Former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral was at the top of my news feed briefly, earlier this morning. Then the California wildfire headlines bobbed back up: reminding me that living in the frozen north does have advantages.
- “California fires live updates: Palisades Fire one of most destructive in LA history”
Riley Hoffman, David Brennan, Kevin Shalvey, Nadine El-Bawab, Meredith Deliso; ABC News (last updated January 9, 2025, 10:51 AM CST) - “California wildfires live updates: 5 killed, Palisades Fire grows as Sunset Fire spreads through Hollywood Hills”
Yahoo! News (updated January 9, 2025, 10:55 AM CST)
We’re getting a little very light snow, here in central Minnesota. I see that as a good thing, since it (1) looks nice, and (2) lowers the odds that we’ll be having blowing dust when the sky clears and the wind picks up.
Later on, come spring, it’ll melt, adding needed moisture to the soil. Unless, of course, it melts too fast and we get flooding. Which does happen now and again.
But even though my part of the country has blizzards, floods, the occasional tornado, and (happily) even less frequent dust storms — I prefer living here.
Places like Los Angeles are shining centers of commerce and culture; and, in the case of Los Angeles, are home to the Oscars. But out here we’ve learned to build around our area’s hazards. This town has snowploughs and fire trucks, and equipment designed to handle water-related emergencies.
Even if I could move, I’d rather live here.
- “Winter Storm in Progress: Snow for Christmas?”
(December 19, 2024) - “Minnesota is Not Burning”
(September 30, 2024) - “A Substation Gone and a Dam in Trouble: This Year it’s Flooding”
(June 25, 2024) - “Frost, Smoke: Another Spring Day in Minnesota”
(May 13, 2024) - “It’s Cold Here, Too: Sauk Centre, Minnesota”
(January 13, 2024)
Take care and keep warm, Brian. Over here in the UK it’s freezing and we’ve had a lot of snow.
God bless.
And may God bless you and yours, too. ❄
The places we live in have their pros and cons, but if it’s home, then we’ll make it so anyway, no? And even if I were meant to move out of the Philippines, I’d still rather cherish the good I got from its tropical climate too.
Yes! It is good to feel ‘at home’ somewhere – – – which, for me, is here in the frozen north – which, in seven or eight months, will probably be the baking north. Our weather is not boring.