Daughter laments lack of snow

Winter hasn't gone Bailey's way.

Our 11-year-old daughter loves snow. But she's barely seen a flake this year.

Early last week, weather forecasters talked about a winter storm that might dump snow on Southeast Missouri. But by week's end, the area had received only rain.

That wasn't what Bailey wanted. She wanted the white stuff, lots of it.

But then I guess that shouldn't be surprising. After all, she was born during a December snowstorm.

The rest of our family doesn't really care for snow. Of course, our teenager daughter, Becca, will gladly take snow if it means a vacation day from school. But she's not looking to play in it.

Bailey, on the other hand, would love to run around in the snow. She's the kind of girl that likes snow angels.

Bailey's not alone in this region when it comes to wishing for snow.

Our dog, Cassie, loves snow, too. Although she's a Sheltie, I'm convinced she's part sled dog. I've suggested she needs a miniature sled to pull. Of course, that wouldn't do her much good right now.

I know some adults who get excited by snow. For them, it's been a hard winter.

But then if it's snow you want, perhaps you should live in Colorado, Wyoming or even Canada. There's no shortage of snow in Alaska, either.

Don't get me wrong. I love pictures of snow. I love to watch NFL football games played in the snow, provided that I can watch them from the climate-controlled comfort of my living room.

Sitting outside in a stadium during a snowstorm doesn't interest me. I don't want to become a human ice cube.

I spent one winter in Chicago. I left because it was too cold, and I had to cope with a ton of ice and snow. When your car is completely covered by a giant mound of snow, just getting into your car can be a challenge.

This winter I haven't had to worry about shoveling the driveway. Who says global warming is bad?

But for some Southeast Missouri residents, winter just isn't winter without the white stuff.

What, no doubt, makes it even worse for them is that this winter it has even snowed in Phoenix, Ariz. Go figure.

One woman there told the Associated Press that she saw huge snowflakes in her neighborhood over the weekend.

The snow thrilled neighborhood children, she said. Even adults joined in the fun, snapping photos of the wintry weather.

I'm happy for them. But it doesn't make me wish for snow.

Perhaps that's because I'm a reporter. When bad weather hits, journalists have to cover it.

We can't hang out in our cozy homes. We have to get outside and trudge through the snow, which takes on a real muddy appearance once it has been tackled by cars, trucks and snowplows.

There's nothing scenic about such snow. Even Frosty wouldn't claim it.

In Southeast Missouri, snow often looks more like an iceberg with dandruff. It's not a pretty sight.

It's definitely not a winter wonderland.

That seems to be reserved mostly for beer commercials. They don't make any sense to me either. Why would a grown man want to walk through a bunch of snow just so he could down a cold one? A neighborhood bar would seem a much better place for such an activity.

As a dad, I hope Bailey gets to see some snow. But I'd prefer she see it on the travel channel where it's soft and powdery. She can even put on some boots and gloves if it would make her feel better.

But I'm afraid that won't do. Bailey's too smart for a snow job.

Mark Bliss is a staff writer for the Southeast Missourian.