Snow White Bliss

Our dog, Luke, absolutely hates the rain, but he loves going out and running around and playing psycho puppy in the snow. He goes out and grabs mouthfuls of it and runs crazily around the yard. The snow reenergizes him and makes him feel like a puppy again. Dogs aren’t the only ones for whom snow brings out the inner child. Going outside and seeing the white wonderland, I feel the wonder of childhood snow days when snow was something to get excited about and not something to curse because it made commutes harder.

The adult in me knows that snow means the roads will be slippery, commutes will take longer, and it will be cold outside, but the child in me wants to just run and play in the snow like I did when I was a kid and we had a snowday. Snowdays are what every Northern child prays for: a day off to do nothing but play in the snow and drink hot chocolate.

Southerners might think that all snow is the same, but those of us who hail from Northern climates know that there are two primary types of snow: snowball snow and blizzard snow. Snowball snow is thick and dense, just right for snowball fights and snowmen. It tends to stick to the ground and no matter how much wind you get, it stays right where it is. Blizzard snow on the other hand is finer in texture and can be set aloft at the slightest hint of a breeze. We get plenty of blizzard snow in the North and when Blizzard snow is blowing, we all curl up in our houses with good books, good friends, and, if we’re lucky, a fireplace.

I grew up in the Chicago area and in the middle of winter, I always swear I’m going to move to a warmer climate where the winters aren’t so cold. However, deep down, I’m a Chicago girl at heart and there’s something to be said for the white wonderland that snow creates and the opportunity to blissfully snuggle in front of a fireplace with someone I love.