Magic happens when you wake up on a leisurely Saturday morning and discover the greatest winter gift of a Midwestern childhood — packy snow.
By Saturday evening our neighborhood looked like a George Lucas snow globe. One family spent the day building a giant snow arch for the mailman, and another built a castle and a Yoda snowman. Creativity I like.
Snow sculptures showed up all over the hood, marking both the perfect snow conditions and the teams of family members who worked to put them together.
We went jammy sledding and enjoyed the luxury of cutting the first paths down the hill across the street from our house.
We also built some opposing forts and enjoyed a couple of lively snowball fights. So many, in fact, that I woke up Sunday morning with a pleasantly sore throwing arm.
Snow brings out the best in Wisconsin. Neighbors help each other shovel it up. (My friend Daisy and her family voluntarily dig out four other houses every time it snows.)
Snow dresses up winter-naked trees in award season finery and blankets ski hills and snowmobile paths like a fancy white/red carpet.
We had a spectacular Saturday and we hope you did too.
If you or someone in your neighborhood put together a particularly impressive display, please share it with the rest of us.
Meanwhile, here’s a few shots of how the people in my neighborhood took advantage of some perfect packy snow.
