309 thoughts on “Thundersnow”

1. “It’s all going to be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, then it’s not the end.” It’s now posted over my computer monitor. Thanks!

2. We had thundersnow about a year ago–it was freaky. The thunder was so loud it set off the fire alarm at my school and we had a fire drill in the middle of it. I’d never seen it before or since–from your article it doesn’t sound like it’s very common at the coast. I’m glad it gave you a small moment of quiet in your brain. That’s the worst part of worrying for me–I can’t make my brain just be still.

3. Hope things get better soon. Isn’t nature amazing?

4. It’s all about perspective, isn’t it? Go pick up a copy of Ishmael Beah’s book “Long Way Gone.” We need to remember these people when we think we’ve got it bad.
   And I’m not meaning to invalidate your struggles, of course! Family stress sucks. Breathe deep and remember, “Wherever you go, there you are.” If you are in a stressfull place, there you will stay until you move yourself.
   Cheers and good luck destressing!

5. Looking at Bohus is never, ever, boring. I could make a career of looking at Bohus, and wishing I were cool enough to knit one.

6. Thundersnow? I’ve never heard of anyhting like it! Like you said, if it isn’t okay, then it isn’t the end. That’s a great attitude to have. Winston Churchill once said, “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” It’s all I can do to stay (relatively) sane some days.

7. The pictures are lovely! Thundersnow? I’m not sure what kind of snow we’ll be getting this weekend, but the forecast is 6″-12″ of the white stuff!

8. It is nice, isn’t it, when the thing Mother Nature comes up with is a truly (to use the word properly) awesome thing, isn’t it? Instead of one of those What Was She Thinking things. So glad you got to see and hear the amazingness.
   I’m making my plans to come to Represent! Do you know if the FIT hall has any rules about bringing in overnight bags? Just wondering if I need to plan time to haul my bag to my cousins’ place before It All Starts (which would be a shame, given how close FIT is to Penn Station).
   Sorry to give you another thing to think about. Quick: Thundersnow!

9. Look at all the snow! All of a sudden its in the 80s in Texas and its not fair at all. (Can you tell i like the cold? )
   I had the strangest dream with you in it. You were telling me I needed to knit socks. I might just have to now 🙂

10. I am the same way about worrying…interesting concept I heard lately. “The more attention you give something, the more it expands”. If I am worrying and analysing something to death – it can’t end because I’m fueling it. Just a thought to ponder…and I wish we had Thundersnow. That is a gift.

11. Thunder and snow, two of my favorite things. The silence of snow falling and the surprise of thunder…love it. It does get your attention.

12. I am the same way about worrying…interesting concept I heard lately – “The more attention you give something, the more it expands”. If I am worrying and analysing something to death – it can’t end because I’m fueling it. Just a thought to ponder…and I wish we had Thundersnow. That is a gift.

13. Way cool! I’ve had that happen in Syracuse before. You gotta love the light fluffy snow (versus the hard cold stuff). Every hear of a cryoseism? Check it out at Maine Geological Survey, http://www.maine.gov/doc/nrimc/mgs/explore/hazards/quake/quake-cryoseism.htm. Another cool (and odd) phenomenon. I had a sucky time in the fall with a rabies scare with our dog, but I kept thinking about perspective. (A friend’s husband has cancer and an acquaintance just lost a son to a car accident after he came back from 3 tours in Iraq). My life? It is WONDERFUL!!!!!!

14. I am the same way about worrying…interesting concept I heard lately – “The more attention you give something, the more it expands”. If I am worrying and analysing something to death – it can’t end because I’m fueling it. Just a thought to ponder…and I wish we had Thundersnow. That is a gift.

15. Thundersnowt. Mother Nature deserves a bonus for coming up with that one! Just when you think you’ve seen it all – she gives us a new show. And a better perspective on our lives. I love your saying, can I adopt it? I’ll put it along with my granddad’s — If you’re breathing, not bleeding and there’s gas in the car, you don’t really have a problem. Hang in there, things will get better, I’m certain.
    And the Bohus is NOT boring.

16. I never even heard of thundersnow! Nothing like a little perspective shift(I especially like the ones Mother Nature cooks up, too). Hang in, take a lot of deep breaths, and keep knitting on that sweater-creating something beautiful is pretty therapeutic, too.

17. I’m going to get that saying tatooed on the inside of my eyelids… no, probably won’t be legible. I’ll embroider it on my pillowcase! I do my fretting silently, in the middle of the night, when I’d really rather be sleeping. Hence the carpal tunnel (fists and weird wrist angles during the sleep I do get) and therefore the no knitting and subsequently the shingles, I have no doubt.
    I hope your end is truly ok, and soon.

18. During our most recent ice storm, we didn’t have thunder (that we could hear), but we did have lightning one evening. We had a good cover of snow on the ground with ice over it, so the night was already that unearthly glowing light and then streaks of lightning flashed across the sky. It’s the kind of sight only professional photographers can catch.

19. I am the same way about worrying…interesting concept I heard lately – “The more attention you give something, the more it expands”. If I am worrying and analysing something to death – it can’t end because I’m fueling it. Just a thought to ponder…and I wish we had Thundersnow. That is a gift.

20. Thunder Snow? I have never seen it either. Thunder hail? Yes, frequently in the spring around here. How wonderful and strange.
    I am sorry you are going through some difficulties. Feeling less than in control of a situation really throws me for a loop too.
    Drink something soothing (alcohol is ok) and keep breathing. It will pass….It will pass…
    ((Sherry))
    The sweater looks beautiful…I do really love the colours.

21. I am the same way about worrying…a concept I heard lately – “The more attention you give to something, the more it expands” – so if I’m worrying something to death, it never ends. Just a thought to ponder…And your Thundersnow is beautiful – what a gift.

22. p.s. I’ve witnessed thundersnow a few times in my 47+ years, and it always stops me and makes me marvel. Your bohus looks lovely in it!

23. Oh, forgot to mention “When Things Fall Apart” by Pema Chodron. A big big help and inspiration in times of trouble.

24. We had thundersnow here in southern lower Michigan once! Everyone I reported it to thought I was nuts. And maybe I am, but still. 🙂

25. When we have a “normal” thunderstorm, it often rains really heavily, so presumably that explains the heavy snow coming with the thunder.
    As we can’t even muster up a decent snow fall at all in my neck of the woods (Lincolnshire, UK) the chances of me ever experiencing thundersnow seem small. At the moment we have drizzly rain and the temp is about 50F!
    I would love just a bit of the weather you are having….
    Never mind, I am cheered by not being at the end of hundreds of comments!

26. sorry i posted a million times – i’m rather inept with technology…and patience 🙂

27. I love analyzing problems! But I’m realizing it’s my way of putting off the inevitably imperfect (and therefore irritating) solution. Because then I’ll have to let go of my utopic demands and move on. Sigh.

28. Thanks for that beautiful thought. I am trying very hard to stay in the present. I am fine during the day, but all the “what ifs” come out at night. That’s when I get up and knit.
    We got some not so good news yesterday about my husband’s cancer treatment, so your quote was a gift this morning. I will repeat it throughout the day (and night) Thanks for sharing.

29. I have seen thundersnow here in VT a couple of times. It is an amazing thing, and an odd thing. Probably that odd part emphasizes the amazing part.
    I am an incredible worrier as well. Most of the time, I concentrate on the moment, try to be in the moment instead of worrying about the next. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. If it doesn’t Mother Nature usually can put me straight. (I try not to think of the fact that I have it better than literally millions of other people… that just makes me depressed.

30. I love it when a natural phenomenon smacks you upside the head and reminds you that no matter how much control you think you have, you’ve got nothing in the face of Mother Nature. It always makes me appreciate how simply complex the world is. Good luck with the worrying. I’m a beginning worrier (the kid’s only 3 months old), but I aspire to Harlot-y greatness.

31. We had a thundersnow a few times in Boston when I lived there. It was some pretty neat weather. As someone who associates thunderstorms with lightning shows miles away and flash flooding, the concept of lightning and thunder during a snowstorm was a new one. The snow mutes the whole thing, like a band all playing with muted instruments.
    Enjoy the weather! And I hope things improve all around.

32. Hey, Steph, it’s all good. You are a brilliant writer who has already united knitters around the world through your work. The book launch idea is great, but there’s probably nothing you (or anybody else) can do to keep it from being a success – the quality of your work and the devotion of the knitting public will take care of that. The rest is details. As we say here in Texas, bless yer heart. Susan

33. Um…at least you weren’t at the dentist? I hope. Because going to the dentist makes everything worse.
    Seriously, though, love and sympathy and prayers that whatever is going wrong starts going right, and now.

34. We had the same thundersnow at the same time here in Buffalo. The last time we had it (last October), the trees crashed down around us and the power went out for over a week. When it happened this morning, the dogs and I just braced ourselves. Luckily, the trees stayed where they belong and the lights didn’t even flicker.

