It's Snowing In Tennessee

Our street, looking southwest. Our mailbox is by the utility pole.

Our house from the left front. I am standing in the street

Yes, I know - it's no big deal to people in Watertown, New York where our baby daughter lives.

This morning I put on my coat and hat to go out to play - I invited Frances to play with me. She said, "NO!" So - I invited her to come outside and just watch me play but Frances said, "I can see you through the window!"

The grape arbor which I just planted in late summer does not look like it will ever live again. But who knows?

I'm reminded that Tennessee does not get heavily pummeled by snow each and every year. In my older life it does not seem we have near as much snow as we had when I was a small boy growing up. I remember a snow when we were living at Campaign, TN when I was about 7 or 8 years old. If I remember correctly it was 18" deep. Dad went outside and helped us three boys build an Igloo out of snow blocks. What fun-filled days those were. Mama had no dish-washer (unless you counted my brother Wilmon and me). So when the dishes had been washed in the beat up old zinc pan, the water was thrown out the back door. When it snowed and turned cold it made an ideal ice-skating place. I loved to back off from it, run up to the ice, jump and slide as far as I could. That was about two feet - or maybe as much as three - but to a 7 year old boy it was like having an olympic sized skating arena. I loved the outdoors. Summer and winter. I wanted my Brother Wilmon to enjoy it with me. So I begged him to come out and "skate" with me on the ice and snow. He was cold-natured. He bundled up in his warm wool coat and sweater and stayed inside. I pleaded, "You don't have to skate. Just come out here and watch me! It's so much fun!!!" He said, "I can see you clearly through this kitchen window! Go ahead and skate. I'll watch from here!" Of course Frances has heard me tell that story many times so she knew exactly what to say.