Winter Mix
A.V. Walters
Winter Mix?
Sounds to me like something you’d serve as an appetizer at a holiday gathering. In reality, it’s not so friendly—it was today’s weather report. Winter mix is unsettled weather that serves up a mishmash of rain, sleet and snow. We’ve had gorgeous February weather for a couple of days, bright sunshine and upper thirties to low forties. I consider February to be the seventh-inning-stretch of winter. The sun comes back, for whole days, not just the cameo appearances of December and January. The cats have been sprawled-out, on floor, in the sunshine streaming into the living room.
It’s been especially delicious, since there’s so much snow. We’ve been skiing (albeit badly) and hiking. The sun and snow are so nice that I broke down and ordered snowshoes. (Don’t worry, there’ll still be plenty of winter left by the time they arrive. We have a couple of innings to go, yet.) Tonight brought a decided end to our reprieve. This will be the first real “storm” of the season. Sure we’ve had snow, (lots of it—217 inches, so far) and the occasional travel advisory, but nothing that came with storm warnings. Today’s snow/rain mixture will freeze tonight as temperatures drop back to more wintery levels and we usher in high winds and more snow. Tomorrow, winds are expected to gust up to 55 mph. On fresh slick ice, that should be loads of fun. I ran into town today and picked up groceries and coffee. We can hunker down for the duration. (Or, we can suit up and put on spikes to go see what happens at the lake in such winds!)
We’re only 14 inches shy of breaking the all-time, county snow record. It’s still only February, so we’ve got a good chance of doing it. I find myself rooting for snow and season. My first winter, back in Michigan, and a record-breaker! I can’t complain; it’s been an adventure. My mother says it may all be my fault. She’s remembering that the year I moved to California, 1978, was one of the last record-breakers. (And, just for good measure, I left California with what might be a record drought.)
tworockchronicles 
Nature has a way of giving us glimpses of how fantastic it can be and then ripping the rug out from under us! I hope you snow shoes turn up soon 🙂
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It’s wild out there. We went to the beach and couldn’t walk it because the wind was too fierce! Gorgeous, just unapproachable. The winds have chased away and broken up the ice on Lake Michigan, which is now open water again! Maybe tomorrow we can go up the bluffs for an overview. It’s amazing how one storm can change the landscape so.
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Winter and snow are great as long as you have the time to enjoy them both. I remember sledding every day with my friends at the local golf course. What fun! Long winters also made Spring feel that much better 🙂
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When we made the move, we agreed to make winter something to enjoy. I know far too many who just stay indoors for the whole season (decked in “holiday” sweaters.) The secret is to get out in it, like we all did as kids. So it’s skiing and snowshoeing for us–maybe sleds, later.
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