35. I do love that big woolly snow, the very best, those photos are great, the snow beautiful…ok, I DO know about thundersnow, here in dusty Oklahoma *when* it snows…sometimes it’s thundersnow and I know what you mean, it’s an amazing thing to see a flash of lightening and that wonderful rumbling ka BOOM of the thunder…loves it loves it.
    I love your Bohus tooooo.
    Have you noticed…it’s been a bit unsettle-y all over Knitbloglandia this month. March will be here, sooner than we all think we know.

36. Love thunder snow storms . . . experienced it one June day at Big Sky, Montana a few years ago. Eerie in a very cool way. Thanks for sharing.
    Totally understand the worrying and pacing. I once heard my aunt admonish an adult son who’d failed to tell her a problem of his that had worried her was solved: “John! I’ve been worrying about that and I could have spent that time worrying about something else!”
    Hang in there.

37. We have had thundersnow before and it is ODD!
    Usually it just DUMPS a TON of snow, too.
    Enjoy.

38. We haven’t had much snow in my neck of Wisconsin this year, but we did have thundersnow — a delightful combo of two of my favorite weather things. It was truly awesome — I’d never seen or heard anything like it before!

39. You lucked into one of my favorite kinds of weather. Mother Nature is a badass fireworks genius. I hope everything and everyone lines up appropriately for you–I’m a big worrier too, and it’s exhausting when people just won’t recognize my brilliance and do what I want.

40. California has mudslides and earthquakes. The South Coast has hurricanes. There are tonadoes for the midwest. Their sister is thundersnow. It is at once beautiful and deadly. It is the drama queen of snow. A sight to behold.
    Four years or so ago, thundersnow literally buried (as in submerged) my mini van at the Grand Rapids Airport. It was lost for a day (along with some others). Parking receipts were useless. If you did find your car, what were you doing to do?
    Thundersnow is nature’s way of saying…SLOW WAY DOWN!(and I mean now).
    overnout, cliffdalema

41. We had thundersnow here once or twice and I recall the weatherman making a big deal about it. I loved it mostly because I really miss a good summer thunderstorm that living on the Gulf Coast seems to bring pretty much all summer long. There’s nothing that says “ahhhh summer” to me more than a nice downpour with thunder and lightning. We used to sit on the porch and watch the heat lightning while drinking something cold. I haven’t envied you those wicked cold temperatures one bit but the thundersnow? Can you send some of that down here please? It doesn’t have too far to go 😉
    The sweater is stunning as usual. I think it may have influenced my recent yellow purchases.

42. Thundersnow is very, very cool. Growing up in the “snow belt” on the Great Lakes in Michigan, we had it fairly frequently. It always spooked out people who weren’t used to it. What with global warming, we haven’t had it as frequently, but it is magical when it happens!

43. Wacky eh? It was nifty blobby snowman snow. I had to brush my car after parking for 5 minutes but having the lightning and thunder made it neat.
    Bohus look beautiful.

44. I really loved your quote. “If it’s not OK, then it’s not the end.” I will pass that on to my mother-in-law who is a terrible worrier. I will be thinking of you and hoping everything works out soon. The Bohus is is still beautiful.

45. It was eighty degrees here yesterday.
    Lucky you, to see such snow.
    btw, love the sweater and your attitude.

46. thundersnow is so cool. normally snowstorms are so eerily quiet, and then you get this FLASH and then BOOM! really cool. we get at least one or two every winter.
    the bohus is just gorgeous.

47. Somewhere on one of the many ‘digital’ files around here I have a picture of a rainbow. It formed a perfect arc over the wide stretch of the Ottawa River I am blessed to see each day from my livingroom window. This rainbow appeared after a thunderstorm blew up the Valley in DECEMBER 2006.
    Warm thoughts, g

48. We have Thunder + snow here in Oklahoma. Doesn’t happen too often, not because we don’t have alot of thunderstorms (we do, we’re in Tornado alley) but because we usually don’t get snow. But we got alot of snow for us this year and it thundered along with it. It has been an unusual winter!

49. I’m a worrier, my MIL always tells me not to sweat stuff before it happens, and I try. I know people need to grow & learn and own their own mistakes & that not everything can be fixed. I wish you peace, it’s not in our hands for a reason.

50. I’m sure you’ve heard the Zen parable about the two monks and the rich lady …. quick recap: The old monk and the young novice are walking along. They come to a river where a rich lady’s entourage has stopped. They lend a hand in carrying the rich lady (who is fat, I presume) across the river. She never thanks them for their considerable effort. The monks walk on.
    Some time later, the young novice says to the elder monk, “Master, can you believe she never even bothered to thank us???” The elder monk says, “I put her down a long time ago. You are still carrying her.”
    When I start obsessing, I remind myself: Stop carrying the fat chick.

51. Interesting, you’re about the fifth person to tell me about thundersnow this year. Before that I’d never heard of it. My friend down in New Mexico got thundersnow this year too. I also heard about it a lot on the weather channel not too long ago. Where I live we don’t even get snow, much less thundersnow. I’d like to see that sometime in my life.

52. Sorry about the worrying. I do that, too. Usually at 2am. If I could just let go of my desire to be in control, it would all go much more smoothly. Easier said than done, though. Here’s hoping that you can distract yourself long enough to realize you’ve stopped fighting the ocean and are surfing it instead.

53. I think that is AWESOME! Thunder and Snow are two of my favorite things too. I REALLY hope you come to the DFW area for this tour, so that I have more of a chance of coming. Last time the closest you came was 5 hours drive away and I had a nursing baby and no money at the time. I’m praying fervently that this time you either come close enough for it not to matter or I can somehow get enough money to make the trip! I’m so wanting to Represent!

54. Here in Binghamton we only get thundersnow when a great whack of it falls off the top rounded roof of our loft down onto the roof deck and scares the crap outta me – sounded and felt as though a cannonball hit the roof. Yours is much prettier. Try for a little Zen (said the control freak) and keep breathing. And the Bohus is magnificent and very, very inspiring – I MUST learn to do stranded colored knitting – fair isle, bohus, icelandic, latvian – ALL of it!!! Of course since I had to start my very basic “Harlot Takes Manhattan” hat over four times it seems a remote possiblity that I’ll ever learn color, but one must have dreams…

55. Thundersnow is a phenomenon we have on occasion here in Utah and it is a starteling experience every time. Nature has a way of putting our stress, our lives into perspective. It’s one reason I love living near the mountains. It’s easy to ‘get away’ and think, ponder and feel real. Hope your stress abates soon.

56. Wow. The only thing that would have been weirder about thundersnow is having it happen at my house instead of yours. That is awesome. I need to move somewhere where the weather is something other than “hot”.
    I think that’s the problem with the bohus – you start with the entertaining bit and then proceed to the life sucking bit. If you started with the solid part, you at least would have something to look forward to.

57. Wow. The only thing that would have been weirder about thundersnow is having it happen at my house instead of yours. That is awesome. I need to move somewhere where the weather is something other than “hot”.
    I think that’s the problem with the bohus – you start with the entertaining bit and then proceed to the life sucking bit. If you started with the solid part, you at least would have something to look forward to.

58. Sorry you’re going through a frustrating time. Good job maintaining perspective. I love the juxtaposition of thunder and snow, too (especially the lightning).
    And the Bohus, well, please, show photos at any time.

59. Oh, I love thundersnow. I hope it hits us here in Boston (we’re supposed to get the weaker tail end of that Alberta Clipper that you are getting) instead of 1 inch of slush-snow. ‘Round here (New England) we get Nor’Easters (which are like small hurricanes) and in the winter, they are filled with snow (less than a blizzard) and thunder and lightning. It’s so cool to watch the big heavy thunderclouds having “two personalities”- the loud booming bully and the soft, gentle snow fairy. 🙂 And, yes, I always say “it’s not over until it’s over” and having a parent with cancer (my dad) and one with emphysema (my mom) all while being under 30, it does get to be too much. As a natural worrier, I do take solace in thinking “there’s a bigger plan, I don’t know who the architect is, but there’s a bigger plan”. So, when it’s over, it’s over. But don’t let the process get you down.

60. Sorry you’re going through a frustrating time. Good job maintaining perspective. I love the juxtaposition of thunder and snow, too (especially the lightning).
    And the Bohus, well, please, show photos at any time.

61. Wow. The only thing that would have been weirder about thundersnow is having it happen at my house instead of yours. That is awesome. I need to move somewhere where the weather is something other than “hot”.
    I think that’s the problem with the bohus – you start with the entertaining bit and then proceed to the life sucking bit. If you started with the solid part, you at least would have something to look forward to.

