Cindy

I live near Washington, D.C., and we had our first snow of the season today. The snow clings gently to everything, and it is lovely to see a shrub lit with Christmas lights and a thin layer of snow blurring the glow. It is totally quiet. Hot chocolate somehow tastes especially smooth when it is snowing. It doesn't snow that often here, so it is just the right amount for me. Enough to keep things interesting, but not enough to really get me down.

Does it snow where you live? Do you like it? Do you get too much, not enough, or just enough? How well does everyone cope?

wendy

I'm in DC for school and today was the first time I've seen snow! I can't believe how white it is and how pretty it looks on trees.

mark

I went to school in DC for 7 years (undergrad and grad) and it always amazing me how paralyzed the city became with any amount of snow. Much of DC still has a southern mentality even though it isn't much further south than Baltimore and Philadelphia, yet a 2-4 inch snowfall will shut that place down. Traffic goes to a standstill and people drive as if the ground is just wet and end up crashing. I remember big storms in '94, '96 and more recently and some streets weren't plowed for almost a week!
One thing about DC though, it is beautiful, and when it snows, it is even more so. Go to the Lincoln Memorial/reflecting pool at night during a snow shower and you will know what I'm talking about.
Oh, to answer the thread, I live in Philly now and it snows, not much more than DC, but people seem to handle it better.

ilisa

Frankly, I am thankful for DC's inability to cope with snow, because when the government closes, my office is closed. Yesterday was wonderful. I called in "sick" and gave myself a personal snow day at the same time. I had a nice day at home with my daughter, who enjoyed her first real snow.

Gary

I live in Los Angeles, and, for me, the annual snowfall is exactly the right amount. My children are avid snowboarders and are more than welcome to travel up to one of the local slopes if that's what they want. I'll go to the beach.

I spent twenty-two years in the Midwest, and during the last, my college campus closed for three days because of a blizzard. I decided enough was enough. Besides, as a kid, I thought snow on Christmas was just SO beautiful. But the day after Christmas, it just looked cold. And it was.

Owen O'Neill

I'm just starting my second winter here in north Jersey, just across the river from NYC. We had two storms last year that totaled 7" of snow and I'll hope this winter we have even less. After 40+ years of digging out from under in Syracuse NY and enduring snow that somtimes lasted from early December to early April... the less the better! I'll drive up there for Christmas, enjoy seeing it on the ground and then look forward to returning here, where our 1/2" dusting from last night will soon be melted.

Michele

I live in California (southern), and the snowfall is just perfect - NONE! I simply can't fathom why anyone would want to subject themselves to having to deal with this wet, cold, icky stuff.

One year I got it into my head to spend the holidays visiting relatives in northern Wisconsin. Went for 2 weeks during a time everyone said they had more snow than anyone had seen in years. My luggage was lost for 2 days, I was cold all the time (except when I went indoors, where everyone seems to insist on having their homes heated to 80 degree or more), and came home with the most miserable respiratory infection of my life. That was 15 years ago, and I swore I'd NEVER go anywhere again when there was even a remote chance of any type of snow.

Can't think of anything more miserable to have to endure.

Joe

I love snow. I hate snow. I can't seem to make up my mind. When I hit the lotto, I'm going to buy a big colonial farmhouse in New England for my winter self, and a big condo in Miami for my summer self. I hope that this arrangement will placate my schizophrenic tendencies.

Esme

I love snow - here we are in England crossing our fingers again - fools that we are - with a less than average chance of snow and what do you think we'll get? Rain - frost if we're really lucky!! Send us some snow please! Otherwise enjoy what you have, throw a snowball for me and have a large hot chocolate and a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! Love Esme (and Gytha and Mazzrat if any of the "old gang" are out there!)

marieem

Cindy, we "watched" the snowfall in Washington on the news last night. It was delightful. I live in the Finger Lakes area of New York State - near Rochester. We get lots of snow. As another poster said, I love it and I hate it. There is a large hill a few doors away from my home, and throngs of village children arrive daily with sleds, coasters, toboggans, and other items to coast downhill. Fun to watch them. One of my favorite things about a snowfall is to be lying warm in bed in the middle of the night, and being awakened by the noise of the village snow-plow driving by clearing the road. And truly, a new snowfall is lovely to look at, as Cindy nicely described it, especially during the Holiday season. If only it wouldn't last so darned long - it is not unusual to have snows in April in western New York. The crocus and daffodils lie like so many downed soldiers and that's depressing. Peace to all. Marie

Alli

Ft Lauderdale....no snow here! Although, it did snow in 1977 or was it 1978? I remeber I was in elemenary school and our teacher brought us outside. What a delight as a child! It is always a pleasure to vacation to an area where there is snow, but to deal with the aftermath of living in it...no thanks. I don't understand how you do it. Way to much for me to live in. I enjoy waking up to a cool 50ish degree morning (such as now), sun shining bright, warming up to the high 60's to mid 70's. Perfect!!!

