Snow!

Last night I was at school until late in the evening (so what else is new?). At the beginning of my last class, which begins at 4:40 p.m. and is held in a big lecture hall in the basement of Cramer Hall with no windows to the outside, one of my fellow students came in and remarked to the class as a whole, "It is pouring down snow out there!" We all responded with various versions of "Really? Is it sticking?" She replied that it wasn't sticking here but it probably is in the suburbs. After class as I was walking back to my car I called my kids.
"Hi Carina, what is the weather like there?"
"I don't know, I'm watching TV." my 10 year old replied.
"Look outside and tell me if it is snowing there." by then it was just raining downtown but maybe, just maybe it was snowing at home.
"I can't tell, it's dark out, Mom."
"Fine, but go out and lock the chicken coop." She wasn't thrilled about going out in the dark to lock up the chickens but she agreed to do it and we hung up. My phone rang about three minute later.
"Guess what!! It is snowing!! Big fat fluffy flakes! We all are going outside to play, OK?" I didn't bother to mention that it was just as dark as when she didn't want to go lock up the chickens.
That is the thing about snow, it makes everything different. The backyard is a lot less scary when there is snow (and when your big sisters and little brother are with you). The world is quieter and more peaceful when there is a layer of snow on the ground. All the students in my class, who generally only talk to the people sitting right next to them suddenly were all talking together because, well, it was snow! I suppose it helps that I live in an area that doesn't get snow all that often; for us, snow is a special occasion. When I attended college in Utah, years ago, I was so excited when the first snow fell in October. My roommates, all from Utah and jaded to the specialness that snow is, all told me I'd be sick of snow by April. But you know what? When that snow came down in April I was still just as thrilled as I was in October.
When I finally got home last night, the snow was almost done and what little had accumulated on the grass, mailbox and back deck, was all gone by bedtime. But I was still excited because, well, it was snow!