62. Wow. The only thing that would have been weirder about thundersnow is having it happen at my house instead of yours. That is awesome. I need to move somewhere where the weather is something other than “hot”.
    I think that’s the problem with the bohus – you start with the entertaining bit and then proceed to the life sucking bit. If you started with the solid part, you at least would have something to look forward to.

63. Did you know that not only is thundersnow a not too unusual occurence in the northern parts of Michigan, but there is even a report of a tornado in the middle of one of those things!? Don’t believe me? Ask anyone who was in Bay Mills, Michigan on April 1, 1987. Freaky!

64. Doesn’t the quiet crunch of snow have a special way of making the world seem right, even if just for a few minutes out there alone in the crispness of winter? The Bohus is beautiful.

65. Fluffy snow and thunder sounds like a winning combination to me. 🙂

66. Lovely saying, thank you.

67. I hope you all find peace and resolution soon.
    Mom Nature can be so subtle in her reminders of who’s boss.

68. Lovely saying, thank you.

69. We sometimes get thundersnow in Oklahoma, but you know what Mother Nature did that made me say – WOW – lately? Do ya?
    I saw PURPLE RAIN! All these years I thought Purple Rain was something Prince had made up for his song! But no – there it was, early morning, a storm in the east, sun rising beyond the storm – and PURPLE RAIN! I sat in my van for a full 5 minutes just watching it.

70. My husband likes, “there, there, it will be alright” It’s more of a wish than anything else. Please accept the wish. When I first saw the picture of the Bohus with white stuff on it, I thought something had happened to the sweater. It is so far beyond beautiful! We get thundersnow in New Mexico along with some other awesome weather. This winter we have had plenty of snow in general, but it’s a drop in the bucket compared to yours. Anyway, I hope your crisis works out as well as possible. Be well; Jenn

71. Two of my friends cite Thundersnow as the last straw in making their decision to move from Boston to Austin, Texas. They considered it a sure sign that Boston was Not Where They Were Meant to Be. Myself, I enjoy the oddity of it. It’s like the platypus, a nice reminder that, as much as we might long for it, a perfectly ordered world would be missing some wonderful things. Hang in there.

72. Darling, after being directed to your blog by a good friend telling about your March Knit-in in NY. I have to say you either must be English (have English parents) or are one of the few Americans (no offense meant), I know of (in my 16 years here) who can actually spell arse properly! Anyway just to let you know I am spreading the word here at the Point, about 1 hour away from the City, and hopefully we can get a road trip together!
    Comming back to the topic of snow.. your idea about Central Park sounds lovely ,photos of John and Yokos oasis are very pretty, but you know that snow!!! well incase you had not heard it is all turning to slush here now…still not to be a stick in the mud, bring the wellies girls, and to add to your worries, I will pray that the sun will shine from now untill then. This is my first year in NY and I do remember the cherry blossoms in DC in March so I could be wrong.
    Incedently my daughter turns 13 in March ( I have a 14y.o son but that is a whole different bag of balls) I have learn’t a different quote to deal with worries (having had a husband in a war zone I think I ave had some experience)…. “this too shall pass”. My husband likes to say when he looks at life “it is not about the journey of your life but the life in your journey” or somthing like that anyway he always manages to find the bright side and has taught me to quit worring about things I have no control over and take charge of the things I do.
    May the force truly be with you.
    MAC

73. In Navajo Indian tradition, when there is (the first) thundersnow, then it is the end of the Winter storytelling time. When I taught on the Navajo rez 20+ years ago, they were still practising that as truth.

74. Makes you stop a bit when the universe shows you something new and different and bigger than life, doesn’t it? Puts everything into a bit of perspective.

75. I didn’t hear the thundersnow (rats!), but I think I heard the quiet clicking of about three hundred knitters casting on prayer shawls for their Best Knitting Friend. For whatever the reason.
    As Peter Falk said to the invisible angels in Wings of Desire, “I can’t see you, but I know you’re there.”

76. Fluffy snow and thunder sounds like a winning combination to me. 🙂

77. Thundersnow is very cool – I was just as shocked as you the first time I experienced it.

78. Don’t tell anyone else this, but as much as I DESPISE winter (ya, I know I live in Wisconsin – shush up about that allready) – I LOVE snowfalls like that with big fluffy flakes. I love how it falls and how it blankets everything. Love them, Love them, Love them!
    I’ve never had the pleasure of Thundersnow though.

79. I’ve been reading your blog for a couple of months now, and truly appreciate your candor – particularly when it comes to your life beyond the needles. Today’s posting moved me to comment, if only to provide another voice of support. Whatever you are experiencing, do continue to breathe, and remember that serenity has very little to do with what’s going on in your life, and EVERYTHING to do with how you FEEL about your life. Keep you chin up, dearie!

80. We had thundersnow in Pittsburgh a few weeks ago. And this morning? Thundersleet. As if sleet weren’t strange enough on its own. . .

81. My mind was BLOWN when I walked back into my bedroom this morning (after blindly groping my way to the shower), looked out of the window and saw the crazy puffballs falling from the sky. And then – BOOM! The thunder. What a show!
    Love the Bohus, btw. I’m currently trying to figure out if there’s some way I can afford to pick up Poems of Color.

82. I never knew about thundersnow until I moved from Chicago to Cleveland. Then again, I don’t remember beautiful snow (big fluffy, irridescent flakes) until my arrival here… it’s amazing…

83. Husbands are never as impressed as they should be. Or, if they are, the rules dictate they don’t show it. Why, mine looked at my first reasonably-even handspun-by-me alpaca/silk and said “It’s just string.”
    I think he married me in part for the amusement of watching me be impressed by almost anything.

84. I’ve heard of such events, but never witnessed it myself. I do love big fluffy snow regardless.
    I hope things improve in short order.

85. I think that Thundersnow is trying to tell you something important. Like things happen without our control and just slow down take deep breaths and say “”SO be It “” Hope this helps . The bohus looks right at home in that snow and its beautiful .

86. I have to say thanks for this. I needed the words. Even though they were not meant for me.
    I wish I had words to explain.
    Just thanks.

87. I think it is a Chinese curse that says “May you have an interesting life” My friend from Texas says “Its a short road that doesn’t have a horse turd on it” I say “Tie a knot in the end of your rope and hang on for an amazing ride”. As Snoopy says “Be of good Cheer” And now I sez “goodbye and good knitting”

88. Ever since my son chose that quote as his senior motto for the yearbook, I’ve had it posted as my screensaver. It reminds me of Julian of Norwich –“All will be well and all will be well and all manner of things will be well.” Not always well in the way I would personally choose (like my boss suddenly giving me a month off to knit and spin, for instance), but well nevertheless.
    Hope it will be so for you soon.

89. Thundersnow is pretty awesome, isn’t it? I grew up in British Columbia and never saw it, but just last November I saw it for the first time ever…in Utah.
    You gotta hand it to Mother Nature, she’s always got something up her sleeve to make us all stop and think for a moment when we think everything is too much. We’re going through a rough time in our household as well, so I emphasize with you…it IS so much more harder to deal with stuff when it’s partly out of your hands. Just keep holding on until the storm subsides. 🙂
    I love the Bohus. Perhaps someday I will venture into the land of adult clothing and make one for myself. Hee hee. I’m relatively new to the knitting trend and am most comfortable in the Land of Accessories and Baby Items. Someday the courage will come. You’re free to keep inspiring me to get there.

90. Thundersnow is pretty awesome, isn’t it? I grew up in British Columbia and never saw it, but just last November I saw it for the first time ever…in Utah.
    You gotta hand it to Mother Nature, she’s always got something up her sleeve to make us all stop and think for a moment when we think everything is too much. We’re going through a rough time in our household as well, so I emphasize with you…it IS so much more harder to deal with stuff when it’s partly out of your hands. Just keep holding on until the storm subsides. 🙂
    I love the Bohus. Perhaps someday I will venture into the land of adult clothing and make one for myself. Hee hee. I’m relatively new to the knitting trend and am most comfortable in the Land of Accessories and Baby Items. Someday the courage will come. You’re free to keep inspiring me to get there.

