity, heat index, gnats and frying eggs on sidewalks. As expert as we are on the season between spring and fall, most of us natives are complete strangers to the winter white stuff that falls out of the sky once every decade or so. Ya know, snow.
As a kid growing up in Wrightsville, I can remember two times that it snowed during the winter. On both occasions, you’d have thought that Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy had all arrived unexpectedly and planned to stay the weekend. In 1982, the year I was 8, we got two inches overnight. My brother, sister and I were ecstatic to wake up to wintry bliss in our own backyard. We romped. We frolicked. We threw snowballs, made snow angels, snow forts and a humpbacked, popeyed snowman named Jim. Scamp, our Springer Spaniel did his own form of dog sledding down the sloped driveway. Though the snow was gone in just two days, I’ll never forget the memories brought by that unexpected frozen white stuff.
Just this weekend, as the school year dragged on and cold, rainy weather kept the kids indoors way too much, we all got a thrilling surprise (as I’m sure you did too, if you’re here in Middle Georgia) “Mom! It’s SNOWING!” shouted Andrew, my 8 year old. Even though the TV weather man had predicted it, I was tempted not to believe it. (We’d had a couple of forecast false alarms already this year and I didn’t want to get my hopes up) But a glance out the window verified that sure enough, the white stuff was falling…in abundance.
4 year old Jack and I walked out onto the porch to catch our first snowflakes. Andrew was mysteriously missing. Just as I reached my hand out into the falling stream, “THWACK!” a shockingly cold, icy fastball hit me in the back of the neck. “HA HA” shouted Andrew. “I got you good!” Let the games begin!
After running back inside to don necessary outerwear, we were back in action. First on the agenda, a full-on family snowball fight. As Andrew and Jack bunched up snowballs, I brought out an ice-cream scoop and gravy ladle. Great for quick making and flinging of snowballs. I’m not sure who won, but we had a great hour long battle.
Scamp (the second) Dudley and Hope, our three dogs had a fantastic time, running, sliding and frolicking in the snow. Neighbors we hadn’t seen in a couple of months came out to share in the festivities. Snowmen were built; sledding paths were forged and new memories were made. The whole day was spent outside enjoying a spontaneous, natural playground. My husband James and I put aside our chores and business to play with the kids, and act like kids ourselves. It was truly special.
As the day went on and the sun got hotter, the snow began to melt. James commented, “wouldn’t it be great if we got to have a day or two of snow every winter.” Yeah, it would be.
I love the fact that, as parents, we get to have two-fold types of memories. Ones from our childhoods and those from watching our own kids enjoy the same things that we did once upon a time. The snow reminded me of that this weekend. Thanks, Mother Nature, for giving us a little fun in our winter.