As with some occurrences that seem to go against the averages, winter during the past few years wasn’t even close to those of my youth.
Cold temperatures and snow were nearly nonexistent. There was no ice-skating on ponds and lakes around here. It wasn’t cold enough for ice to form. There were no snowmen or snow forts being built by youngsters playing outdoors. There wasn’t even the need to start the snow blower or bring out the shovel because there wasn’t that much snow. Since there was no need to salt streets and highways, cities and the state saved money – salt wasn’t being purchased and overtime was unnecessary.
Global warming theories appeared to have merit.
But this year, Mother Nature is playing catch-up with the weather.
There is now an abundance of snow (some might say unfortunately) on the ground. All kinds of snow people have appeared throughout the town. And although the ice might not yet be quite thick enough, with the forecast for frigid temperatures in the upcoming several days, it is likely the skates will come out of storage for use on the frozen ponds. An old-fashioned winter is very possible, with perhaps 20-25 straight days of below freezing temperatures.
As a child, I remember that the snowsuits we wore when playing outside were so bulky we could hardly move. It was kind of like being astronauts in space.
Hockey games occurred regularly. We would slide the puck across the ice, but when we learned how to hit it so it would go in the air, it became a little more serious. I still have my old skates, hockey stick and puck.
Cross-country skiing became quite popular. It was fun for my family to slide up and down the snow-covered terrain, and it was also good exercise. Today, those skis sit in my basement unused for years.
Many youngsters went sledding back then. Oddly enough, one of the favorite sites was the driveway at the Nestle plant that went uphill to the office. It was removed years ago. We would sled down the hill out into Collins Avenue and walk back up for more fun, all the while watching the milk from dairy farmers in 10-gallon containers being unloaded onto a conveyor apparatus that went into the facility for processing.
Of course, the wintry weather this year could just be a one-shot situation with future seasons returning to the moderate trend of recent years. In the meantime, those in the snowplowing business, salt and winter equipment retailers, and other related concerns are seeing profits for a change. But if the cold, snowy winters continue down the road, it would put a serious dent in the global warming theory.
For the Journal-Tribune, I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge our carriers and route drivers for their willingness to deliver the Journal-Tribune under trying circumstances and our subscribers/readers for their understanding when the newspaper is late or covered by snow.