Snow!

Much of the Midwest and the northern parts of the country have snow right now, so I thought it would be an appropriate time to talk about one of my favorite things.  I know not everyone shares my feelings regarding the fluffy white stuff, but I absolutely love it.  Snow inspired the title of my blog and even the decorating theme for my son's nursery.  When I see snow, it recalls to my mind the pure joy I experienced as a child when I learned school was cancelled due to snow.  I clearly remember building forts and making snow angels.  I remember our somewhat swampy backyard freezing into a mini skating rink.  We would run and slide on the ice.  That was our version of sledding since I grew up in Indianapolis where there are no hills. I experience all this in memories when I see the snow, and now, also through the eyes of my son.  I also love the way a good snow storm shuts down the city, makes everyone slow down, get outside, and help dig out neighbors whom they never talk to otherwise.  I love to go for a walk while it is snowing and I always notice how everyone is actually outside, either playing with their children or shoveling sidewalks.  People may deny this, but there's something fun about the tradition of standing around the water cooler at the office comparing stories of how treacherous the drive home was the night before and how much longer it took than normal.  What I love most of all about snow, though, about is the way that it makes everything beautiful.  Snow, at least temporarily, renews the world and washes it clean.