More Snow Than you can Shovel

The most recent Maryland snow event began this morning just before 8 am. It was several hours late, but just in time for the twins and I to watch it develop over breakfast. Since then, the snow has been falling ceaselessly. At least 4 inches of snow have accumulated at SnowPanic HQ in Bowie, MD as of 4:30pm. It's a dense powdering of tiny flakes -- perfect for skiing, or snow angels.

This late-March snow is likely to be the last of the season in the Mid-Atlantic. At least, so many are  hoping. But snow is so rare that we here at SP HQ focus on thoroughly enjoying it. Since moving here in 1995, I've noticed many more snow emergencies in the last 5 years than in the first 10 I lived here. Since 2010, when SnowPanic was created, we've had snow every winter. Instead of bemoaning it, we bought kids' size snow bibs, sleds, and helmets.

Global cooling? The experts say not, but Mother Earth is long overdue for an Ice Age. Although SnowPanic's official position is that 97 out of 100 climate scientists can't be wrong on the facts of global warming, this increasing frequency and snowfall must make one wonder if 230+ years of polluting the earth (counting from the invention of the coal-burning steam engine) isn't provoking a wintry response from the misunderstood biosphere. No matter what humans can do, Earth can go one better, usually.

And looking at the tiny flakes falling thick as fog outside--coating every fence line, each suburban roof, the remaining brown leaves--I think the frozen scene is better: the clean air is just in time for kite season; the hydrated earth will burst forth in petal-drenched spring, just in time for the Equinox.

For now, it's indoor activities, coloring pages, baking cookies, board games, hot chocolate, crafts, warm winter naps, and the promise of sledding tomorrow.

-- Christina