Terry Traveller – For the Love of Snow…

Our little orange parka’d explorer is back with a Terry-centric view on snow. – Editor

Terry here, to say what we’ve all been thinking, it finally snowed! Yes fellow Iowans, I was excited when the first flurries fell.

There is something poetic about new fallen snow and the luster of midday on objects below that fills me with joy.

There is however, a practice I’ve never understood- shoveling.

I have never understood the tradition of moving snow from one place to another.

Perhaps it was my time on mountains where snow is moved by wind and avalanche alone, or my time in snow shoes learning 180 Finnish snow and ice-related words.

Maybe its because I walk better on snow than on sidewalks with a thin layer of ice on top that look safe but truly aren’t.  Whatever the reason, I have always felt that snow is best left alone to sit where it lands until Spring.

Of course I understand its an antiquated idea. How would ambulances transport sick people?  Would 20-somethings starve because they were trapped with poorly stocked refrigerators?

What about the pizza delivery system? Chaos! Mass chaos, I tell you! Fires would burn in the streets, the post office would collapse, those with chains on their tires would rule the world, society as we know it would end!

Drama, thy name is Terry.

I’ll let you in on a secret – that doesn’t happen on mountain tops, or in snowy little villages.

They just tie their boots tighter, wrap an extra layer around themselves, and enjoy the slow pace of winter.

No worrying about salt and sand shortages, no moving the car from one side of the street to the other, no waking up at 5 am to shovel before the next big snowstorm comes through, just a general acceptance of snow and all its glory. And I like that.

So to those who love the snow, I say welcome to the season for snowmen, forts, red cheeks, and not accepting double-dog dares to lick metal poles.  To everyone else, grab your shovels and start your exercise program off right by pushing 400 pounds of frozen water around.

Just remember to use your legs, hydrate, and when you come back inside 3 hours later, I’ll have a cup of cocoa ready for you.

This is Terry Traveler singing,  Let it hanki, Let it tuiskuta, Let it snow.

Terry Traveller
Email: terry@discoveradel.com
Facebook: facebook.com/DiscoverAdel.TerryTraveller?fref=ts