Wow. Being from Upstate NY, that brings back a lot of memories.

Most especially, why I moved here.

A couple of days ago I talked to my mom, who's in Colorado Springs. It was 18 degrees there. It's in the low 80's here. 18 is just rediculous.

It does get a little old sometimes, day after day of perfect weather. I do miss seeing the leaves turn. I do NOT miss shoveling snow or driving in it.

Like Minnesota, we hardy folk up in Michigan, do winter with panache. We like having 4 very distinct seasons. Change is keeps life exciting. I would't even mind living through an ice storm like that. I have very fond memories of "snow days" as a child, when school closed and we spent the day skating or sledding. Mom made cocoa when we came in from the cold. It sounds idyllic. Maybe Norman Rockwell-ish.

I'll admit, I do miss seeing blue skys. Grey is the norm here. For me that is worse than bad weather.

I can't remember where that photo was taken as I've seen it many times before. Thank you, but I will stay in Minnesota where we get snow in the winter instead of rain that freezes into stalactites! My experiences with Portland winters (crawl up the hill on hands and knees because of the ice?), Louisville winters (1/8" snow stops traffic dead as they have no road maintenance crews or equipment), Fort Wayne, IN winters (we slid down the ice hills instead of on the snow) and Dallas winters (coldest slush storm I've ever been in) make me happy to be a Minnesotan!