I love this winter.
I don’t mean all the snow and ice and high winds that have slapped us in the face and beat us down repeatedly.
I love this winter because it has been one of those that I have told my children about; one of those I remember from my childhood.
It has been quite awhile since we’ve had a winter with this sustained snow depth (at least in my part of the state.) A winter like this makes me long for a snowmobile, such as from my youth. I remember the days of just being able to saddle up and head off in any direction, not having to rely on ditch riding. I can’t remember the last time that I saw plowing or cornstalks sticking through the snow.
I must have had a premonition that we would have a winter like this, since I bought my first snow blower last fall (thanks for the deal, John). I had never even operated a walk-behind blower before. I couldn’t wait for that first snowfall so that I could try out my new “toy.”
OK, now enough is enough. I’ve tried it out; it was even kind of fun the first couple of times, but I’m running out of places to move the snow.
The blizzard of Jan. 25 caught us all off guard, even the weather forecasters who get paid to be wrong most of the time.
My wife and I shared a ride to work that morning, and when her school got called off at noon, we decided to try to get home. Try is the key word here.
I have driven in pretty bad conditions in my five decades of driving, but I have never driven in anything quite like that Monday afternoon. It was so bad I could hardly see my wife sitting next to me.
This drive was a test of faith, since ye could hardly see ahead, behind or to the sides. Thank God for the rumble strips on the edge of the road, and the occasional glimpse of the yellow line in the center.
Along with my years of driving experience, comes a little knowledge or road smarts. Even though our girls were at home by themselves, we decided to pull off at a friend’s house in the first town we came to to let the storm die down.
Well, as we all know, this storm that wasn’t really predicted never really died down until Tuesday morning, so our “riding the storm out” turned into a slumber party (thanks Tina, Maggie, Annie and Gabe, for putting up with us.)
We were safe, and we kept in touch with our girls (ages 17 and 13) who were also safe. My children have now experienced one of those winters that I’ve always told them about. They’re not meeting it with the nostalgia that I am.
But here’s some good news girls: there’s still a lot of winter to go.
If you’re tired from moving snow to be able to work with the livestock, come on inside, pour a hot cup of coffee or a hot cocoa, and sit down with your old friend The Land. The way the fall went, you probably didn’t get a chance to keep up on your reading.
As you’re getting caught up, don’t forget to keep The Land coming to your mail box. You should have received a 2010 subscription card in one of your January issues. If you did not receive a card, be sure to call our office at (800) 657-4665 or log on to our website, www.TheLandOnline.com. There you can download a subscription card by clicking on “Subscription Card” on the left side of the webpage. Print out that form, complete it and mail it in to us.
All subscription cards received by March 1 will be entered into a drawing for a two-night midweek stay at Cragun’s Resort near Nisswa.
If you have a high school senior in your house, another deadline you’ll want to know is April 12.
That’s the deadline for applications for the scholarships The Land will be giving away. There will be two $250 scholarships awarded to a deserving senior wishing to seek agriculture or journalism as a field of study.
Applications are available on our website. Again, look on the left side of the page and click on “The Land Scholarship Form.” You may also e-mail me at editor@thelandonline.com or call (800) 657-4665 to request an application.
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Kevin Schulz is the editor of The Land. He may be reached at editor@thelandonline.com.
