Barbie Perkins-Cooper, Author

Dearest Readers:

As stated in the headline, The City of Charleston, SC is crippled — all due to a freak ice/snow storm. The signature bridge of this beautiful city, The Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge, closed last night at 8pm. At this moment, the bridge is still closed. A few curious pedestrians actually chose today to walk the bridge, only to fall down. A few minutes later, the news media announced the Arthur Ravenel Bridge was closed to pedestrians and bicyclists too. Duh. Why wasn’t that announced last night??? I suppose they forgot to remember that in the South, we do things our way! I awoke early at 7am knowing that everything within my neighborhood will be crippled!

Those of you reading this accustomed to snow are probably laughing. You must understand, people in the South do things a bit slower. It takes quite a bit of time just to get the roads cleared. Normally they are cleared after the weather melts the snow. It would not surprise me if some foolish person decided to head up the bridge and ski down it. Only in Charleston! People here do not exactly think at times. Yes, we are a bit spoiled because our beautiful city is marketed as a ‘mild climate.’ This winter has been the exception! We’ve had many bitterly cold days where I’ve actually worn my long fur coat. Last week, I prayed for snow, so I could make a snow angel. Well, there isn’t enough snow to make a snow angel, so I’m still disappointed. At least, when I walk outside, I feel the crunch, crunch, crunch of the snow/ice under my boots. I struggled to open the gate to outside, but it is frozen shut, so I suppose I will just stay warm and toasty inside my home. We haven’t lost our power yet. The trees are actually beautiful with ice on the branches, and icicles dripping a slow drip.

My silly four-legged boys are barking outside. They insist on going outside, over and over again. I suppose they are enjoying this refreshing mild climate and the snow crunching under their feet. They really are funny outside — our little snow bunnies! When outside, they rush to sniff their areas, only to kick their feet and run around. They frolic from one side of the back yard, to the other side, sometimes kicking their rear legs and grunting! I suppose they are claiming new territory now. Then, we go inside again, only for Prince Midnight Shadow, our giant, to demand to go outside again. He is enjoying running around like an overgrown bunny rabbit, barking, and playing. I don’t think he is chasing squirrels today! Silly guy. I laugh while watching them. They are so silly today!

When I got up this morning, the temps continued to decrease as the ice fell. I heard the ice pounding onto my garden window. Quickly, I went outside to see if it was really ice, or snow. The droplets of ice that filled my head reassured me this was most definitely ice. My mimosa tree was covered in ice. How I pray that all of my plants will survive this bitter cold. I confess, I did not prepare them. Walking back inside, I reach for a fresh warm cup of coffee, flopped down in the rocking chair and listen to the morning weather reports only to notice my back yard was now semi-blanketed with a soft thin layer of spotted snow. I am disappointed. I wanted enough snow to make a snow angel!

What an interesting day this is! Only in Charleston, a city with mild climates???!!!???