Ever Notice There Are Two Kinds Of Snow?

While we've been enjoying several days of above-normal temperatures across southeast Minnesota and most of the snow is pretty much gone, things are supposed to change soon in the weather department and bring us back to reality. Which is okay, if you ask me; this is the time of year I actually wish it would snow.

I thought I heard somewhere that certain tribes of native people in northern Canada and Alaska have something like 17 different words for snow. And while we don't have that here, it does seem like we have two distinct kinds of snow that fall here in Minnesota.

There's the soft, scenic, snow-is-falling outside the window that makes everything pretty and Christmas card-like for the holidays. That's the kind of snow we're supposed to get tonight, once the temperature drops.

But then, long about February, we start to get the OTHER kind of snow: The massive blizzard-like snowfalls, where nearly a foot of snow piles up and we're all sick and tired of the endless white stuff. Fortunately, even though it first snowed in early November this year, I'm not quite sick of it...yet.

If I had my way, it'd start snowing just a little for Thanksgiving. We'd get a few more inches through December to guarantee a white Christmas. Then, it could keep snowing through January and early February, so those winter outdoor enthusiasts could get out and ski, snowboard, and snowmobile. But by March, it should be warming up. And no snow in April or May, for crying out loud!

I know there's nothing we can do about the weather, but the past couple of winters have seemed a little excessive, if you ask me-- and I like winter. Let's hope the snow we get this year is mainly in that first category!