Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Brown Christmas

Today’s hopes for a major storm dissolved in rain. Less than half an inch of slush covers our brown Vermont hills, but we remain steadfast in our hopes for snow.

We really like the stuff. It is good for sliding and skiing and snowshoeing. Handy for insulation once it builds up above the level of interior floors. It covers up all things unsightly, indeed it covers everything and makes everything beautiful. We miss it.

Watch old reruns of White Christmas and think of us, wishing we had white stuff with which to entertain the few tourists who have come despite internet searches. Think of the hotels and the restaurants. Think of the grocery stores and the auto shops. If the tourists don’t come, they don’t eat, and their cars don’t run off the road. Think, too, of the snowmobile shops. If the snow stays away too long, it’s hardly worth buying the annual license.

Vermont’s economy needs snow. Our aesthetic sense of what makes winter right…that needs snow, too. We choose to be cold, believe it or not. In choosing four seasons, snow is not just part of the deal, it is a blessing.

Think of us and think snow.

2 comments:

Pauline said...

I spent twelve years in Danville, VT where, when we moved there, some wit described the weather as being ten months of winter and two months of damn poor sledding. Sounds like things have changed since I left. I've enjoyed reading your posts.

Karen said...

Thanks, Pauline. We are hoping this is a temporary blip, but it is the third "bad" (=warm) winter in a row. Way too much bad sledding!