Our first snow: a necessary inconvenience

I noticed first-hand a wide range of experiences regarding our first snow of the winter. It’s the 2nd of December (as I write this), and the duality of the good and bad of winter is quite apparent (wait – it’s not even winter yet). I’m relaxing by the fire after a busy day that began behind the wheel of a 4-wheel drive truck breaking a path on my driveway, hoping not to slide down the steep washout on one side unguarded by trees or a fence. The splitting of firewood and shoveling of snow in bitter cold and wind wasn’t all that exciting either, but then again, I didn’t mind being outside one bit.

I love the snow. It’s good for the soul. Looking outside the window today at a fresh coat of white on the meadow grasses and tree branches, with chance flickers of sunlight reflecting from an iced-over blade of grass, I thought of how much I’ve missed this sight the last few years. In my still young age of 29, I am already nostalgic for the days when I had to bundle up for deer hunting and the snow in front of the big red barn towered over my head by late January. I’m not sure we’ll ever have winters like that again.

Back to the headaches. Sure enough, my automobiles have been neglected for the last few months due to my brain lapse in when winter actually arrives and the importance of having a well-tuned car for transport over the snowdrifts. I had to check and add oil, washer fluid, antifreeze (I had all these dash lights flashing at me), and make sure my tires were properly inflated. Of course, my fingers were frozen, my car wouldn’t stay running, the ice (¼ inch) just wouldn’t come off my driver’s side windows, and my air compressor kept blowing fuses in the garage due to it drawing excessive amperage in order to turn the cold and sluggish pump.

The Juncos seemed to lavish the fresh powder on my deck this morning, scrounging for seeds the other birds had dropped from the feeders. In a five-minute span, I witnessed Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, Downy Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers, Goldfinches, White-Breasted Nuthatches, Cardinals, House Sparrows, Blue Jays, and about 50 juncos visit my feeders. My son and my cat were both next to me, fixated on the scene through the windows.

Back to business, though. The snow must be cleared and I didn’t even have a shovel. I borrowed one and shoveled a path through the shallow but very icy and heavy snow. My front door was drifted in, as was our dog that sleeps on the porch. Charlie kindly moved so I could shovel his bed and my path across the porch. My dad generously offered to blow out my driveway with his tractor, and he promptly sucked up a 2X4 I had left on the yard and broke a shear bolt on his snow blower. Unlike me, he had prepared for the snowfall and had about 10 extra on hand. Sorry dad, I owe you another lunch.

In spite of some cold and inconveniences, I am so happy to see the snow again in early December. I am convinced of human-affected climate change, and I feel like we’re hanging on to the last threads of what we formerly knew as a Minnesota winter. I am so thankful for a brisk morning with snow on the ground, especially since we have had no measurable snowfall before mid-January in the past few years.

I’m sure in mid-February, I’ll be writing about how much I’m ready for spring sights like running water on the ground, spring ephemerals on the forest floor, and the warblers passing through again. But for now, I am simply content with the onset of winter. The only thing that bums me out is not having a heated shop space to practice woodworking for a few months, but the thought of curling up with a book every evening makes up for it. Minnesotans are especially creative when it comes to finding things to do indoors in the winter.

I want to share with anybody reading this column one of my favorite places to enjoy winter beauty. The Ney Nature center (www.neycenter.org) has some spectacular trails to walk, snowshoe, or ski in the winter. If you’re hiking, the ravines of this Minnesota River bluff land offer peaceful solitude and much wildlife viewing. You can catch a flock of turkeys on an oak-laden hillside, a red fox dashing into an old culvert, whitetail deer running away from you, and the most beautiful sunsets in southern MN. The remote quality of this place makes spotting a rare bird or shy mammal likely. Cross-country skiers will enjoy the miles and miles of trails snaking through the old field roads and wooded flatlands. Snow too deep to hike? Snowshoes fix that. If you don’t have access to a natural area this winter, try the Ney center.

Let’s hope we get heaps of snow this year, and not too many days below zero. I want to see drifts big enough to build a snow cave or scale with a snowmobile. I want no less than 10 late starts and 5 snow days. I want my car to get stuck in the ditch at least once, as long as I’m the only one affected and it’s close to home so I can walk over and get the tractor. I want the snow to force me inside for a day of rest for once, and I want to help my son build his first snow fort. Drive safe, everyone, and enjoy the winter!