Ess

I live in Long Island, and we've just had a light dusting, and are due for another 1", maybe. I love waking up in the morning and seeing a white expanse out the window, reflecting the light back at me. I love the whisper sound of falling snow, and the crunch of walking through it. I love lying in bed and hearing it fall against the window. Snow is lovely. That said, I hate the slop it turns into and the treacherous ice, and the traffic accidents, and having to get up even earlier than usual to warm up the car and de-ice it. We may get a little more snow for Christmas, which will be nice. One month of this weather would be perfect. But it lasts until April. It's a very LONG, gray winter here.

Lori

I live in northern Michigan and I will always love the snow. This year is looking promising as far as snowfall goes, and we probably have about 12-15 inches on the ground right now. I don't ski, but I love to get out and snowshoe and believe it or not I love shoveling the stuff. That's my down time when I can clear my head and just enjoy the quiet.

Sheli

I live in Omaha. We have had less than usual snowfall the last 4 or 5 years. In the last 2 weeks we have gotten a total of 19 inches! (More than the last 2 or 3 years combined!)

Yesterday the weather forcaster had the screen graphic listed as "nuisance" snow...I was past nuisance snow last week with another 6 inches....I am onto "DAMN Irritating" snow!

I love snow, I hate snow, I love snow... I can't wait for my trip to Jamaica next week!

Sheli

Gwen

Live in Long Island, and I hate the snow, not just the snow, the winter, the fall, and early spring as well. So guess I should have just said I only like the summer! When I watch the weather channel and see all those lucky folks in southern Florida, especially Miami, my heart actually hurts from the jealousy Im feeling! Not just the warmth, but the blue skies instead of our long, grey, dark & dreary late fall/winter/early spring (yes, there are exeptional days here). Just counting down the years until I can move down permanently, if I never see another snowflake again, I wont miss it a bit.

kim

I live in Chicago and grew up in Minnesota so I know how to deal with the snow. In general I love it,it makes everything look beautiful - it can make everyday items into interesting sculptures. However, I hate driving in it! Last night it took me 3 hours to get home as opposed to 35-40 minutes. Yuk!

Jeanette

When I was a girl I thought it was pretty and the only time it ever got to me was when it covered (because the scrapper hadn't come around yet) the ice in our nearest park where I would ice skate every single day. I also have great but mixed memories of deep snow. In the blizzard of '67 I had on a miniskirt and knee high boots and walked to the South suburbs from 63rd and Western Ave. It took me about 5 hours to get home from downtown. After changing I found my father, who was a salt truck / garbage man digging out people who were trapped in our park. Found my brother, who was home on leave from the Marines, in another spot about 2 blocks over and we went together to make my dad come home. I'm small and on the way I literally disappeared into a
drift on one of the hills in the park and my brother had to pull me out. By the time we got back home none of us could talk, and I think I didn't even get all my wet clothes off before falling asleep in a cornor of the kitchen. There have been other really hard times as in 1979 when I made my kids pull the sled to the store to get groceries for people on our block and they say it's their "Abraham Lincoln" story as he supposedly walked miles in a snowstorm to return a library book. Seems that people like it for snowboarding, skiing now and don't do a lot of the other things that we used to do like building forts out of blocks of snow. I once had a fort from November to April that was almost liveable. We have not had that kind of season or snow for years and years- but I am afraid that we are really in for it again. This week I have been in two white-outs and also took me more than 2 hours to get home last Monday. I have given up on my front door and can only get in my garage way. Right after I post this I will go shovel. It makes every bone in my body hurt now. Last week on Thursday there was also an ice storm and every tree looked like it was flocked for Christmas. I took some pictures but am praying to God that we get a break for at least a week to dig out. Driving is the worst of it and it can't be avoided. We in Chicago have four very distinct seasons and I love them all but when you get older you just hurt too much to do what needs to be done. Somewhere in the last ten years we have gotten super spoiled with good winters, and I am afraid I and quite a few others have turned into creampuffs.

Schnooks

From Chicago - All I've got to say is ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! My husband said this morning there is no place to put the shoveled snow anymore!

Mr. Chicago

The front lawn looks like a glacier. My ding dong nearly froze off today. I'm losing my mind. I can't take it any more. I just want to scream.

Chilly Willy

Nine below zero in Chicago this morning - ain't it fun? NOT !