Winter 7 Months A Year

Where would one think winter lasts 7 months a year? Greenland, Lapland, the northern parts of Alaska and Russia, the high Alps, Andes, and the Himilayas.

Oh yeah, and Tahoe.

As I write this from the Sacramento Fine Arts Festival where I'm exhibiting my books, Tahoe is getting a winter storm. Before the storm started, the prediction was 1 - 3 feet total accumulation above 7000 feet of elevation before the skies clear. (What we get at our house.)

November 4th, Winter's Back In Tahoe

So when we get home, we get to start shoveling again. I last shoveled about two weeks ago (we had two small snowfalls in October). Before that, I cleared about 6 inches in the middle of June. We did get some snow on August 23rd, but I didn't bother shoveling.

That means that the only months in the last twelve when it didn't snow was July and September. Then again, maybe it did snow a little in September.

Discounting the summer months because the snow melts almost right away, that means actual winter-like weather only persisted much in May. So add it up... November through May. Seven months of winter.

Don't get me wrong. Snow is beautiful. And snow is fun to play in. And snow on the mountains is California's water savings account.

But shoveling? Again? Already?

If I have free time at this exhibit, I'm going to look at pictures of Hawaii.