91. I grew up in Wisconsin and remember thundersnow well. It doesn’t happen often but when it does it’s quite a show.

92. I grew up in Wisconsin and remember thundersnow well. It doesn’t happen often but when it does it’s quite a show.

93. I’ve seen Thundersnow (it must be captitalized, yes?) once, and it was amazing. Only one flash of light and one boom, but it is enough to redefine the universe.
    As for the worrying, I love your quote. I have elevated worry to an art form in my household. I’m trying to stop, but having a daughter who just turned 20 yesterday is not helping that. I have two mantras. “All will be well, all will be well, all manner of things will be well.” The one I use as a daily prayer is “Blessed be the morn for me and mine, blessed be the day for me and mine, blessed be the night for me and mine.” I repeat it three times, for each member of my family, and I can literally FEEL my blood pressure dropping. I like yours too, and am going to add it to my book of quotes.
    Blessings to you and yours, and thank you for reminding us all we are not alone in life’s little dramas. Even if they don’t seem little!
    Kathy

94. Although it sucks, i’m glad that i’m not alone in the world of worriers. I’m constantly worrying abotu things i can not control – which usually makes me worry/stress more that i know i can’t control them. Deep Breaths, lots of knitting, and a good bottle of wine.
    ps – i’ve put that quote in places where i’ll always see it – my desk at work, at home on my fridge and in my daily planner – exactly what i needed to hear today. thanks 🙂

95. I think obsessing and wanting to control the world is a Mom thing.
    I woke up dreaming about a serial killer trying to get into my house so I stayed awake until I thought of a way to rig up the doors so I would be able to hear someone open them and get out with my daughter before he could get me. I think I realized what an obsessive idiot I was being when I remembered that I would need to leave the door open so the pets could get out too.
    I hope your problem has a solution soon and it is one that all of you can live with.

96. I’ve been known to say that I believe in miracles the same way I believe in thundersnow (did you see lightning? that’s even more bizarre for some reason): I’ve experienced both, but rarely and randomly.
    The randomness of the universe is hard to deal with when you’re confronted with bad stuff that’s manifestly beyond your control. It’s almost enough to start an agnostic praying. (Do not ask how I know this.) Walking, knitting, cooking and meditating, or some combination thereof, have sometimes helped me. Anything to take back some small bit of control.
    I’ll be thinking of you.

97. We get Thundersnow here in Nova Scotia every once in a while. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it both scares the bejeezus out of my (in that “holy crap, is this the apocalypse?” way) and amazes me (in that “Mother Nature is so cool” way).
    As long as flights are ok, etc, I hope to be in T.O. by noon and standing in Lettuce Knit by 2pm. Want anything delivered from the East Coast? I’m not officially allowed to tuck Kathryn (the Fleece Artist) or Lucy Neatby, into my suitcase, but if you’re looking for yarn or anything, lemme know.

98. The thundersnow was a kind of gift, in a weird way. Your Bohus is really really lovely. Having dealt with lots of stress, I have a list of coping mechanisms. 1. Endorphins-exercize that is rigorous enough to keep you from thinking; deeply inhaling roses; favorite foods, but of course we have to be careful with that one; the old standby, sex. 2. Flow charts-helps to avoid thinking thru to the same discouraging deadends repeatedly. Doing it on paper means you get to “What next?” 3. A large distracting project-again to halt thinking. 4. Tranquilizer-never had the nerve to try it. (outside the dentist office, that is.) 5. Music-can take your beleagered mind to a totally different place. And, lastly 6. Comparisons-when you get right down to it, everything is relative. I do think that we can become accustomed to affecting change and making things happen. Standing by can be tough. I think of the Churchhill quote “They also serve who only stand and wait.” Seeing the whole event as an opportunity to serve, as an example of grace under pressure, or as a sounding board to those around you can sometimes put it in a different light, making it a little more managable. Skills of the emotions, like navigating thru love, or dealing with parents are hard won, but valuable. I hope this helps.

99. I hope everything is resolved soon, and that you are able to relax. I love the pictures of the tree with snow, they are beautiful. We are getting fluffy snow here today. It’s my favorite because the cars slow down and everything seems quieter.

100. Well, that’s all freakin’ well and good (and very pretty snow and all) but now you have ALL OF US WORRIED!! And where are we supposed to put that?? While I have an unspoken argument with nobody over something I don’t know that’s definitely bothering my friend, you just take care. Really.
     Hmphh.

101. That happened once when we lived in Calgary! Only we called it thunder flurries.

102. We’ve had thundersnow just a handful of times that I can remember. Truly an awesome thing.
     The quote is wonderful. I have a few things that are completely frustrating and totally out of control right now as well. I needed to hear something like that.
     You sound like my Mom with the worrying. OK, you sound like me too. We claim worry as a talent. We are very, very good at it.

103. I’m really sorry you’re stressed out. I can relate to the worrying/analyzing part. I think I have some obsessive personality quirks.
     Just be grateful you didn’t have to drive to work in the thundersnow. THAT was fun!

104. That happened once when we lived in Calgary! Only we called it thunder flurries.

105. Here I’ve been screeching around the house for a few days, upset because I’m can’t control enough stuff to keep our lives going in straight lines…
     Mercury is in retrograde. It’ll pass soon, until then, try not to stress too much.
     As for the thundersnow… that sounds like a positively enlightening experience.

106. Stephanie, the comments on this post are becoming a prayer shawl of words, I think. I hope you can feel the communal warmth and wrap it around you.
     Your description of the thundersnow amidst your trouble made me think of the ancient Gaelic blessing given in the book on the prayer shawl ministry, Knitting Into the Mystery (p. 134):
     Deep peace of the quiet earth to you
     Deep peace of the shining stars to you
     Deep peace of the gentle night to you
     Moon and stars pour their healing light to you
     Deep peace to you, deep peace to you

107. Last winter we had a big snowfall that kind of came out of nowhere and dumped over a foot on us. We were coming home during the storm, and I remarked that the sky was kind of purple looking. Then we saw lightning and heard thunder, and it was the most freaky awe-inspiring weather related thing I have ever witnessed LOL.
     I have never heard of it before or since, and we were starting to convince ourselves we must have been mistaken. Knowing that you and your kids have seen it makes me feel a little less insane ROFL.

108. Last winter we had a big snowfall that kind of came out of nowhere and dumped over a foot on us. We were coming home during the storm, and I remarked that the sky was kind of purple looking. Then we saw lightning and heard thunder, and it was the most freaky awe-inspiring weather related thing I have ever witnessed LOL.
     I have never heard of it before or since, and we were starting to convince ourselves we must have been mistaken. Knowing that you and your kids have seen it makes me feel a little less insane ROFL.

109. Worrying, obsessing, analysing? You’re clearly my long lost twin. Hope things work out soon.
     Beautiful pictures!

110. We had the same snow here in London this morning but I’m not sure if there was any thunder. My girlfriend and I have just booked our flight and hotel. See you in New York City!

111. I love thundersnow! It combines two of my favorite weather events. Lucky you to witness it in all its glory!

112. Thundersnow always seems so very, very wrong… and yet so very right.

113. Geez! I just finished my message when it said “page has expired” and disappeared!!! Ah well, I just wanted to say that nature has a way of reminding us how small we are in the great scheme of things – more or less! I have never experienced thundersnow, just 8 months of winter, -47C with the wind chill yesterday (probably the same today), but some incredible thick snow flakes one year – looked like they’d been cut out. Only seen them once like that in 20 years up here.
     Love the Zen story – will try to remember it.
     Hope things are looking up – well obviously you were yesterday.
     Janet MF up in Yellowknife

114. This might be a good time to tell you this: I finished my Olympics project. Just in the past few days. It was the hardest thing I ever knit, and I did it, and I showed it off at Guild last night, and it looks mighty good, if I do say so. I made the African Vest from Folk Vests, steeks and all. I challenged myself, thanks to you, to do something in knitting I’d never done. And I did it. It took me a long time, so I’m one of the last to cross the finish line, but I did it. Which I never would have done without your challenge. So, thanks. MaryB

115. Yes, my first thundersnow ever – couldn’t understand that first flash (just as I was putting on my coat to leave) until the thunder that followed it. Was soaking wet by the end of a 35-minute walk to work, but some truly gorgeous snow-on-trees, snow-on-shrubs, snow-on-people mental pictures as a reward. I do wish you & all concerned a good outcome with the current problem.

116. I too am an obsessive worrier and analyzer of all things, particularly family problems. I completely understand how whole days can go missing despite going through all the normal motions. I hope whatever is ailing your family will resolve itself soon…you know, for the sake of your knitting. (Priorities, right?)

117. We’ve had thundersnow here, on occasion – nothing nearly like the thunderstorms we get in the summer, but I think it’s strangely, creepily comforting for there to be something that I completely associate with heat and wild rain happen in the middle of cold, cold snow. Kinda cool.

118. I saw the lightning and heard the thunder as I was walking up Duncan Street this morning and found it completely bizarre and totally neat!

119. Ms. Harlot I recently started going through your archives and last night I was reading about your vacation to Newfoundland with your family in Aug ’04. What a wondeful experience! If you find yourself unable to knit or concentrate maybe try going back and taking a look at those pictures. I’m sure it will force you to smile and experience at least a moment of peace, I know it did for me and I wasn’t even there =)
     Meanwhile I will send “it’s all going to get better soon” thoughts through the cosmos to you and your family!

