Winter absolutely

The holidays are done. Some of our neighbors have packed their mobile homes and headed south. The "year-rounders" remain and most are excited with the prospect of more snow. "Bring it on," deeper is better" they say. This is a mind-set I'm not used to hearing coming from a place where the worst winter weather flowed out through storm drains. Yea, I grew up in Colorado, spent years in the Ohio valley where cold clammy winters weren't unusual so I'm still getting used to the concept that people here are invigorated by the forecast of big snowfall. January doldrums? Not here. Central Oregon was spared the wrath of the recent storms that pummeled California. Tonight may be a different story. Snowshoeing, cross-country and downhill skiing discussions are overheard in the grocery store checkout lines. There may be ominous skies overhead but there is optimism in the air.