Snow In Dixie
We don’t get a lot of snow in the Deep South, especially in March, but that’s exactly what happened yesterday when a cold front combined with some southern moisture to create a winter wonderland in old Dixie.
By the time the snow showed up around noon, traffic was already snarled with desperate people racing to schools and to stores. Folks down here are used to 90 degree days with 75 percent humidity. Mosquitoes and heat. Early springs and short winters. So when the weather man says “snow,” people completely freak out, drop everything and rush to the grocer for enough groceries to survive a nuclear winter. After they stop at the liquor store, of course.
Brightened by glistening, newly fallen snow, the neighborhood was alive last night with the sounds of children laughing and playing. The wind would howl, blowing snow sideways at times, but that didn’t damper the mood or curtail the clandestine activity.
Inside, Allison and I had a roaring fire, some Fat Tire beer, fresh seafood gumbo stuffed with Louisiana shrimp, shared stories of snows past and wondered how many more times we’d see snow in the South. My guess is not too often, especially as things continue to warm up around the planet.
I’m sure the critters had a cold night, as did the early blooming daffodil’s which will most likely perish. We were warm and snug in Casa Burns, although Chewie was anxious to get outside this morning and check out the unusual scene. The Cardinals and Chickadees were up and at it early, as were the various woodpeckers we have around the place. A covey of Mourning dove positioned themselves close together in a small opening drenched in morning sun while the squirrels darted back and forth gathering food for the soon to arrive baby squirrels back in their nests. A lone Prairie warbler scavenged for food amongst the pots in the garden while a Carolina wren waited its turn.
By tomorrow, it will be little more than another memory, since the temperatures are going to rise close to 40 degrees later today and be back in the 50′s on Sunday. We’ll enjoy it while it lasts and bid winter a final farewell on March 19, when the Spring Equinox signals the official arrival of spring. Then it’s time for the blessing of the seeds, planting and the celebration of rebirth.
We rejoice in the cycle of life and in the knowledge that Mother Earth reigns supreme.