120. I’ve occasionally wondered if thunder and lightning with snowfall was possible… Now I know! What a wonder of nature!
     The Bohus is GORGEOUS! It looks like crinkly autumn leaves. Great job, Steph!
     I hope the bumps in your road smooth out soon!

121. Well, if I hadn’t heard/seen thundersnow myself this morning, I wouldn’t know what you were talking about! I was brushing snow off my car when I heard the thunder. I thought I was hearing things at first and kept looking up and down my street to see if there was anyone else outside who heard it as well! I’m glad to know that I wasn’t imagining things since you heard it too!

122. Well, if I hadn’t heard/seen thundersnow myself this morning, I wouldn’t know what you were talking about! I was brushing snow off my car when I heard the thunder. I thought I was hearing things at first and kept looking up and down my street to see if there was anyone else outside who heard it as well! I’m glad to know that I wasn’t imagining things since you heard it too!

123. Well, if I hadn’t heard/seen thundersnow myself this morning, I wouldn’t know what you were talking about! I was brushing snow off my car when I heard the thunder. I thought I was hearing things at first and kept looking up and down my street to see if there was anyone else outside who heard it as well! I’m glad to know that I wasn’t imagining things since you heard it too!

124. Crap! You’re not in charge?!? I’m sunk.

125. Maybe Mother Nature was saying “peace”. 🙂
     Thanks for sharing.

126. Maybe Mother Nature was saying “peace”. 🙂
     Thanks for sharing.

127. My 5 year old looked outside this morning and said, “Look, it’s raining snowballs!” It sure was big and flaky. I love the bohus. It is gorgeous. I also really loved the mittens. I’ve been meaning to comment for a while. I was sent here by your sister-in-law, Alison, who happens to be my cousin. I’ve been blown away ever since. Thanks for all the inspiration.

128. All shall
     be well,
     and all shall
     be well,
     and all manner
     of thing
     shall be well.
     dame julian of norwich – 14th century – mystic
     This keeps both my boss and me sane at work. http://www.worldprayers.org
     The thundersnow would be spectacular.

129. I have seen thundersnow several times (as the article says, it’s more common in the Great Lakes areas – like Chicago) & every time, I have just been totally nonplussed. It truly is awe inspiring. And I think that your gift for worrying, analyzing & coming up with solutions is also the reason why you are such a gifted writer. With 3 teenage daughters, that gift must be called upon frequently. I had only 2 & still remember how much I worried about them making it through their teens & into adulthood not only alive but as more or less happy, productive people. It gets better when they are adults but at certain times it comes back like a flash (like when one is living in a city 1,000 miles away & there is a serial killer targeting women who look eerily like her). Was it Thoreau who said that, when you have children, you give hostages to fate?

130. Thank you for the quote; that one will come in handy.

131. Best of luck with the problem. I love the quote. I must write that down for later use.
     We got the thundersnow out here in Milton too. It was very, very cool. My two-year old and I stood and watched it for as long as it lasted. Not long enough.

132. Thundersnow…sounds lovely. The Bohus is also as pretty as all get-out, there is no way we will be bored by futher progress shots. Sorry about the upsetness, but without occasional troubles, the good bits in life probably wouldn’t seem so special.

133. I’ve never experienced thundersnow…probably a good thing since I detest thunderstorms in general. God is so amazing with the weird and wonderful weather He’s created, mind you, He’s so amazing at everything else He’s created too!

134. I don’t know if there is a way to NOT worry things…it seems to be my part in all of this. However, after bit I live in the suspension of ‘not quite yet’ (take hike, more meditative thinking than worrying, gratitude list, pro-con list, etc.,) and then my part, the outcomes, the stuff I can do gets clear. I do like to ‘DO something’. Just don’t know if worrying can be taken out of the picture. hmm…speaking of pictures, the Bohus is beautiful, especially with the quarter-cup size flakes. I hope all is clear and into a great solution soon.

135. Thundersnow is the best.
     My grandmother used to tell me that big flakes were because Mother Goose was cleaning her feathers.
     It was magical out there this morning. – Perhaps a gift from the knitting gods?

136. “analysing is my favourite. Hours and hours gone to discussing and understanding the problem while nothing changes and you get more upset”
     I am so glad to read that I am not the only person who does this – and you expressed it so well. : ) It reminds me that I haven’t chanted my own mantra in quite some time, and maybe I should get to it, mumbling it desparately in a “back slowly away and maybe she won’t notice you” sort of way.
     This too shall pass.
     Thanks for all your entries – I’ve read the blog for a long time, and am always awed over how fast you can finish a sweater.
     Cheers,
     Chani

137. I wish you Peace, Stephanie. And positive distractions while you wait.
     Thundersnow sounds amazing.

138. Mother Nature knew her daughter was full of woe and sent something to remind you about what is big and what is not.
     Peace be with you.
     p.s. The Bohus is incredibly beautiful. When you get tired of it, just remember it is not green sock “step-outs”!

139. Mother Nature does put on a great show! We had it as well last week, but yesterday…70 degrees! I was considering the A/C! Loving Guld, can’t wait to see it finished. Sending peaceful thoughts your way…hope they help.

140. What happened to her beautiful sweater?? Did she wash it in the same load as a kleenex?? Wait, it’s still on the needles! She didn’t wash it. Someone spilled bleach on it. No wonder she’s in a funk. No, wait it’s just snow. Whew! And thundersnow at that – seems fitting for a sweater with Swedish roots.

141. Thundersnow does give one a bit of a scare, doesn’t it? You think, ok, what now????
     Am looking forward to seeing you in Pittsburgh (hope you get a better hotel than last time!!)

142. I love it when Mother Nature astounds me! I’m sorry that you’re so worried right now, and I hope it gets better soon.

143. Hope things get back to “okay” soon. Sounds to me like the weather gods were empathizing with your upset state.

144. “Thundersnow” – sounds like a pattern, maybe socks?

145. Yes Thundersnow! I saw it this morning (I live in downtown Toronto). My bf asks, “Thunder? Isn’t it snowing? Are you sure it’s thunder?” For the entire morning I thought I was hallucinating! It was indeed beautiful snow.

146. I saw the thundersnow this morning, too. Just last night I was walking home thinking “thank God all that snow is melting away”, yet this morning I was really glad to see Nature changed her mind, like “I will show you something you might not see again for awhile.”

147. Going through something similar myself at the moment, so I sympathize. At 6:00 a.m. I was imagining what my closing argument would be if my issue were a court case. And it was pretty good! I’m spending a lot of time on the phone with “furthermore” also. Hope we both get some resolution soon!

148. Here in OK, we do sometimes get some harsh winter weather, but it’s really no big deal because within two days all the ice & snow will melt and we’ll be needing the A/C in our cars again.
     This year God decided to show us who’s the Boss, and kicked off January with inches of freezing rain. When He decided to honor us with some genuine winter weather, He announced it early one morning with thunder and lightning.
     That was a first for me!

149. You know, a seagull once shit on my husband’s head and it saved our marriage. Mother nature often has excellent surprise in store–and Thundersnow is much more poetic than seagull shit.

150. There is a time to knit and a time to find a cozy corner where you can close your eyes and lay your worrying head on a fluffy pillow of half-knitted Bohus, letting your downy soft stitches lull you into peaceful calm.

151. As Denny would tell you if she were here, inhale pink, exhale blue, inhale pink, exhale blue…
     (of course, if I was really being Denny I’d have to say hi to myself right about now, but that’s just a bit too weird.

152. Don’t you just love it when life smacks you on the head and says slow down, look at me? Wonderful.

153. Believe it or not, we have had thundersnow here in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona. Eerie. Obviously not knowing the issues with which you are struggling, let me just say, in the past six months, my son-in-law was killed in a car crash, my stepdaughter went bonkers, we became the permanent guardians of her two year-old just as all our kids became teenagers, my husband had major back surgery, my father-in-law just yesterday had his entire cancerous colon removed,and my husband had a suspicious still-waiting-on-a-biopsy mole removed from his neck. Did I mention my own father died of melanoma at 52? Think I’m stressed? Oh, and my almost 18-year-old daughter just joined the Navy in the middle of one of the stupidest wars in history. And hey, I am still slightly sane, though my drinking level has definitely increased. Whatever it is you are going through, you will remain at least as slightly sane as I am. (Not sure if that’s a comfort or not.) Sending many positive thoughts and a mental beer your way. -Lauren

154. What a good read! I was sent there by my DIL–she is obsessed with reading blogs she said and of course obsessed with knitting. What a hoot. My blog is not nearly as interesting. Thundershower–I know they happen.

155. Not only are you entertaining, but educational! Thundersnow is the coolest thing ever.
     *sends positive thoughts to you*

156. That’s very cool, indeed. I hope whatever you’re fretting over passes quickly with no harm to you or anyone you care about. Those problems outside your scope of influence are a bitch.

