Explain snow to those who've never seen it

Heatherj43

I have met or spoke with lots of people who have never seen snow and they've asked what its like. I can't explain it. Its not like the ice in a snow cone, nor like shaving of ice. Its not like cotton. Can someone explain it better than I?

Anon

It's cold, and makes the landscape bleak and if it is still coming down in February, it has the power to crush your soul.

Better??

Black Diamond

Fun while it comes down. The residual, not so much.

eyedclaar

Heatherj43 wrote:

I have met or spoke with lots of people who have never seen snow and they've asked what its like. I can't explain it. Its not like the ice in a snow cone, nor like shaving of ice. Its not like cotton. Can someone explain it better than I?

Snow defies explanation. That's why Inuits had over a 100 words for it. It doesn't have a consistent description, depends on a lot of factors. However, it is usually cold. I'll be back next week with more completely obvious observations.

Heatherj43

Yeah, thats how it can make you feel emotionally, but what about the snow itself. Like, I tell people it is like ice shaved, but fluffier, and can sometimes be wetter than other times. Sometimes its so dry, it blows around easily and is easier to shovel, yet it can also be more moist that it is heavier to shovel. It can be packed to make a snowball if its wet, but not if its too dry. However it is never DRY, cuz it is frozen water...but what I mean by DRY is that it doesn't melt throught your gloves so fast, is easier to shake off your shoes, etc when its not so moist.
Yeah, and that doesn't describe it!

Heatherj43

eyedclaar wrote:

Heatherj43 wrote:

I have met or spoke with lots of people who have never seen snow and they've asked what its like. I can't explain it. Its not like the ice in a snow cone, nor like shaving of ice. Its not like cotton. Can someone explain it better than I?

Snow defies explanation. That's why Inuits had over a 100 words for it. It doesn't have a consistent description, depends on a lot of factors. However, it is usually cold. I'll be back next week with more completely obvious observations.

Okay, so its not only me who has this problem with describing it. I never knew the inuits had that many words for it, but I can imagine that before science took hold snow was a big mind-f8ck.

81

it's crystalized water. tell them to go look at the frost in freezer and then imangine each of those frozen crystals is a flake.

Heatherj43

Black Diamond wrote:

Fun while it comes down. The residual, not so much.

Yeah, like fresh clean snow is beautiful, then it gets mixed with dirt and the side of the road has dirty black snow. Also, when its heaped, after shoveling or plowing, it becomes compacted and not fluffy.

chadwick

cold

81

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow

Heatherj43

81 wrote:

it's crystalized water. tell them to go look at the frost in freezer and then imangine each of those frozen crystals is a flake.

I have but its not like the ice in the freezer. Even if you try to make the freezer ice into flakes, its still too compacted, snow is lighter in water per flake. I guess?

theserialthrilla

like this vvvvvvvvv





























.see white

Heatherj43

81 wrote:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow

I have never considered snow as granular. It seems too fluffy.

pandora

snow is beautiful, it is white, bright white when fresh, glaring white. It is all encompassing. It changes one world to another and defines every space. It is cold and when held turns to water in your hand or on your tongue. It smells fresh most especially when melting. It is entertaining whether that be just watching it fall or building an art object or laying back making a snow angel or sliding down a hill of it. It turns adults again to children and children to their happiest.
Snow is one of Gods greatest inventions

the wolf

LoveOnTwoLegs wrote:

It's cold, and makes the landscape bleak and if it is still coming down in February, it has the power to crush your soul.

Better??

word. :evil:

Heatherj43

pandora wrote:

snow is beautiful, it is white, bright white when fresh, glaring white. It is all encompassing. It changes one world to another and defines every space. It is cold and when held turns to water in your hand or on your tongue. It smells fresh most especially when melting. It is entertaining whether that be just watching it fall or building an art object or laying back making a snow angel or sliding down a hill of it. It turns adults again to children and children to their happiest.
Snow is one of Gods greatest inventions

Oooh!! Love that! It does define space so well. It acts like insulation and makes noise go away. I call it deafening silence.
Love your definition, even though I have a love/hate relationship with snow.

pandora

Heatherj43 wrote:

pandora wrote:

snow is beautiful, it is white, bright white when fresh, glaring white. It is all encompassing. It changes one world to another and defines every space. It is cold and when held turns to water in your hand or on your tongue. It smells fresh most especially when melting. It is entertaining whether that be just watching it fall or building an art object or laying back making a snow angel or sliding down a hill of it. It turns adults again to children and children to their happiest.
Snow is one of Gods greatest inventions

Oooh!! Love that! It does define space so well. It acts like insulation and makes noise go away. I call it deafening silence.
Love your definition, even though I have a love/hate relationship with snow.

I would too but I don't get enough of it so it remains very special to me
I love your silence description- the other night husband and I were watching coverage on the big snow in DC and he said "its going to be very quiet there now tonight." It brought back memories of going out and shoveling late when the kids were asleep and how very beautifully quiet it was, just leaning there for a moment on my shovel taking it all in.

