The First Winter's Snow

Here in the Chicago area we are no stranger to snow.  Some years it just buries us and others I wonder if it really is winter in Chicago - very flakes to be found.  Living in this area all of my life, I spent many childhood years in snowball fights, building snow forts and snowmen,  ice skating,  hot chocolate with marshmallows and, of course, shoveling the driveway.  Oh, and the ever present prayers for a snow day from school.   Sometimes we got lucky, other times just another school day.

I love to watch the snow coming down at night through the glimmer of the streetlights.  It is always so peaceful at that time.  Waking up to a blanket of fresh snow, undisturbed but by a few animal tracks here and there makes for a morning of quiet moments of peace and wonder.

Of course, these feelings never last as the snowplows barrel through to clear the streets as the morning progresses.  Snow mixed with dirt piles up at the edges of the curbs.  Tracks from people and animals make the blanket all roughed up and messy - but for those few moment or hours it is just beautiful.  But reality hits, got to get the kids up for school - to their disappointment, no snow day.