157. I’m truly sorry you’re having a rough time now, Stephanie. But even in the midst of your tsauris (a Yiddish word, which I only know how to define in this way: one gets tsauris [heartache, angst, stress, etc] from your children and nachaus [joy, fulfillment, boundless feelings of love] from your grandchildren).
     As I was saying, even the the midst of your tsauris, you taught me a quote that is a very good one for me to remember and gave us beautiful snowy pics and thundersnow.
     Thanks!

158. I’m truly sorry you’re having a rough time now, Stephanie. But even in the midst of your tsauris (a Yiddish word, which I only know how to define in this way: one gets tsauris [heartache, angst, stress, etc] from your children and nachaus [joy, fulfillment, boundless feelings of love] from your grandchildren).
     As I was saying, even the the midst of your tsauris, you taught me a quote that is a very good one for me to remember and gave us beautiful snowy pics and thundersnow.
     Thanks!

159. we get thundersnow here about every 2 or 3 years. in fact, they’re predicting it saturday night. with approximately 3 to +12 inches of snow. wow.

160. We get thundersnow in Cleveland, usually once or twice a year. As you can imagine, God has to have all Her ducks in order to make it happen but when it does it is awesome. And, usually, the snow is the beautiful, fluffy, cling to everything kind (as opposed to the wet, sloppy stuff).
     Your Bohus is lovely! I’ve been working on a simple entrelac thingee but this week the overwhelming pieces of life have put a break on my knitting, just for a wee bit of time.

161. Steph, I think we must be kindred spirits, because I am built the same way, worry-wise, over-thinking-wise and must-fix-it-wise 🙂 And I have been going through a similar scenario the past few days, to the point of not realizing what day it is (my daughter asked me if I saved a show I had taped and I thought I had taped over it, but it was just the night before, not two nights ago, as I was thinking it was – if that makes any sense). I am sure the knitters at Knit Night completely understand and welcome a future visit. Now, after reading the messages, it seems there is a lot of this going around. So we all must take deep breaths and use that wonderful quote as our mantra. Take good care – Cathy

162. Hey Steph,
     I remember clearly the awe and delight at my one and only thundersnow experience. 1978 in Wisconsin. I do NOT, however, remember anything else about the day or week.
     My wish for you is that in the years to come you remember that moment with your daughters, and maybe Joe, and nothing else about the day.
     Thanks for your blog!

163. Thundersnow? What a cool thing! The best we get in our valley is rain … which I love …. but thundersnow is just way cool!
     And your quotation is worth remembering. Its very hard for us (passive) control freaks to remember we can’t control everything and everyone to our own rules, no matter how sensible they seem (to us). My favorite statement when things get totally stressful is “This too, shall pass, just like a gallstone.” Grosses out the people who annoy you, and yet, gets the point across. Or, there’s always another favorite, “When you’re up to your ass in alligators, its hard to remember that your initial objective was to drain the swamp.” Hope your swamp drains soon!

164. P.S. The bohus is beautiful, especially with all that lovely wooly snow on it! And, yes, here in Cleveland we have experienced Thundersnow 🙂

165. I am so sorry that you’re going through a rough time right now, but thank you so much for sharing with us. I’ve been in stress overload for the last 5 months, and it has helped so much to read other peoples good wishes for you. I’ve copied the quotes, and plan to read them whenever I begin to feel overwhelmed, which seems to be about a million times a day. This, too, shall pass.

166. Thundersnow… I had no idea.
     I hope things smooth out soon.

167. I hate to complain just now but I think this may be somewhat annoying to a lot of people – why is it that so many comments on your blog are repeated more than once? I think I’ve seen the same ones 2-4 times.

168. I’ve never seen thundersnow in St. Louis and obviously never, ever in South Carolina. However, once during my years in Iowa I saw it. It is truly breathtaking, the amount of snow and then the lightning add up to a truly wonderous moment. Almost makes me miss the Upper Midwest – almost.

169. I like your mantra. Mine, lately, has been “Maybe Google DID offer me enough money to move back to Chicago.”
     Yours has a nicer ring.
     Love the bohus. So much so, I’ve just hunted around and bought yarn in similar colours. but I must do the LOPI’s FIRST!

170. Thundersnow… I had no idea.
     I hope things smooth out soon.

171. Thundersnow… I had no idea.
     I hope things smooth out soon.

172. I like your mantra. Mine, lately, has been “Maybe Google DID offer me enough money to move back to Chicago.”
     Yours has a nicer ring.
     Love the bohus. So much so, I’ve just hunted around and bought yarn in similar colours. but I must do the LOPI’s FIRST!

173. Some days, I think the universe gives you exactly what you need.

174. Steph, May I say that your new ISP is kind of sucky? I don’t think they have enough bandwidth to handle your blog.

175. Stephanie, I’m back again, but I’ve been thinking and although I have no idea what’s going on in your life right now…remember what you wrote on Lene’s blog the other day…she was unsettled…you told her about brains re-organizing and that makes for cranky,fussy babies, but then comes the break-through change… also for the bigger folks, well I think that goes same for lives, individually and collectively (as in families) see where I’m going with this? I don’t know what you all are possibly ‘re-organizing’ about/for but I’d put good wool on the line that the outcome will be just dandy.
     Wouldn’t it be great to apply the same to the world at large, talk about some ‘re-organizing’ going on…a big cranky, fussy earth as in the folks..I can only dream and imagine that that’s what’s going on now (it is way cranky and fussy)and the breakthrough would be we could all live in peace. yep, I’m a dreamer. and optimistic. hey, I’m a knitter!

176. Well, I do like that quote. It’s similar to what my father kept telling me, as his passing grew closer and closer – “It will all be ok.” And I like the extension yours has – it’s not done if it’s not yet ok.
     I share your “characteristics”/”traits” – I, too, want to puzz until my puzzler can take no more or I collapse in a heap. So much mental energy & brainpower, spent whirling on the hamster wheel. ah well. I’m convinced it’s in our nature – our ancestors were SMART enough to worry whether or not there might be a saber-toothed tiger on the other side of that boulder……

177. 🙂
     I love when the universe steps in and sheds some light on the scale and scope of things. I always find it beautiful and humbling.

178. Hi Stephanie: When you were at the Madrona Fiber Arts Retreat you were fascinated with our fog. We have had thundersnow storms several times this year and have in the past. One of our storms also included wind. It is facinating, and a very good reminder of what little we can control.
     Sue

179. Steph, sometimes I really do wonder if we were separated at birth or something. “Furthermore” and “the more I think about it” are things I’m sure my husband wishes he could simply delete from my vocabulary altogether. Along with my tendency to worry at things I over which I have no influence like a starving dog with a too-big bone.
     Thundersnow sounds COOL. We, uh, we don’t get that here. We don’t even get snow. Let alone THUNDERSNOW (which, BTW, sounds like a great name for a band). Nature surely does know how to keep us amazed, doesn’t She?

180. Hi Stephanie: When you were at the Madrona Fiber Arts Retreat you were fascinated with our fog. We have had thundersnow storms several times this year and have in the past. One of our storms also included wind. It is facinating, and a very good reminder of what little we can control.
     Sue

181. Well, I do like that quote. It’s similar to what my father kept telling me, as his passing grew closer and closer – “It will all be ok.” And I like the extension yours has – it’s not done if it’s not yet ok.
     I share your “characteristics”/”traits” – I, too, want to puzz until my puzzler can take no more or I collapse in a heap. So much mental energy & brainpower, spent whirling on the hamster wheel. ah well. I’m convinced it’s in our nature – our ancestors were SMART enough to worry whether or not there might be a saber-toothed tiger on the other side of that boulder……

182. I think we all went out to try to photograph that wonderful snow. I let the kittens out to play in it for a minute: What fun!(they tried to chase it) and the power flickered while I was in the shower: Not so fun.
     And so soon it was just SLUSH.

183. If happens in Chicago at least once a year. I have heard somthing like that the first frost is 6 months after the first thunder of the year. Not sure if that’s true or not. But no matter what Thunder Snow is pretty cool! Mother Nature Rules@

184. I love thundersnow! (Granted, the first time I experienced it, I was a little freaked out.)

185. Control? I was just talking about it to a friend yesterday. It’s why I knit: at least I have control over something. I suspect it’s also why I have so many unfinished projects: looking for more control!
     What we worry about rarely comes to pass . . .

186. I had never heard of Thundersnow till we moved to OK. It is strage, but then so in OK. lol
     There is no control, I have lack of it and the more I try the worse it gets. Just keep in going….

