by Kelli Bowen
On November 19th we awoke to a dusting of snow, which in the Badlands is considered a big deal! It’s the first snow of the year!
My employer provided cookies and cocoa to commemorate the occasion. Coworkers compared how many vehicles were seen in the ditch on their way in to work. It was quite icy in the north lanes. The winds were howling and we officially found ourselves in winter.
By the end of the day, the county and north was in a travel advisory. We had customers calling in and changing plans. Ladies and gentlemen: winter is officially here.
Another way to document the change in seasons: the friendly weather reports. My girlfriend sent me a photo from the east side of the state.
I sent her one of my winter dusting and an iced-over stop sign. That is how we communicate in North Dakota: from morning coffee at the gas station to chatting by the water cooler or calling a friend. We know what’s going on by comparing the weather.
When I came home from work, the girls busted out the board games. This is also a tell-tale sign of winter. In the summer, it’s yard games, but in winter, it's board games. After I dominated a game of Risk, we had dinner, turned on the fireplace (a real future fireplace is on my wishlist, but in our rental, an electric version will have to do), and we snuggled in for a show and listened to the wind blast the snow outside our window.
Hubby attempted homemade jerky in the oven with an alright result. In the winter, the oven is on whether baking bread, broiling meatballs, or baking jerky.
Welcome winter. We will gladly turn in the hot dusty winds and outdoor grilled foods for the snuggled warmth and fragrant soups of the “ber” months.
Speaking of: Easiest Chicken Tortilla Soup
- A can of chicken broth
- A can of nacho cheese soup
- A can of enchilada sauce
- A can of cream of chicken soup
- A cup of salsa
- Cooked and cut up chicken
Stay warm and happy winter, my friends!!
Kelli makes her home in Billings County with her husband, two daughters and a dog. She works for North Dakota's #1 tourist destination by day and tries to be an alright mom, wife, friend, and writer by night.
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