OPINION BY SALLY SMITH
Everyone’s talking about the ‘no snow’ winter.
It might still be coming. But it’s already the beginning of March and snow is melting…not drifting from the sky.
Dog walkers always like to stop and chat, say a few words to the other’s dog, gripe a bit…but for the last week it’s been about no snow.
A woman yesterday lamented… “Where’s the snow?”
I couldn’t give her a good answer. She said her husband had gone to Texas because they had a house there, but she didn’t want to go. She added they also had a house in the Caribbean — but she didn’t want to go there, either.
The dogs sniffed butts, and we walked on.
A man in his scooter-chair stopped today. “You know…” he started… “I’m 65 and have never seen a winter like this.” He reached down to pat the dog. “I remember snow banks way over our heads when we were young.”
He laughed a bit then. “I’ve seen lots of ads for snowmobiles,” he snickered. “And I’ve had my snowblower out twice…really only needed it once,” he added.
“We’re supposed to get it next week,” he said as he moved on slowly. I could see him shaking his head.
Me too. We have pictures of us as kids sitting on top of snowbanks looming w-a-a-y over our Dad’s head..and he was 6’2’’. We slid down in sleds, or on our behinds in the one piece snowsuits we were bundled into.
And still no snow. Our March paper is out, the time change is a week away and the lawns are a stubbly brown-green, hard as rock. We’re hearing drought warnings, fires are still rampant in western Canada and the days here, in the east, are glorious and sunny — but still no snow.
No snow again today. Another dog walker, scarf snugged around his neck, jacket zipped up tight, dog sniffing dog. A few flakes this morning…but very few. He says he’s been to his cabin in the Laurentians and he’s done a bit of snowmobiling, but not much.
My dog runs off, leash between his teeth straight into the backyard and starts digging in the pile of very dirty, fast melting snow.
He does the right shoulder drop and rolls and rolls in what’s left, (he loves the coolth), grabs a few mouthfuls of the cold stuff and stands and barks.
By mid-week I imagine this snow will be gone, too.
Maybe I’ve jinxed the weather. Maybe by writing this a blizzard will be a-brewing next week but as of the moment of writing — still no snow.