187. Stephanie, Thundersnow snd the flufy stuff that goes with it , neat stuff, have had it a few times here in Wisconsin, family loves thunder boomers. We are expecting nasty freezing rain mixed with snow this weekend, and so many places to go/oy worrying , know alot about that have many migraines because of it and other things. Hubby says if there was an award given for worrying, I would certainly have it.
     Namaste Kristy

188. Thundersnow – I love it. I am in N. Calif. and it snowed here today too!! I love the calm, quiet of snowfall – the crunch sound as it hits and the stillness of it all. I tried to take pics too of falling snow – no luck. Had to call the kid in SoCal to tell her she may live on the beach, but mama’s got snow today!! Love the sweater too by the way.

189. Thank you for sharing your life with us. “Greater love has no man (woman) than he (she) should lay down his (her) life for another.” Recently, I’ve become convinced that “lay down life” does not necessarily mean die for another, but share in a deep personal way. You do this for all of us and provide a touching example of being vulnerable. Your sharing of your concern and then the touching sharing of the Thundersnow left me in tears. I’ll be holding tender thoughts of you.

190. My phrase these days:
     Teach us to care and not to care
     Teach us to sit still
     Zen by way of Anglicanism, thanks to T S Eliot.

191. Nothing like a little Mother Nature to put things in perspective! I often have the same daydreams of running the world or at least some other people’s lives, sure that I could do better. It is when I get the big smackdown that I realize it is OK. Just OK. Dont worry be happy 🙂

192. Beautiful.

193. We had some thundersnow a couple of weeks back. It was for about two hours, and it was really, really cool. I wonder if big, fat flakes are a pre-requisite for thundersnow, because that’s what we had here in OK, too.

194. I experienced thundersnow once growing up in Wisconsin. It is pretty amazing and surreal.
     I like your quote. I use the line from The Maltese Falcon: “Nothing very bad is going to happen here.”
     Your Bohus sweater is beautiful!

195. A: It was a truly beautiful morning. I wanted to have outdoor play with my 4-year-old.
     B: As posted on my mother’s fridge “You cannot worry about what you cannot control.”

196. Totally unrelated to anything, we just got satellite tv, and I now have access to “Knitty Gritty”. Please tell me that I haven’t missed your appearance!If I haven’t, do you have any idea when it will be airing? Thanks!

197. We have been having an alarming amount of thundersnow here the past few years. I’ve never, ever experienced this before, in my entire life of living around here. I see it as the beginning of the end. It’s that spooky.

198. In a similar vein as : It’s all going to be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, then it’s not the end.
     A personal favorite mine in stressful events is this:
     It’ll be fine, or it’ll be over. And in either case, it’ll be over.
     Either said stressful event will go well or it wont, but either way, you’ve gotten it over with and that’s SO much better than the nerve wracked anticipation. (i tell myself this every finals sesson)

199. As your sister worrier, I both appreciate the quote and your torment. Hope all is well soon.
     P.S. The quote I mutter to myself ( and I don’t know where it comes from) is:
     All Shall Be Well.
     All Shall Be Well.
     And All Manner of Things Shall Be Well.

200. We heard it this morning, too! Actually, I thought it was just a big truck crunching over all the snow until my husband told our daughter it was thunder. Very weird stuff.

201. You have no idea how much your post means to me. As the parent of 2 teenagers, I can really relate to that stress of not being able to control the things I would like to control. Thank you for writing about it.

202. Hm. My mom had something to say about control and kids…
     “You can do it peacefully and quietly, or you can do it kicking and screaming, but it’s GOING to get done.”
     Amazing how broadly that applies to life. There are days when kicking and screaming is a GOOD thing, and then there are the days when peaceful and quiet accomplishment is soooo badly needed.
     Those are the ones when I get out the Angora and the spinning wheel, a favorite CD and a LARGE mug of hot chocolate. Peaceful spinning accomplishment with chocolate–how good can it get?
     PS…locking the door (any door, even the front one) helps keep it peaceful… 🙂
     Hang in there!

203. Oddly enough, I lived 7 years in Minnesota without ever hearing the term thundersnow (which is a cool word, btw). I had to move to Philadelphia, of all places, to experience thundersnow last year. It’s one of the funkier of mother nature’s tricks.
     My favorite phenomenon was when I lived in Florida. Lightning would ball up in the clouds, streaking around and jumping from cloud to cloud without it ever raining and without the lightning ever touching the ground. Fascinating to watch.
     I love Jacob’s ladders, too. Things like that always help me put my life in perspective. It doesn’t fix anything, but it takes you out of yourself for a few minutes in awe of the world.

204. I have that quote hanging on the wall just beside my front door, and used to look at it every morning when I left for work. According to the card, it says it’s attributed to “anonymous.”
     The two other quotes I have in that frame are also very helpful…
     “Leap and the net will appear” (zen saying)
     “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” (Winston Churchill)
     I am jealous of your snow. 🙂

205. I’ve never heard of Thundersnow before… fascinating. It must have been so beautiful.
     Breathe. Breathe and knit. :0)

206. Sorry you are having a rough day.
     Blessings…..
     Diane

207. When I was a kid there was a woman in my neighborhood named Pearl. She was old and deaf, and possibly crazy. She often walked up and down the middle of our quiet street saying to herself – loudly – “Don’t worry Pearl. Everything’s going to be OK… Everything’s going to be allright”
     Seemed to help.

208. I’ve read your blog now a couple of months. I love your books (that’s how I found the blog) and your wit is uplifting & very honest. I appreciate the way you write as it is honest & just like you were having a conversation with a friend. That said, today I wanted to finally comment on your posting. I’M having that same problem lately. I can’t seem to let go of an issue & you saying “outloud” how you are dealing with your issue, makes me feel less crazy & seriously less alone in my worry. I’m sure our issues aren’t similar in any way, but I truly appreciate your helping me with your honest look at your neurosis & worry because I too share them.:)LOL (that wasn’t a criticism, more a compliment)I love it! I don’t know if it’s a woman thing but I’m just happy I’m not alone. Knit on!-sort of like ROCK ON, only better;)
     ~Jules

209. I’ve read your blog now a couple of months. I love your books (that’s how I found the blog) and your wit is uplifting & very honest. I appreciate the way you write as it is honest & just like you were having a conversation with a friend. That said, today I wanted to finally comment on your posting. I’M having that same problem lately. I can’t seem to let go of an issue & you saying “outloud” how you are dealing with your issue, makes me feel less crazy & seriously less alone in my worry. I’m sure our issues aren’t similar in any way, but I truly appreciate your helping me with your honest look at your neurosis & worry because I too share them.:)LOL (that wasn’t a criticism, more a compliment)I love it! I don’t know if it’s a woman thing but I’m just happy I’m not alone. Knit on!-sort of like ROCK ON, only better;)
     ~Jules

210. I’ve seen thundersnow before… it’s the weirdest thing isn’t it? We had it here in Calgary. The sky lit up electric purple. I was so amazed by it, I had to phone my sister in Vancouver to share (she has a lightening phobia and our typical Summer prairie storms terrify her so I eliminated the only time of year when she might have possibly considered coming here).
     As far as your worrying situation, I’m guessing it’s family related (it usually is). Take heart and believe that things WILL get better. Again as a natural born worrier, I can sympathize. A friend told me a quote “Worrying is like sitting in a rocking chair… it gives you something to do but it doesn’t get you anywhere.” don’t know if it will help but it’s a good quote anyway.

211. Ah….worrying. It really is the result of trying to live someone else’s life for them because you could do it so much better. (I know, it sounds ridiculous once you say it out loud.) I sense a teenager in the woodwork…..being the proud owner of one myself. You really can’t live her life better than she can….you can’t really live it at all. Focus into the future. Don’t deal with the girl in front of you deal with the woman that you can see coming.
     and, of course, keep knitting. It relieves stress. And if that doesn’t work than hit something (that’s something not someone).

212. We got the big puffy snow in Buffalo this morning, but it is all gone again.
     When I lived west of Chicago we would get thunder snow, not regularly but often enough for it not to stop you in your tracks. Seeing it at night is even more splendid.
     Maybe when you finish the bohus your problems will have resolved.

213. Wow, I’ve never heard of that before. Just wanted to say I love your blog. I had read your book “Yarn Harlot: the secret life of a knitter” this summer before I even knew about your blog and I absolutely loved it. I was so happy that someone was able combine three of my favorite things: humor, creative writing, and knitting. I read it all in one sitting! Keep up the good work!

214. We saw and heard thundersnow years ago in Smokey Mountain National Park, or near there — we were backpacking in the fall, there was thundersnow and we woke to the brilliant fall foliage still showing through the snowfall. Gorgeous!

215. If we had thundersnow here in Rochester, NY this morning, I missed it (drat). I did see some about a month ago, at night, also very cool.
     Sometimes you just have to worry through something; do try to let go of it when it’s time to.

