The Rose Knows – January 2017
“Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!” is an old song whose lyrics echo in the hearts and minds of many Black Mountain youngsters as they press their noses against the frosty window panes and sigh at the cloudless sky. But be not dismayed! Black Mountain averages seven inches of snowfall per year. At an elevation of 2,404 feet and an average January low temperature of 24.4 degrees Fahrenheit, we stand a rather good chance of seeing the fluffy white stuff.
Winter’s Calling Card
When we see the feathery flakes covering the evergreens, yards, roadways, and rooftops, we may feel gleeful or apprehensive depending on how the snow affects us personally. Children and those young at heart relish making snow angels, having snowball fights, sledding down hills and driveways, snowboarding, or skiing on the slopes. Some old timers know how to skim the clean, light top snow off and add a small amount of cream (or milk), a teaspoon of vanilla flavoring, a ½ cup of sugar, and a well-beaten egg into a bowl and fold it all together to make snow cream. When eating this tasty delight by a fireside, one must eat it quickly as it melts much faster than ice cream.
Snow also affects transportation and communication. Power outages and slick or impassable roadways are inconvenient and sometimes devastating. Power crews, snowplows, anti-icing chemicals, and salt and sand allow us to resume to normal much sooner than in the past. Conversely, snow has a positive effect on ecosystems. It provides water for crops and animals, replenishes groundwater, and provides an insulating layer during the winter to help plants and animals survive.
One of most fun aspects of snow is making a snowman. The construction of these anthromorphic beings made of snow dates back to the middle ages. We know this because snowmen are depicted in medieval artwork. Modern snowmen are usually sculptured from three large balls of snow of graduating sizes rolled together to form the body. Facial features, arms, and a hat or scarf are often added.
A Flurry of Activity
While snow deters many from accomplishing appointed tasks, Sure Point Builders is busy designing and constructing warm, safe homes for Tudor Croft residents. They are trying to beat the snow and finish up 34 Tudor Way, the first Windsor A model here at Tudor Croft. 35 Tudor Way is the second Tudor Style home on Tudor Way, and it is almost ready for its owners to move in. The Tudor Croft family is growing.
Of course, there is a chance Black Mountain will not be graced with the crystal flakes from the heavens this year. We may feel like the small children of Siam (Thailand today) in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s production of The King and I. They cried to their British teacher, Anna, “I do not believe such thing as snow.” Well, I know this: the record one day snowfall in Black Mountain was 36 inches on March 13, 1993. I believe in such thing as snow in Black Mountain!
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