The Southern Snow Day

Snow is Coming...

It usually begins a week in advance…a picture on the weather channel showing snow in the forecast…Glenn Burns pointing to his maps and issuing pre-warning warnings, an implied weather front moving “rapidly” across the states. Then it begins. Visions of a SNOW DAY! The anticipation of such an event in the South is almost as much fun as actually having one…….almost. We do a lot of things to make it snow here in the South, we wear our pajamas inside-out. We put ice cubes in the toilet. We place white crayons in the freezer. Some even invoke the Almighty for the white stuff.
What is it about a snow day that is so special?     For one thing, we don’t get very many. Oh, we get teasers every year, the school districts agonize over decisions about putting buses on the road, canceling school, early release….adults  worry about juggling taking care of their children, how to get to work and curse the school district. Legendary amounts of milk and bread are purchased in the event of a total whiteout. (hope springs eternal!)  

There are the usual “Southerners don’t know how to drive in the snow” comments from those who migrated from places up North. (they are right about that but judging from what I see on CNN we don’t share the market on that claim, no offense) We watch the weather channel like the world was coming to an end.  

My Daddy and Brother with the SnowWoman

I think for us true Southerners, (meaning those of us who grew up here in the land of not much snow ) it is the memories. Because it was so infrequent, it stands out. I remember my mom putting plastic bags over our shoes and layering us up in clothes that soaked up snow like a sponge,  my daddy hurling us down the hill in a big ol silver dishpan, making snow men and my funny daddy and his friend making snow women that were anatomically correct wearing my moms apron. I remember the dryer running all day long as we went in and out trading our wet frozen clothes.
 Oh and the snow cream! Didn’t matter what the roads were like, my dad always got in his truck and went to get milk.  Snow Cream is a delicacy around these parts. (So much so that Mayfield got in on the act and came up with a Snow Cream flavor for their ice cream!)

I think the other best part of a snow day is the unexected “free” day that comes with it. It’s like you have an unexpected break, time with your children, time to read in your new snuggie or nap on your couch. Everything seems a little slower, a little more quiet and little bit prettier. So if you do happen to get that little treasure called a snow day, treasure it, store it up and by all means.
MAKE SOME SNOW CREAM!!
  

My Mom’s Snow Cream Recipe
12 ounces of evaporated milk (regular will do if you are in a pinch
2 whole beaten eggs (I know! Your not supposed to eat raw eggs, but it only snows once in a while!)
1 Tablespoon of Vanilla
1 Cup of sugar
1 gallon of Fresh New Snow (avoid the yellow stuff and try not to scrape it off your deck)
Preparation: Mix it all together and EAT IT!