A foot of snow. Yes! Here in Summit County, we live for snow. You know that. We know that. And the Denver citizens who want green lawns in the summer know that. Oh, yeah, and don't forget the farmers and ranchers, the cities (Las Vegas comes to mind), the wildlife and a myriad of other entities. They all know that, as well. After all, it's the mountains just outside our door that supply the water for about a third of the country. We watch it falling in the winter. They grab it from the rivers, streams and lakes year round. It's the life blood of a great deal of our Nation. So, if all you are doing with it is skiing, well, wake up. Your fun is good. It's great, even. But, it's a miniscule activity compared with the abundant uses attributed to that precious powder down the line. We got a lot in the past few days. I, for one, had to spend extra time snowblowing my drive, and waved to the neighbors doing the same thing. But, we were singing as we worked. Gold, that is. Displaced only temporarily from the drive to the yard and the street, we all know where it ends up eventually. And we sing. The only real, and temporary, drawback, is that this snowfall also requires caution on the roads. A driver or two forgot that recently, and ended up personally discomfited (broken bones?), and on occasion, discomfitting others. Truly, its takes caution driving when there is fresh powder on the roads (damn, why can't it land only on the slopes?), but it also takes a certain amount of skill. The caution can't just translate to slower speeds. Too slow and everyone else will be passing you, cussing as they go, and that can offer another kind of danger. Let's face it. There are also people who believe they can drive at breakneck speeds through anything, especially if they drive those "special" all wheel drive vehicles. After all, who hasn't seen the commercials, with those SUVs plowing through any manner of obstacle unscathen. So, a gentle word of caution. Be more aware on the slopes, get here safely, and enjoy the bumps! |