Southern California Snow

Since moving to California, I am often asked "Don't you miss the snow?"

Having been born and raised in New England, people out here are sometimes surprised by my quick answer of "No way!" or "Are you kidding me?!" or when I just laugh.

You see, I never liked the snow. As a matter of fact, I hated it!

I recall when I was a child, Mom would dress us up in our snow suits, put on our hats, earmuffs, scarves, mittens and boots and send us out to "have fun". Fun? Was she serious? Nothing could be less fun to me than having to go out in that! OMG how I hated it!

I would obey her and reluctantly head out the door, following my brother and sister. They would play, and I would "try". Maybe I'd make a snow angel or two, but that's as far as I could go. I usually just stood where the wind would be least likely to blow on me, and wish I were somewhere else. Somewhere warm and dry. As soon as I thought I had been out long enough for her to allow me back inside , I'd beg my Mom (often while crying) to enter the house again, where I would be safe from the cold, wet, miserable conditions outside.

As I grew older, it only got worse for me. It became practically unbearable. Uuggh... driving in that stuff! Oh, I remember the days of having to clear the cars off, prying the car doors open- even having keys break off in the locks. And shivering like crazy as the car warmed up (if it would even start!).

I haven't even mentioned about clothing... how you have to bundle up, and how you need extra socks and ultra warm weather resistant boots all the time and how often you could slip and fall. Because, it's not just snow.... sometimes it's ice. Or maybe slush. Yep, fun times.

I swear, if I didn't have children who either had to be taken to school or doctor's appointments or to other necessary places, I think I'd have just stayed inside practically every day from about November through April. I hate cold weather, and despise the snow!

So, living here has been a wonderful change for me and one I am even more grateful for as I watch t.v. and see "reality" across much of the Country, particularly back East. But that's not to say I don't see snow where I live now. I do. Yes, Southern California gets snow! And I love it. I can see it as I drive my kids to school, or go shopping, or anywhere else I don't hesitate to venture out to in the Winter anymore. Right up on the mountains :-)

I will say, this has been an unusually "cold" and rainy Winter for us so far. But typically I can see the snow as I am wearing capris, a t-shirt and sandals. This Winter, however, I have been wearing blue jeans, sweaters and boots more often than usual. But I see many here who are not quite "acclimated" yet, wearing shorts and tank tops while I am in the "winter clothing" I just mentioned.

The picture above was taken from the car, after my son and I went up to Children's Hospital for one of his appointments earlier this week. When I saw this view, I handed him my camera and asked if he could try to get some shots from out the window.

It was a little challenging for him, since we were traveling so fast, but he did get a few good pics from the freeway.

I love seeing the snow, and the palm trees and all the "green" around.

Here there's not much green, but that's because this is by an area of lots and lots of crops. It won't be long before they start picking strawberries!

Here you can see snow, some crops and some green. I feel like it's the best of both worlds!

For those of you who love the snow, I wish you much of it. I know many people who like to skate, ski and do other recreational things in it. I was never one of them. But who knows? Maybe some day I will want to go up to a cabin in the snow and take a trip down a Wintery Memory Lane. Or maybe even take my kids to go sledding or snowboarding. And if I decide to, I need only drive for about an hour or two. Then, if I change my mind once I get there, in one hour I could be back at the ocean where it will be warm enough to go surfboarding!

So, wherever you are this Winter, I hope you enjoy it. But after this post, maybe some of my friends here will understand that I really do mean it- No! I do NOT miss the snow. We have enough of it right here :-)