It seems that much of the country has been experiencing some form of winter weather these past few days. For our part we got a little bit more snow, this time enough to warrant the driveway getting plowed (And yes, I know some people shovel their own driveways. Been there, done that. Let me just say that this house has a LOT of driveway.) It’s been nearly two years since our plow guy was last here.
One thing I’ve noticed is that when people in traditionally warm places start complaining about the winter weather (and the reptiles falling out of trees, which I’ve been assured is a thing that actually happens in Florida) inevitably someone in some colder place will scoff at the wimps who can’t handle a little bit of cold. I mean, it is funny when my parents in Florida report that the local television news will have dire warnings about limiting your time outdoors due to the cold temperatures and it’s like 50 degrees out, but also I realize it’s a bit different to experience cold weather in a home that was built to withstand cold weather versus one in a warmer clime that might not have the same insulation benefits.
When our last winter storm was on the way, I stopped to pick up a few things at our small local grocery store that was a bit busier than normal with the snow in the forecast. The man in front of me in line had to get in a little dig about people panicking over such a nothing storm. He let me know that he had lived in Colorado before, where it really snows, not like here.
I definitely get it. I’ve lived in colder places myself. I spent about 8 years living in Tobyhanna in the Poconos. For those not familiar with the Poconos, Tobyhanna is pretty much synonymous with cold and snow. (Technically Tobyhanna means stream fringed with alder in what was the local Native American dialect, but I used to joke that it meant “cannot see the ground between November and May.”) That mountain top town was the only place I ever lived where we could get snow when they hadn’t even bothered to predict it.
I remember one Columbus Day going out to walk the dog and being surprised to see two feet of snow on the ground. I had watched the local weather report the night before, and they hadn’t said a thing about the possiblity of snow. As my dog and I trudged through the snow, a neighbor driving through it on his way to work rolled down his window and said, “Am I dreaming? This has to be a dream.”
When I lived in Tobyhanna, I did not have a plow guy. However, my driveway grew shorter and shorter as the winter dragged on. By March it was just a spot big enough to park my car with a walking path shoveled to the front door. So, I would definitely be within my rights to scoff at the locals getting all worked up about a predicted one to three inches of snow. Still, I try not to be that person.
I am reminded of the time a few years back when I was living in a small town in Bucks County, PA which is a bit south of the Poconos for those not up on their Pennsylvania geography. Apparently a black bear had been spotted wandering around town. For my Poconos readers, I will point out that this was a single black bear. Some of my neighbors were very concerned and worried about spending any time outdoors. I wasn’t so rude as to dismiss their fears, but I think my non-chalant attitude about the new visitor in town might have perplexed them. In much of the Poconos and definitely Tobyhanna black bears are fairly common neighborhood animals. I wouldn’t go riling them up or anything, and if one strolls past your deck while you’re eating your dinner outside (yes, this happened to me once) maybe finish your meal inside. But folks are definitely more acclimated to them up in the Poconos than they are in Bucks County.
Still, I’m not going to scoff about folks getting worked up about black bears, because I’ll be the first to admit that if a frozen reptile dropped out of a tree in front of me, I would probably scream. It all comes down to what’s normal for us.
So, wherever you are, I hope you are staying warm, and if you’re in Florida watch out for those falling reptiles!
— Alissa
Weekly Inspiration
What I’m Reading: Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
What I’m Watching: Bitconned
What I’m Listening to: “Brothers in Arms” by Dire Straits
Find out more about my books at alissagrosso.com
Find out more about my digital art at alissacarin.com
My apologies for the typos and such this post is almost certainly riddled with.
Always enjoy your musings. B
Again, great memories! So far I haven’t seen any fallen iguanas, but it is 45 degrees here.
Stay safe and warm everyone!