Spartanburg Snow

My dad enjoyed sledding with us in the snow. Our backyard on Penarth Road had a short slope to entertain us when we were younger. As we got older, he would take us to nearby Shoresbrook Golf Course, and we never wanted to leave. The hills Through the years, we would sled on biscuit pans, cardboard boxes, and finally  a sled.

In my sixth grade year at Pine Street School, it snowed on Wednesday during  the month of March for three weeks, and school would be closed for the rest of the week. I can remember Daddy carefully driving and sliding up the hill to let Critt and me out, and we weren’t sure if we were going to get there. We had to trudge through piled snow, over our heads, to get to the school building.

Freezing rain, sleet, and snow made for continuing hazardous conditions; it was hard to get used to a full week of school at the end of the month.

I believe the above photo gives an idea to the amount of snow.

There was humor amidst the problems of transportation and cabin fever.

A classic mountain story, possibly true, possibly not, comes from this great series of storms. A Red Cross team discovered an isolated cabin and landed their chopper to see if the family there was alright. They went up to the door and knocked, and were greeted by an elderly woman. “We’re from the Red Cross, ma’am,” one said. “I’m sorry,” she replied, “but we can’t give anything this year. It’s been a hard winter.”

Having shelves lined with canned vegetables, cows in the barn, chickens in the coop, wood stacked on the porch, and vegetables in the root cellar, those living in the mountains didn’t have to rely on the crazy run to the grocery stores for the proverbial milk and bread.

When John and I married in 1979, he told me he was on the snow patrol at Hoechst; that meant nothing to me, until he was called to duty. There were about 50 volunteers who drove shifts to pick up workers to keep the plant running, and he was a volunteer. These men, no women, first drove company cars with chains, and then cars with front wheel drive. Long hours included picking up workers, delivering them to the work site, and receiving a new list. In a time before GPS, there were no coffee or lunch breaks; staying in the roads and finding hidden homes were the main thing. The drivers put their lives, as well as their passengers’ lives, in their hands and the wheels of the vehicles they drove.

Once more this weekend, freezing rain, sleet, and snow appeared in our yards and on our roads. Arriving during the night, this wintry mix spilled its blanket.

I am a little snow crazy and have always been. Watching it fall brings a sense of peace, and seeing it spread its covering inch-by-inch amazes me. Both the tiny and fluffy flakes all work together.

When I woke up yesterday, John opened the blinds and brought us a cup of coffee to savor. What a serene way to start the day, and I so appreciated my husband’s making plans to start our day off in such a special way. He truly blesses me and has for 37 years.

As I look by on a few snow memories and forward to this new year, I am sure that there will be ways I can also bless others. This is my goal for this year: to keep my eyes and heart open to the needs of those I come in contact with.  Would you like to join me in intentionally being a blessing?

2 Corinthians 9:8-11 says, Besides, God is able to make every blessing of yours overflow for you, so that in every situation you will always have all you need for any good work. As it is written, “He scatters everywhere and gives to the poor; his righteousness lasts forever.”  Now he who supplies seed to the farmer and bread to eat will also supply you with seed and multiply it and enlarge the harvest that results from your righteousness. In every way you will grow richer and become even more generous, and this will cause others to give thanks to God because of us.