It's getting rather chilly in northeastern Wisconsin. I wouldn't mind so much if the chill wasn't accompanied (or rather, caused by) the wind. I happen to live in a wind tunnel. I guess compared to other areas of town it's a relatively new development (if by "new" we're talking in the past thirty years). It's close to the freeway and several businesses, and apparently trees didn't make it onto the blueprints when this area of town was being planned. I mean, there are trees, just not that many. It is remarkably more windy the fewer trees there are. Thus, I live in a wind tunnel.

It makes for some unfortunate hair days.

However, it doesn't rain as much once it gets this cold/windy/unnecessarily miserable. That is a major plus. Rain makes for awful hair days.

So, bringing this all back to where I started, it's freaking cold out. A quick check of my hometown newspaper reveals a forecast of 60-degree sunshine for tomorrow, and the next day, and the next... Flippin' California. Of course, it's not always 60 degrees and sunny in NorCal in November. No, I remember the days when my bedroom was used as the "overflow refridgerator" because it was so stinking cold. (It's true. Pity my frozen, teenage self.) There were a couple winters where it actually snowed. (Not in my room. Outside. Outside the house.)

I haven't decided which I prefer - a winter where it might snow once or twice (and may or may not stick), or a winter where you might have one day when it doesn't.

I keep digressing. It's cold. As I try to be more and more eco-friendly, green, or whatever catch phrase you want to use there, I try to use things like the heater less and less. I have sweaters and shirts with long sleeves - I can layer! And I have tons of blankets - I can burrow! Each morning I wake up grateful and slightly amazed that I was not crushed in my sleep by the sheer weight of all my blankets.

I am fairly certain that freezing temperatures are unnecessary until after the official start of winter, and even then it's iffy. Why not wait until January?

A change in the weather

I began the week wearing short sleeves and delighting in the gift of sunny, 70-degree weather bestowed upon us by the weather gods. Now I am watching as clouds darken the sky and friends to the west update their facebook status' saying, "I can't believe it - snow!!" In a few short hours I myself will be heading west. I wonder what winter wonderland awaits?

In any case, the fire danger is low. (I know you were concerned.)

One of my favorite things to do is to walk during a snowfall. My old roommate and I did that a few times. We learned, however, it is not as pleasant and peacefull to walk during what could be deemed blizzard conditions. A nice snow that isn't too deep is just right.

There's just something about watching the snow fall in the streetlights, and the sound of silence on most every street. The world slows down when snow falls. Snow covers the world like a blanket. It makes everything more beautiful. It equalizes things. When we're covered in snow, we can't see our differences as easily. Houses all look the same. Cars become unrecognizable mounds of icy powder. It brings us together, even though it keeps many of us inside. There's a certain kind of kinship in the snow.

Right now it is cold, dark and rainy. (Ah, winter in northern California...) Soon it will be snowing. Probably not the big fluffy snow that's going to stick, but snow nonetheless.

After an autumn partisanship and division, it will be nice to be united once again this winter.