Heatherj43

pandora wrote:

Heatherj43 wrote:

pandora wrote:

snow is beautiful, it is white, bright white when fresh, glaring white. It is all encompassing. It changes one world to another and defines every space. It is cold and when held turns to water in your hand or on your tongue. It smells fresh most especially when melting. It is entertaining whether that be just watching it fall or building an art object or laying back making a snow angel or sliding down a hill of it. It turns adults again to children and children to their happiest.
Snow is one of Gods greatest inventions

Oooh!! Love that! It does define space so well. It acts like insulation and makes noise go away. I call it deafening silence.
Love your definition, even though I have a love/hate relationship with snow.

I would too but I don't get enough of it so it remains very special to me
I love your silence description- the other night husband and I were watching coverage on the big snow in DC and he said "its going to be very quiet there now tonight." It brought back memories of going out and shoveling late when the kids were asleep and how very beautifully quiet it was, just leaning there for a moment on my shovel taking it all in.

It is breathtaking when it first happens, especially at night. I get all tingly with sentiment. But, the next day sux!

pandora

yea the thing I remember that sucked was getting the kids layered up in all the snow gear. They could barely move then sending them out and they'd be back in 5 minutes soaked. Take it all off, try to dry it and start all over again in 30 minutes. Geez, makes me tired just thinking of it but I still say those were the days

Heatherj43

pandora wrote:

yea the thing I remember that sucked was getting the kids layered up in all the snow gear. They could barely move then sending them out and they'd be back in 5 minutes soaked. Take it all off, try to dry it and start all over again in 30 minutes. Geez, makes me tired just thinking of it but I still say those were the days

Or suddenly, after getting them all bundled, they have to go to the bathroom.
I lived across the road from a big sledding hill when my kids were growing up. I kept extra sleds, leggings, gloves, etc. available for other kids who may come over and suddenly decide to go sledding. I would make hot chocolate.
I would just let them come and go for bathroom times, etc and worry about the mess they made later. They would have so much fun. The hill was small enough to enjoy...not having to climb back up so high to come back down.

pandora

Heatherj43 wrote:

pandora wrote:

yea the thing I remember that sucked was getting the kids layered up in all the snow gear. They could barely move then sending them out and they'd be back in 5 minutes soaked. Take it all off, try to dry it and start all over again in 30 minutes. Geez, makes me tired just thinking of it but I still say those were the days

Or suddenly, after getting them all bundled, they have to go to the bathroom.
I lived across the road from a big sledding hill when my kids were growing up. I kept extra sleds, leggings, gloves, etc. available for other kids who may come over and suddenly decide to go sledding. I would make hot chocolate.
I would just let them come and go for bathroom times, etc and worry about the mess they made later. They would have so much fun. The hill was small enough to enjoy...not having to climb back up so high to come back down.

That sounds so nice happy kids and hot chocolate. the small hill reminds me of the home movies my Dad made of us girls sledding- they are really funny to watch- they were reel to reel and I had them put on VHS years ago Everyone looks like they are moving real speeded up. Anyways this hill was soooo small- I mean like I'd go 10 ft maybe then get up run back up the hill. Just goofy.
But anyways you were a nice Mom- we had kids here all the time too cause we live on a lake. I was just thinking about how I wish I could get rid of this house now- so big who'd have thought we would be in a jam not to be able to sell- but that it was really nice to have all the space when the kids had friends come to play/stay. Its big and lonely now and a lot to heat! And I do miss those days.

dcfaithful

One of the worst things about snow is the build up of it on the interstate. It then turns into a wall of black, polluted mush that just ends up looking terribly disgusting.

I like snow when it is fresh, other than that...after 21 years, I'm over it. Especially at this time of the year, I've had enough seeing that it's been around since early November.

pandora

dcfaithful wrote:

One of the worst things about snow is the build up of it on the interstate. It then turns into a wall of black, polluted mush that just ends up looking terribly disgusting.

I like snow when it is fresh, other than that...after 21 years, I'm over it. Especially at this time of the year, I've had enough seeing that it's been around since early November.

this is what took my husband to Atlanta - by the age of 35 he really couldn't take it anymore! The weather here is great hasn't disappointed

Hitch-Hiker

It's white and cold and slushy. And it makes a cool crunchy sound when you walk on it

chadwick

pandora wrote:

snow is beautiful, it is white, bright white when fresh, glaring white. It is all encompassing. It changes one world to another and defines every space. It is cold and when held turns to water in your hand or on your tongue. It smells fresh most especially when melting. It is entertaining whether that be just watching it fall or building an art object or laying back making a snow angel or sliding down a hill of it. It turns adults again to children and children to their happiest.
Snow is one of Gods greatest inventions

nice...

chadwick

snow water tastes good.

eeriepadave

fun when you are a kid, not so much when you grow up.

pjfan31

I've only seen snow once. Hardly any memories of it. I was 6 or 7. And there wasn't much of it.