After Thanksgiving was over all that would be on my mind was when was it going to snow. I was too young to pay attention to or care about weather reports, the first snow for me would magically appear when I least expected it. Just the way I liked it.
One of my favorite things about Winter would be going to bed and waking up in the morning with a thick blanket of snow covering everything in sight. Our city sits right on Lake Michigan and we get lake-effect snow because we lived in the snowbelt which just meant we got even more snow to play in.
I didn’t like my mother fussing around and putting all the layers of clothes on me before I could go out to play and I cried. It made my cheeks sting when I finally stepped outside. My mom told me I had to stay in the yard so I walked over to the tire swing and half heartedly pushed it.
I watched the stray leaves blowing around the yard in the cold wind as I tried to find something to do. The trees were bare and the leaves in our yard had been raked up and burned in the alley for the last time. I missed playing in the leaf piles and the smell of burning leaves.
None of my friends were outside to play with so I walked to the back of our yard to look in the alley for pretty rocks. (Our alleys were covered in gravel, not paved with cement like here in California.) While searching for rocks I glanced up at the sky. It was deep blue and the sun was out with fluffy white clouds moving by very quickly. It sure didn’t look like it was going to snow, but it was very cold.
It was hard to pick up rocks in my mittens and I could barely walk around in my snowsuit. I was bored and plopped down in the grass and pretended to make a snow angel. It wasn’t very satisfying. If only this were real snow I could build a snow man or maybe mom would let me try out my new flying saucer.*
I snapped out of my day dream when I heard my mom’s voice. “Bekkie what are you doing on the ground like that you’re going to get sick!” I looked up to see my mom had put on her coat and come outside to check on me. She continued to scold me; “Let me help you up and we’ll go inside where it’s warm.” She shivered as we started towards the house. “It is freezing out here, it sure feels like snow. What were you thinking? Do you want another visit from Dr. Gilbert?” “No mom, he always gives me shots.” I complained.
Once inside I had to wait while she took off my layers of clothing and boots. She lit up a cigarette and took a long drag. “It’s getting late Bekkie why don’t you go play while I fix dinner, your father will be home soon.” “Mom, how can you feel the snow if it isn’t here yet?” I asked. “What? She replied while turning on the stove; Oh, it’s just a saying. Why don’t you go play in your room with your horses?”
I went to my bedroom and played until it was time to eat. The evening was like any other and by bed time I had a different subject on my mind. Sleep.
The next morning I woke up and played in my room until mom got up to dress and feed me. After breakfast I went into the living room to play and when I looked outside the window I was thrilled to see that I woke up to a thick fresh blanket of snow covering everything just like I dreamed of. The first snow of the season and it was still snowing out! Excited I ran to my mother and asked; “How did you make it snow when I wanted it to?”
She just smiled and said; “Mother’s just know about these things.” And of course I believed her completely. 
We all know you don’t mess with Mother Nature.
Keep On Bloggin’!
*A flying saucer was the brand name for a round plastic sled for young kids with two handles.
