Whatever happened to old fashioned snows?

Snow isn't what it used to be, is it? Of course, only those of us from the north or currently living in the north could relate to this.

I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago (Oak Park & Wheaton). I remember big snows, leading to the creation of snow forts, tunnels (dangerous but fun!) and constant shoveling. This is a picture on me engaged in a snowball fight with my brothers Allen (in red) and Paul (the little guy next to him). I'm leaning back to fire a split-fingered snowball!

In high school (Wheaton), we moved into the last phase of a sub-division, where there were lots of vacant plots of land that caused tons of drifting snow. When we waited for the bus, a couple of the local boys would drag the big oil cans full of refuse over to the bus stop and light it on fire for warmth.

College was in Southern MN (Winona) and even with the protection of the Mississippi River bluffs, we still had good 10"-16" snowfalls. My freshman year, I attended Winona State U and lived on the College of St. Teresa campus. WSU was an even mile away from St. T.'s and while they ran a shuttle bus between campuses, the schedule was horrendous. Most days I walked home to St. T's, down the middle of a local road where the snow wasn't so deep.

We had tunnels between the dorms at St. T's, which meant you could get to breakfast in your p.j.s (it was an all-woman's school). After I transferred to St. T's and became a student there, we used the tunnels for pitcher-catcher practice (I was the catcher) during the winter.

So...these days, when I hear snow is on the way, my heart leaps! I love to go out and walk in it while it's falling or right after it's fallen, when it is pure, fresh...draped over tree branches and piled on stoops.

We get at least one decent snow in brownstone Brooklyn every year. Enough to slow the city and bring everyone out on cross country skills. But not like we did even ten years ago....