Now that we reside in Florida, I doubt if we will ever see a snowflake in person again. Oh, sure, we could drive up North in the winter, but that's just foolish. One of our last winter trips to PA resulted in a nerve-wracking drive through a snowstorm in PA, ice in VA, sleet in NC, and a cold rain in SC and GA.

When we drove into FL and saw the blue skies and warmer weather, we vowed not to make a trip north in months with an "R" in their name.But, I still have some good memories about growing up in snow country. I recall standing at our bay window in the living room, watching the snow fly against the streetlight out front.I remember crisp, clear mornings with enough snow on the ground to cancel school. That meant that my daughter and I could trudge through the drifts downtown for breakfast in the old diner. After that, we could wax up the sled rails, pile the snow up against the terraces in our yard, and whiz down from the top to the fence.One big drawback to living on the main street of town in the snow season was the parking situation. You had to dig out your car and then pray that someone wouldn't steal your parking space when you went to the store. Lots of people used to put folding chairs or garbage cans in their shoveled-out spaces to reserve them. That didn't always work.Another disadvantage to snow was the pile it made on our roof. Part of our home had a flat roof and we needed to keep heavy weight off it as much as possible. So, after a big snowstorm, we would take our brooms up there and push the snow off the roof. Luckily, none of us ever went sliding off, too.I must say that living in the South for the past 15 years has been very comfortable. Unless there's a hurricane (and we haven't had one in 15 years), the weather is gorgeous. It is nice that the weather doesn't control our lives.There's no fear of ice on the roads or pipes freezing or power outages or…well, you get the idea. Life is easier here - and, as we age, easier in wonderful.When I lived in PA, I wrote a poem about a snowstorm. I'd like to share it with you.SNOWSTORMCold, damp bonechillSoft, white powderflakeWild, blowing crystalsparkBright, silent camelhumpsCrisp, crunchy footfallDull, ashy tiresprayEnjoy your winter, northern friends. Say hello to the snowflakes for me.Dr. Smith, she can be contacted by e mail at: jsmith1313@cfl.rr.com or in care of this newspaper.