Winter will officially begin on Saturday, but it is already kicking in around here, making those of us of a certain age reminisce about the snowstorms of yore. I remember winters in Syracuse in the late 1950s and early 1960s when it seemed we never stopped shoveling snow. The last few days, I’ve been enjoying watching Woody, our English cocker, hopping through snow that’s over his head. His long coat and the feathers on his legs then act as Velcro for gigantic snowballs, so it looks like he’s been decked out in puffballs.
Snowshoers, skiers, snowmobilers, anyone who doesn’t flee the accumulation of snow is having a blast. Even logging contractors are happy to have this early snow because the last couple of winters they’ve battled very poor conditions at this stage of the season. Mild, rainy winters where the ground never freezes mean they can’t operate their skidders without doing considerable damage to the ground. Conscientious loggers welcome snowpack like this, which makes for ideal conditions for skidding logs out of the woods. With the other challenges facing them – poor markets and high fuel costs – they take great comfort in this nice pile of snow.