Snow?

One thing that is nice about seasonal work is the opportunity to shift gears and get involved in something new. This is what happens for me every spring and every fall. It keeps life interesting.

Two weeks ago, I re-started my job at Stowe. A small group of us have been working to get our areas cleaned, organized, set up, and ready for business. Now all we need is one thing: snow.

Which has been our only problem -- and it has some people feeling concerned, worried, befuddled, apprehensive, scared, confused... you name it, people are feeling it. It is November in Vermont, the ground is green and brown, and the temperature is 51! Very unseasonal.

But you don't have to worry. Everyone I know is doing snow dances. A snow dance, in case you don't know, is the same as a rain dance, only you shake your hips twice and drop the left shoulder in the middle. It's a subtle, but important, difference. Also, Lucie Keene resonated her crystal bowl for snow earlier this week. Which is to say, she cut out paper snowflakes, handed them out for people to write their wishes (everyone wished for some type of "freshies," "blizzards," or, simply, "snow, please!"). Then, she tossed the snowflake-wishes into this giant white bowl, rubbed it with her resonator, and it made this wild sound that made you feel like you were trekking near some Buddhist monastery in the Himalayas. If this doesn't make it snow, I don't know what will.

If you're still not convinced, listen to this. Snow Wakeman, long-time instructor at Stowe, recently visited her psychic. There, she learned that there will be a storm of historic proportions on December 31st of this year. "Stock up on food stuffs and propane," Wakeman advises. "Make sure your vehicles are outfitted with snow tires and, if possible, chains." The New Year's Eve blizzard of '09 is going to leave Vermont buried in mounds of white.

I can't wait.