Snowbound in New England

Now that the Christmas holiday has passed and most travelers have returned home, the attention turns to New Years.  However, New England is notorious for its fierce winter weather, and the prospect for an honest to goodness nor'easter is heading up the coast.  The weather reports started to predict the path of a major winter storm, and it now upon us.  Like most weather stories today, there has been lots of "hype" about the storm, but only time will tell whether this storm turns out to be the blockbuster that has been predicted.

As I sit listening to the wind howl out my window, I am reminded of John Greenleaf Whittier's famous poem, "Snowbound" that was written in 1866.  It must have been dramatically different for our ancestors to have endured the wrath of Mother Nature without the advanced warnings that we receive today.  They relied solely on their common sense and their good fortunes to ride out the storms in those days.  Of course, there were no 24 hour stores or superstores to supplement their cache of provisions, and they survived, although it must have been tougher.

What will tomorrow bring?  Who knows, but I am sure that the storm will have disrupted all sorts of things from work to post holiday shopping to the travel plans for some.  However, for me, I prefer to think of a simpler time when we would just settle in for a long winter's nap.  When the Sun rises, I'll deal with the consequences.  In the meantime, I am snowbound right here in the same town where John Greenleaf Whittier made his home and that seems fitting enough and with that, to all a good night!