Growing up in Greektown, when Christmas break came around, all the kids in the neighborhood already had their summer and fall clothes packed away and were outside playing in their big puffy jackets. We would wear our pajamas inside out because it meant snow would come; most times it did. I have tried to recreate that magic by wearing my PJs inside out lately but it has done the opposite; it’s only brought warmth. I remember cold from November to March (and even in technical spring I would still shiver). It’s disappointing to have only a few days of cold weather this year.
In my neighborhood, around Groundhog Day, if we didn’t get the reaction we wanted, we would go to the park, huddle in a circle to create shade, and then stick a long twig in the mulch. Finally, we would step away and view the shadow. The rule was, if the shadow clocked between 12 and 6, spring was coming; 6 to 12 meant a longer winter. Then, it made perfect sense and spring would always come (we didn’t take into account the time of day).
Now it seems there’s no way to predict or charm this winter’s weird zigzag course. With temperatures ranging from 65 to 32, Baltimore natives are having a hard time keeping up with the confusion. In other words, light sweaters with snow boots will be February’s fashion trend. These grown-up days I guess there’s no game we can play to make the snow fall when we want it to.
Kayla Cordes is a new Baltimore Fishbowl intern — she studies writing at the University of Baltimore.
