The First Snowfall

We don't get snow every year around here, but this is one of those years. La Nina, the Pacific Ocean current that brings weather systems up the coast with it brings us cold, wet winters. I'm not a big snow fan, but I still enjoy the view. Everything seems eerier with snow. Also cleaner. The several inches of white make my back yard look like fairyland and it hides the debris from last week's wind storm.
Since we don't get snow often, we don't have snow tires on the cars which means that if we drive downhill to the grocery store, we wouldn't be able to drive back uphill. I still try though. The last time we had snow on the roads I was lucky enough to be near a sand truck. The drivers kindly went out of their way to put sand in front of my tires. Other years I just end up parking at the bottom of the hill and walking home.
Not that sanding snow is a good idea. It's like adding ball bearings on top of an ice rink.
Since we don't get snow often, the first thing everyone does when it snows is get in their cars and swerve around on the roads for fun. This packs the snow down. Even if Bellingham owned snow plows, which it doesn't, they wouldn't be much use. The reason Bellingham doesn't have snow plows is that snow melts so why bother? This works out just fine almost always because it doesn't snow around here, unless it does.
Sooner or later, the snow turns to rain. The street sweeper comes by to clean up the sand. And I walk down the hill to retrieve the car.
Nancy Sherer