Snow Day

As winter sets in I wait for the snow day. Snow drifting is beautiful. It floats in the air and slowly sways to and fro. Sometimes it falls like rain fast and hard. As the snow falls, the ground gradually turns into a white film. The roof of the house, the branches of the tree, the road, the grass everywhere becomes white.

While driving on a snowy day, the snow falling on the windshield is a beautiful sight to behold. It's thrilling to see the snow come back and stick to the windshield again and again as the windshield wipers push the snow away. The wind is full of snow and you can see it as dots everywhere you look. Traveling when it snows is a very different experience. 

When the snow falls and all the roads are closed, we go make snow toys. Let's pile the snow and bring it to a place and make a big round head, nose with carrots and hollow eyes to make a snowman. Let's have fun. Collecting all that snow will freeze your hands. We are dressed for the cold. We wear big knee-high boots, two- or three-layer clothes, arm wraps, and woolen turbans to suit the cold weather. However, after playing in the snow for a while, our hands become frozen. However, our interest in making a big snow toy does not diminish.

Many people make snow toys on our street. We would have a petting competition to see who could make the biggest toy. We will make a toy and then walk down the road for a bit. Let's walk like a group of friends. Let's throw snow at each other and play. Some have snow slides. Children are dragged in it. Our road becomes a snow playground for us. A snowy day will be blissful.

There is a single cart track on the snow-covered road. There will be footprints where some have walked. Many times the snow melts and turns black as slush as vehicles move and hardens into icicles. Snow that has turned into icicles in this way will slide. The wheels of vehicles become slippery, which tests our balance while walking. So one has to be careful while walking on such tight ice. 

I love watching the beauty of the snow fall from my home window. Snow clinging to a tree without even a single leaf is beautiful as it falls swaying in the gentle breeze. Sometimes a big snow pack on a big tree branch looks like a small rain when it falls in bulk. Even after the snow falls like this, little by little the snow keeps falling from every floor such as the tree branch and the roof of the house. Snow on the road is crushed and melted by people walking and vehicles. Our snow toys will also slowly melt.

The town administration has removed the snow from the main roads and prepared the road for travel. Heaps of snow are left on the sides of the roads. On both sides there is a pile of white and black snow. Many times these white patches remain for several days. Some roads are sprinkled with Epsom salt. This will help the snow to melt away.

Dad and I will clear the snow in front of the house. Pushing them to the edges can be a big job. After doing it for a while, it feels like back pain. We take a break and dispose of them.

The first day of snow will be so happy. If it rains continuously for several days, it is like getting paralyzed at home. They will announce school holidays. So one or two days of moderate snow will be enjoyable. If it snows continuously for several days, normal life is affected. But every year I look forward to the snow day. Enjoy playing with snow!

We take a break on snow days. But people who work in essential jobs like road maintenance and medicine go to work no matter how much it snows. Their work becomes more challenging on days of such natural fury. Faced with this challenging task, they work hard. I gratefully consider the duties of the necessary staff while enjoying the snow.