This Wasn’t Supposed To Happen

What do you do when things don’t go as they were supposed to go? Do you adjust and make the most of it or do you let it get the better of you?

Old Man Winter or Mother Nature (or maybe the both of them) have been giving residents throughout the United States a run for their money this winter. With record-breaking temperatures and unseasonable snow storms, it’s not been a typical winter.

Living in the South, we typically see some snow during the winter, but thankfully nothing like those living in the North. Our snows tend to start out as rain, turn to sleet and ice and then end as snow for extremely messy and hazardous conditions. So our snows turn out to be more ice than puffy white snow.

Sunday and Monday of this week we enjoyed temperatures in the 40s with sunshine. Then the weathermen began talking about a winter weather advisory, but wait it was going to be in South Georgia not North Georgia as it normally is. From all their weather maps, we were completely in the clear – no rain, no sleet, no ice, and especially no snow – just a few flurries Tuesday morning. All the bad weather was to be from Atlanta and south.

Guess what? The weathermen forgot to inform Old Man Winter and/or Mother Nature of their prediction. The flurries began around 9 a.m. like they were supposed to. But instead of being a few flurries and tapering off within the hour, they turned into heavy snow showers and at this writing almost 7 hours later, it’s still snowing. Granted it has finally turned into the light flurries we were supposed to have this morning.

The last time we measured the snow fall (a couple of hours ago), we had already accumulated 1 ¼ inches of snow. Not bad for a few flurries today, huh? I’m sure when it’s over we’ll have at least an inch and a half snow, if not more. Okay, I know if you live up North, you’re laughing at me now saying ‘oh, boo hoo.’ But remember, we’re not accustom to snow and the weathermen said we weren’t going to get any so we weren’t prepared.

I know that snow is beautiful and serene, but I’ve never been a big fan of it. I guess the reason I’ve always disliked it so is because I had to work it. It’s no fun trying to cover traffic accidents in the snow when your own car is sliding all over the place as you try to get to the scene wreck hoping all the while that you’re not going to be involved in the next accident. Or you watch firemen covered in ice trying to put out a house fire where someone was burning candles after their power was knocked out by the snow.

As I’ve gotten older and since I no longer have to travel in the snow as much, I’ve tried to see it from a more calming outlook. I try to have enough supplies on hand that I don’t have to worry about trying to get to the grocery store (especially since it’s a 30 minute drive on a good day).

I try to see the snow for the beauty that it is. Walking in the woods today, I was amazed at how loud the tiny flakes are as they fall. They can sound extremely loud hitting an umbrella, which I was using to shield the camera. But at the same time, there is a quiet like no other. 

It was funny, as I looked up and down the small branch flowing through the pasture, it brought to mind several movies, a few paintings and numerous plots from books. I guess it was that eerie quiet and the feeling of isolation that brought to mind characters lurking behind every tree.

As life surprises us each day with things that were not supposed to be, we have to adapt and make the best we can of it. But, boy is it hard sometimes. I hope your weather is what you want it to be or you’re at least prepared for what you’ve got. Hopefully you still have the Weather Channel and can keep update on the latest changes in the weather (DIRECTV decided its customers didn’t need it anymore).

I’ve sprinkled a few photographs throughout this post that I shot yesterday during my walk. I hope you enjoy them. Thanks for dropping by today. Stay warm  and dry and may you have a cup of hot coffee (cocoa or tea) handy as you relax with a good book.