When winter comes to the south, there are few things more glorious for a boy than waking up to dusting of snow, no matter how deep. Its infrequency makes it uniquely wonderful. If there is enough to scrape up one snowball, it is a joyous affair and a school cancellation – well, that upgrades it to heaven on earth. Typically, we southerners get short bursts of freezing temperature with nothing to show for it but a little sleet and ice. But, on occasion…it snows!
It snowed last night in Portsong. When the townspeople awoke, they found a thin blanket of white rarely seen in this part of the country. In fact, there hasn’t been a flake here since the blizzard of 1909 – far too long ago for Virgil and Henry to remember. They had both read about the arctic and Polar Regions, but nothing compared to the oddity of snow covering their own bushes, lawns, and bicycles. With the little town shut down, they woke to a carnival-like atmosphere among the youngsters. Virgil grabbed an old shovel from the cellar while Henry nearly escaped out of the house with his mother’s best baking pan, but had to settle for a scrap of tin under her watchful eye. They met up on Chestnut Street and joined a seemingly endless line of boys headed toward the highest point in town: Curaban Point. It’s a long walk up, but a thrilling ride down! No brakes, just speed. Bumps, bruises, and frozen blood outweighed by giggles, shrieks, and ear to ear smiles.
Having seen his share of cold weather, Colonel Birdwhistle covered his head and ventured out with Oscar on leash as he did every other day. He got a hearty laugh at the typically adventurous dog who gingerly and slowly placed one paw in front of the other, testing and retesting the strange new ground covering before moving. Even the dogs of the south have no way to be prepared for the stuff.
By ten o’clock, little Sally Lee had the beginnings of her first snowman rolled up. With a some help from her daddy, she got its middle up onto the base and began work on his head. Up and down every street in town, the scene was the same: children played, fathers looked skyward wondering if the weather would break, and mothers busied themselves over the stove preparing for their frozen children to come inside. Clothing, cars, and hairstyles change, but from generation to generation, we Southerners still react the same way to the white stuff.
For those of you living in colder regions, I hope your winter is mild and your hearth is warm. But for us in the South, I pray we get a taste of snow this season. You Yanks can laugh all you want when large cities down here come to a grinding halt with a mere six inches. We southern boys will take your ridicule in exchange for a few inches of snow.
A Generous Helping 
Hey Southern Man,
I am a Yankee but I hate that name because it only reminds me of a baseball team im not very fond of at all. Oh well so be it. I love the cold and snow. We get a fairly good amount here on Long Island depending on the year and I never tire of it. We dont deal well with the snow as a community either rest assured. People either drive slow enough or fast enough to make you crazy. 🙂
I hope you get to enjoy some this year!!!
Kate
I don’t mean Yankee in a disparaging way at all. Just for fun. It’s worse here in Georgia when it snows because we can’t be prepared for it. Which is great for the kids when they cancel school, and good for the dads who can’t go to work either…
Oh i didnt take offense to Yankee its my own dislike of the baseball team. Being a Mets fan! Lol. 🙂
Nothing beats a snow day. Even for Dads!
love this post, you expressed the excitement of the effect that an occasional surprise snow can have on a community that only dreams of these special days. may you have just enough snow to enjoy in all its glory ) beth
Exactly. Thanks Beth. Its been cold down here in Dixie, but only rain so far. But we remain hopeful. Blessings
Born in Georgia. Have lived everywhere from Buffalo, NY to the present Switzerland….I’ll take your Town this winter in a heartbeat 🙂
I love it here, but would take your Swiss weather a couple of days.
Very smart by choosing a “couple of Days” !
A native GA girl, I can recall 1971 with 14 inches of snow in Pine Mountain, about 35 miles north of Columbus and 80 miles south west of Atlanta. I had just had my 10th birthday, and woke up thrilled. No school for the whole week. A few flakes would shut us down for days if it stuck, but 14 inches with three foot drifts. We were in heaven. I made a snowman, my first ever, and my cousin put it atop her Volkswagen bug. We went riding around Callaway Gardens with that snowman in the middle of the hood of her car. Thanks for the memory. Where is Portsong, GA? I thought I knew GA, but never heard of it.
We still shut down for a few flakes. Just can’t be prepared for it when it comes every other year or so. I’ve been to Pine Mountain to the animal safari there. Wonderful place! We say Portsong is “halfway between Savannah and heaven”. It is the setting for my book and would be very hard to find on any map.
Gotcha! I spent most of my years in GA and anywhere I haven’t been I have seen on a map. I will add your book to my ever growing list and visit Portsonag that way 🙂
You’re welcome on our porch any day for sweet tea or lemonade.