Unexpectedly

It's snowing in Houston.


Did you read that right?


Let me repeat it for you.


It's snowing in Houston.


Catch it that time?


Oh, good. Have you heard I'm in Alaska? There's 24 inches of snow on the ground, the pile in the BN parking lot was at least 20 ft high last week, and Monday night I went ice skating, uphill, sideways.
In my truck.


Why then, my dears, do I feel almost cheated? Left out?


Is it because I'm not there? Because I'm almost there, but not quite yet? Have I, after only three months of snow (yep, three), begun to take it for granted?


No. I still love the snow. I love the cold (28F tonight!), I love the view, I love falling snow. Especially falling snow. Falling snow is pure beauty. It's silent. Unless you were outside or standing in front of a window, you'd never know it was snowing. It sneaks up on you. One minute you look outside, and it looks cold, and when you look out the window again an hour later everything's white. And it is truly amazing.


But, living in Alaska, you expect snow. It is beautiful when it arrives, but you know it's coming. You just don't know when.


In Houston, Texas, however, snow is a rarity. I can count maybe five times in my memory that it's snowed any significant amount. And significant = enough that it didn't melt as soon as it touched the ground. We're not even talking inches. Maybe, possibly, centimeters. But like two.


Alaska is beautiful. You expect Alaska to be beautiful. Just saying the word 'Alaska' conjures up all kinds of beautiful pictures (as soon as you get past Sarah Palin). The pictures don't do it justice. It is beauty of a kind that has to be seen for one's self in order to be fully appreciated. I recommend everyone visit at some point (probably before Palin decides to run for office again).


But.


There is a joy in unexpected beauty that is absent when merely looking at something that is beautiful. I guess that's what I miss. I envy my fellow Houstonians their joy.


Sounds ludicrous, no?


Well, I never claimed to make sense.