Where Have All the SnowMen Gone

Driving around Middletown the past few weeks, I have noticed the glaring absence of snow men. Like me, most adults are probably way too exhausted from all the shoveling and scraping to even think about a snow creation once the walks are cleared. Does that mean that the kids aren't learning how to build snow creatures? I know I saw a few last year, but so far this year, I haven't seen any. Anyone out there who's reading this, if you built a snow man, snow fort, or what have you, please tell us about it!

It's easy to see the hassle and challenge brought on by winter weather. We all know the work of clearing snow off our property, the dread of driving and being on the road if its unavoidable, the worry about how we're going to get errands done, or how we'll make up for lost work time or get to a meeting that was postponed to a less convenient day. In situations that are beyond human control and where routines are interrupted, it can be tough to maintain calm. In times like these, I like to stop and remember the childlike joy that my dad used to express every time it snowed. As soon as the snowfall stopped, he would be the first one out building his beloved snowmen. Dad took advantage of every opportunity to live life to the fullest without complaint of any kind. He would never miss an opportunity to build a snowman.

When I'm feeling sorry for myself and how achy I am from all the shoveling, or feel like I have the winter blues, or want to complain about the cold, I remind myself that I chose to live in the Northeast and this is part of the deal. Facing challenges is necessary to fully appreciating times of comfort and fun. And there is an up side to everything. On the up side of the seeming neverending storms of late, we have many things to be thankful for. Sledding, hot chocolate, the beauty in ice-crusted trees, and of course, Snow Men!

I don't have any digital photos of my dad's many snowmen, one of which is wearing a cardboard sign around his neck that proclaims “I Love Snow !” … I do have this photo of the most innovative snow creation I've seen lately. Its a plow pile snow head carving by Gabriel Duquette. EYE readers, let's see what you've got!