Last year, when our son was coming from Phoenix to interview in Auburn, New York, one of the questions was, ” Have you been in Upstate New York during the winter?” Chris laughed and said, that he was raised in Troy and well aware of snow, cold, and dark gray days that seem to settle and envelope the days and nights of November through March. This questions leads you to understand that if you are not used to it, these weather patterns can be quite overwhelming. For you who live in the lands of continuous sunshine, this is hard to imagine, but I am sure that Shaun from Edinburgh does !
The official snowfall for last weekend was just under 12 inches in the Albany area which is a respectable snowfall for December. When I was teaching , this would have been a wasted “snow day” as it came on a weekend. Yes, school districts plan in their calendars for snow days usually about 5 per winter. They are the best days; an unexpected gift of time. But if more snow days are necessary for safety of the children,days of vacation are taken away as it is mandatory for school to be in session for 180 days. When my kids were little, they would play in the snow, build snow men with carrot noses, and make snow angels by lying in the snow and move their arms up and down to make it look like angel wings! Next, hot cocoa and maybe popcorn. Fun memories! 
This is a snow blower, an expensive but necessary winter tool in the frozen snowy north.
Or there are all sorts of shoveling devices as people hunt for the perfect shovel. It is pretty usual that people carry a shovel in the back of cars just in case you get stuck somewhere!
Besides down hill skiing , there is cross country skiing that along with snow shoeing is quite good exercise and very popular in this area
Actually you wouldn’t see this in the Albany area. Snow is just pushed around into piles and cars are able to maneuver the streets. But in huge cities like New York and Canadian cities like Montreal, the snow is “removed” by filling large trucks that take the snow and dump it into the bay or river. There is so much snow that falls, that snow removal is a line item on the budget of the city. Actually, the price in New York City for snow removal, is 1 million dollars for each inch of snow!
Phew. . . . the pile is pretty big already and more snow is coming tomorrow!
This is Winter In Upstate New York!
Google Images: Public Domain
TalesAlongTheWay 
I love seeing where you are, I had no idea what the elements are there! So much snow!!! Thank you for the insight xx
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LOL, that was what I was hoping for. Seems mundane to people in this area but I was hoping that my friends around the world would learn something and enjoy it! Thanks for the encouragement.
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Absolutely!! I am learning daily from wonderful bloggers like you 😍
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You are so kind!
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☺️
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Loved snow days!! Best days of the year! Yes we do have snow in common, I laughed when I read your comment on my blog. We have so much snow this year, and while I love it, am hoping for an early spring to off set the early winter!
maureen
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It was really tough teaching in AZ that there were no snow days. But of course, it was cold there and the kids would be all bundled up at 60 degrees. I would drive to school with heat on in the car and home with AC on! What a place!
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I recall being up by Saratoga Springs and it must be gorgeous in winter, if a bit harder to travel. MM 🍀
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I remember you were in Saratoga for a wedding , right? The snow is most beautiful when it is falling or newly fallen…yucky with it turns to ice and gets dirty…
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Yes, well remembered Anne. I hear you on the slush. 🍀
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We upstaters learn to live with it, is the best way I can further describe the snow life, Ann. Here in Syracuse, as you probably know, sometimes the push-it-there banks do get too high and they must backhoe it into a truck and dump it somewhere desolate. On the flip side, the February Winterfest has seen thaws that forced officials to truck snow into the center of downtown to hold the human sled dog races. Weird.
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My daughter is a graduate of SU! She would get blown into piles of snow walking to classes. Daughter-in-law from near Syracuse and son and family live in Skaneateles! Small world. And I have never heard that story about the February Winter-fest (thaw). In Albany area, during the January vacation so to save on heat , the weather usually is the January thaw! GO figure! I love your comment! Thanks so much. Syracuse is a very sophisticated city. I love the repository theater group and of course Dinosaur BBQ. Actually we have one ( DBBQ) in Troy now!
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Well, howdy neighbor! You are used to rain or snow everyday from October until April, I understand. You guys are tough!
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I just love snowfall,it turns the place to a fairyland ,hope in india we too can experience all the flavors of season ….
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I guess it depends where you are in India. I think that at some place or the other, all four seasons can be experienced there. It is enchanting but like everything , there are drawbacks even to snow!
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Ya thats true ,when I was in New York we were not able to explore so many places in and around due to heavy snowfall …..
Mumbai has just 2 seasons rainy and summer 😦
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I would like to be in India for one day to experience monsoon…..but no more. I loved the summer, though. We wore sweaters when we arrived in January and then it was 111 when we left in early May. My favorite temperature….no kidding is 100!
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WE USED TO GET A LOT OF SNOW IN MY PART OF KETUCKY, BUT LATELY ALMOST ALL THE SNOW COVERS THICK LAYERS OF ICE. I THINK WE HAVE THE DUBIOUS DISTINCTION OF BEING THE ONLY STATE EVER SHUT COMPLETELY DOWN BY THE GOVERNER BECAUSE OF ICEY ROAD CONDITIONS. BEING A SO CALLED SOUTHERN STATE WE JUST NEVER GOT AROUND TO BUYING ICE REMOVAL EQUIPMENT.
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ACK! Say no to snow !!!!
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Pingback: Collecting Detail: Winter’s Beauty | emilykarn
Thanks!
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We used to get ‘rain-y days’ off in school…We would wade all the way, just for the thrill of seeing the gates closed and reading the notice.
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What a lovely picture. . . . Thanks for sharing. The unexpected gift of time is like no other. . .
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