By Guy Chapman – Navarro County Gazette
Yes We Can
What a weird day. I find myself periodically looking out the window, waiting for the “magic” to happen, as it were. I know the heavy weather is coming tonight, but for someone who has never experienced single digit weather before, I expect this will be interesting.
I’ve experienced snow several times before, most recently just this last month. It was a nice mental break, though this upcoming storm is set to be more than just one day. Even this time feels different. The roads are solid ice this time around, and while there’s white on the ground, it’s not fluffy white snow.
I had talked to my sister about the last time the weather got this severe. We both remembered around the 1980s where I have memories of Mom heavily bundling me up, plunking me down like some yard ornament in the back yard, then after a few moments, coming back in. I was about 5 years old. I remember building a snowman.
I remember a few ice storms growing up here, one in Denton when I was off at college, and a heavy one in Las Vegas in 2008. If I wanted snow in Vegas, I’d usually have to go to the Red Rock mountains. Of course, I was more accustomed to triple digit summers there, where the height of the weather would generally hit about 115-117 degrees. That’s what you call “eyeball drying weather,” and even at midnight, it would still average about 100 degrees.
But single digit, zero degrees, possibly negative numbers… that’s new to me. I’m definitely not a snow expert. There’s a weird fascination with wanting to see what that’s going to be like, and when is it going to start. About 6 a.m. tomorrow morning, it’s supposed to be 4 degrees. I think I’m going to set my alarm, step outside for a moment, then likely immediately regret my decision. I’m looking forward to it.
I think between last month and now this weekend, I’ve rediscovered a more youthful energy about the approach of snow. I’ve enjoyed the brief walks (the dogs, however, have not) past frozen creeks and stepping past darker patches of ice. I think there’s a greater sense of appreciation anticipating something new and untried. I’m looking forward to something different.
So I’m definitely waiting, and wanting to see how I’m going to be able to chronicle this week into my own personal stories. I already set up my front row seat for nature’s big show of the year.
Looking outside right now, a light snow is starting to fall. I think we’re about to begin….
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