All About Snow

All About Snow

This Hawaiian guy says to me "Hey, bro, 'wht you know bout snow?" "Everything," I replied. I proceeded to explain to him that anyone who has lived where there was snow, knew all about it.
For instance, it is white colored. Just like it looks on t.v. and the movies. But there are some slight differences. Snow may be gray-looking, due to stuff in the air. I remember as a child that snow had small black spots due to the fact that people were burning coal. Then there is the very worst kind of snow, yellow snow. This snow should never be used in making snow cones, or snowballs. Simply put, yellow snow marks the places where dogs have urinated. Remember, dogs relieve themselves, just as men sometimes do. For both species, the whole world is their restroom. But the big difference here is that dogs can't write their names in the snow.
Besides snow coming in colors, it also varies in shape. When the first snow arrives it is greeted with joy. Light, flat flakes fall from the sky and cover all outdoors, creating a white wonderland. If you stick out your tongue, you can capture a snowflake, which quickly melts. But what many people don't know is that each and every flake is different. There are no two flakes alike. There are pictures in books showing this is true. At the other end of the extreme is snow that comes at you like small bird shot, driven against your skin.
Snow can be either good or bad. Good snow is that snow where you can put your cans of beer to chill. Good snow is the type that piles up so much that you don't have to go to school. Deep snow makes it impossible for school buses to operate. Good snow is that which makes it possible to ski or go sledding. Often if there are no hills, a steep driveway will serve. And if there is no sled, you must improvise with sheets of cardboard, linoleum,or the hood of a junk car, for instance.
And then there is bad snow. Snow that mixed with water and turns into slush. It's sort of like shave ice gone wrong. Slush flies from cars, buses,and trucks. Caution. Never stand too close to the curb when there is a possibly of flying slush or you will be sorry. Another example of bad snow is that which freezes and becomes ice. This causes cars to skid, become difficult to steer and go off of the road.
There are other uses for snow. One is lying on your back and flaying your arms back and forth creating an angel. Making a snowman is also fun. You simply roll a snowball until it gets quite large, then another one. Place the smaller one on top of the larger one. and there, you have a snowman. Or a snow woman,with a couple of snowballs added. A carrot can become a nose and so forth.
One other fun thing to do is find an empty parking parking lot, and do doughnuts. You take a car and drive onto the lot and begin turning the steering wheel sharply in one direction and then in the other. The car will skid around in circles. You can do this until you are told to stop it. One other thing to do with snow is to make snowballs. You begin with a large handful of snow, and pack it real tight. Not all snow is right for packing, but when testing the snow you will know. When shaped into a ball, it can be used to thow at any object of your desire. With practice, your aim will improve. But there are dangers with snowballs too. Never throw a snow ball at someone's face unless they deserve it. Be careful if they wear glasses. There are sometimes consequences from throwing snow balls. Like the time I threw one and the window of the cop car was down. I thought I was done for. But I was a fast runner, and so escaped punishment. Some kids made snowballs and hid them in the bottom of the deep freeze, to be used sometime in July or August.
The snow which was so gladly greeted becomes cursed in March. As for me, I will never again lift a snow shovel, or push a snow-bound car for the rest of my life. "Bro,'this is why I came to live here in Hawaii."
Aloha
Grant