216. I love thunderstorms. I like the sound of thunder; the way it rolls in from far away, the echo it leaves behind, the empty quiet before and after, it’s amazing. Enjoy the sound of thunder, knit to it, it’s good for you, it’s better than church bells!
     Fretting is something that’s developed with having several children so I’m told. Relax, have faith in whoever is having the issue and that they’ll work it out and if they need help, they’ll go to you. It’ll be okay. A little faith goes a long long way.

217. Peace to you.

218. Family stress comes to all of us, especially when there are teenagers in the household, or when we have parents or family members struggling with life.
     Hang in there, Stephanie. SOOOO many people care about you and your family. We pray that peace will find you and your family again.

219. Thundersnow is one of the greatest gifts of mother nature. It does just take your breath away…. and all the problems too, if only for a momment. It is by far my favorite thing in all the world, but I think what makes it so is the fact that it comes only on those really rare occassions when I happen to really need something shocking. (i’ve only heard it twice)
     i hope you de-stress soon!

220. We had that snow too. Flakes the size of P.E.I.!!!!
     It was beautiful – my photos didn’t totally capture the wonder of it either. But I missed the thundersnow. Damn.
     Go for another walk in the snow tomorrow. Walking, and sliding and climbing in snow is a good way to reduce stress. Ask me how I know! Take care.

221. we get thundersnow in ohio pretty often; come to think of it, we get thunder in ohio pretty often, so that’s not too surprising. when you hear it in the snow, it’s more muffled and funny somehow . . .
     i’m glad your snow is wetter these days; maybe that means it has warmed up?

222. dear staphanie
     we had lightning and thunder yesterday… I wonder if it was the same time as your thundersnow. If so, then perhaps it was a cosmic-internet linking the knitters of asia with your harlot-ness.
     lightning; a flash of light in the sky caused by the discharge of atmospheric electricity.
     thunder; the sound following a flash of lightning.
     lightning, to be followed by thunder. Mother nature in her extreme simplicity and symmetry gives us this simple formula to live life.
     a great woman once said…”Never be afraid to trust your instincts. Therein lies the path to greatness, and in the end… it`s only knitting.”

223. I envy you your weather.
     I know… Ignore me. I’m one of those people.
     I find flying to be a vital exercise to control my control-freakiness. Long ago, I came to terms with the fact that, once I’m on that plane, I have absolutely no control over what happens to me until I arrive at my destination (and even then my control is tenuous).
     Sometime it helps. And then I fly with my control-freaky DH who hates flying and it totally effs with my Zen mode.

224. I’ve only been exposed to thundersnow once in my life (I was five and didn’t really appreciate it. I just thought it was cool). Unfortunately, here in Bowmanville, I couldn’t hear the thunder, though we certainly got the snow. I did hear it on television though. I was watching Breakfast Television, having just gotten the kids out the door to catch their school bus, when I heard the deep rumble over the voices of Kevin and Dina (the hosts , just in case you don’t watch). They were impressed. I was impressed. It set a tone of awe for my entire day (a day filled with tons of laundry and a cables and lace sock three quarters of the way done in a green that reminds me of jungle vines). I’m still a touch awe-filled.

225. Re: the knitting muggles, no problem…more yarn for me:)
     Ang

226. I like your saying,….. but mine is better.
     Its beyond my control!
     Sometimes its hard but I really try to adhere to this thought, otherwise I think I would crumble.
     We got the snow too…. and it got my car. Didn’t get the ‘Tunder’ as my kids call it but it was still beautiful up until my car got smashed.
     Oh well, beauty comes with pain right?
     Knitting lots of stress away…..
     kel

227. Brilliant sun here, though a rain squall blew through an hour ago, the kind of thing where you duck inside for ten minutes of torrential sideways rain, then the sun’s back.
     Picked a bouquet of orchids in the garden yesterday and presented them with a flourish to the lady pouring tea at the monthly library tea party. A fellow played show tunes and kids learned, “A cookie touched is a cookie chosen!” The lemon bars were fab and I hope to get the recipe soon.
     Today I’m washing a bucket of limes. Need to pick more, but the bucket was overflowing.
     Would trade it all for fluffy thundersnow –sounds magical. Hope your stress solves itself in a positive way.

228. I love that quote. And I love the thunder snow.
     I’ve had a crazy couple of days as well, so I feel your pain. What size needles are you doing the body of the bohus on?

229. Question: What is the difference between Bohus and Fairisle knitting?
     Curious up in Yellowknife

230. We do get Thundersnow here in St. Louis — often enough I guess, about once or twice a season. When we start getting Tornadosnow, I’m moving.
     I do so love that Bohus…

231. Thanks for the thundersnow and lightning story.

232. I agree with the ladies who advise nurturing your spirit. A rest from the analysis and worry may allow a solution to present itself.
     On the other hand, I use, “…and another thing…” a lot…

233. New York (city) occationally has thundersnow–it is strange isn’t it? Thunderstorms are summer storms.. and snow storms are winter storms–and thundersnow just seems wrong!
     but there you are!

234. Sometimes sitting back and saying “It will be OK” is what helps me get a little less anxious. Thundersnow might work for me too but alas, I’m in California. We rarely get thunder and we rarely get snow.

235. Man, that thundersnow today. It started about half an hour before I left for work and cursed silently that I hadn’t put on my waterproof mascara. Rats.

236. Man, that thundersnow today. It started about half an hour before I left for work and cursed silently that I hadn’t put on my waterproof mascara. Rats.

237. OH, yeah, the analyzing gene. It’s a killer…. Hard to turn it off.
     Unless you have a moment of Thundersnow.
     Made me realize how many of my mental snapshot moments are also related to snow… including a luminous pink dawn on a glittery ice morning, huddled in the car and breathing fog on the window…. many years ago in childhood.
     Do people in tropical countries have such memories about torrential rain storms?
     Hang in.

238. There’s another quote you might find useful:
     Trust that all will be well.
     Being a dyed-in-the-wool worry wart myself I’ve posted it in several strategic places in my house.

239. God, I am so jealous! It’s never, ever going to snow here again, I’m sure of it. Spring may just as well come. I’m tired of being disappointed.
     It sounds to me like you might need to breathe a little. Just close your eyes and breathe. Not that breathing will make it all go away, of course, but I find myself holding my breath sometimes when I’m particularly stressed or pissed. Closing my eyes and breathing deeply for a few minutes helps to soothe the beast, you know?
     Beautiful Bohus, by the way…and not at all least.

240. Oh, I love thundersnow. Here in Wisconsin we have it periodically. And, I love all snow storms, particularly the huge fluffy wet snowflake/balls that plunk from the sky!! All snowstorms remind me of the delicious snow days we had as children, where time stood still and we could play and laze around with impunity. Ah…..

241. We had the thundersnow briefly earlier this winter – heavy on the thunder and light on the snow, but otherwise the same!

242. Oh, I’m so glad you got a surprise from Mother Nature, just when you needed it the most. I had mine last weekend; we had a HORRIBlE water leak in our house 2 weeks (and that was the last thing in a looong string of bad stuff for the last 3 months). Then on Sunday, WHAM, lenten roses bloomed in my yard! I got the same awakening you did. It’ll be ok; this, too, shall pass; don’t sweat the small stuff, and it’s all small stuff. P.S. I’ve seen thundersnow and it IS awesome!

243. This comes from Kahlil Gibran, in The Prophet, a book of poetry. Maybe this will help?
     “And he said: your children are not your children.
     They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
     They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
     You may give them your love, but not your thoughts, For they have their own thoughts.
     You may house their bodies but not their souls, For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit now even in your dreams.
     You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
     For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
     You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
     The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinte, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
     Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;
     For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.
     This is a philosophy I have embraced, along with others, and made it through the teenage years. (Of course, though, girls are different and I suspect, more difficult than boys.)

244. Oh, I’m so glad you got a surprise from Mother Nature, just when you needed it the most. I had mine last weekend; we had a HORRIBlE water leak in our house 2 weeks (and that was the last thing in a looong string of bad stuff for the last 3 months). Then on Sunday, WHAM, lenten roses bloomed in my yard! I got the same awakening you did. It’ll be ok; this, too, shall pass; don’t sweat the small stuff, and it’s all small stuff. P.S. I’ve seen thundersnow and it IS awesome!

245. this is probably weird, but the more I read on your blog about the freey-ness of the Canadian winter, the more I wish I lived in Canada…

246. I love Thundersnows. Not like I’ve seen many of them. Exactly one, it happened in the summer about 9 years ago. I can’t find any mention of it anywhere, but I swear it DID happen because the snow was gone by noon and I had been out of school. But they truly are amazing aren’t they?
     Just remember, don’t sweat the small stuff.

247. Open note to Jean S who felt compelled to embellish a perfectly good parable about someone failing to thank another by deciding that the rude person was a fat lady/fat chick.
     That’s not the sort of thing I expect to see here, even though I realize that fat people are the one remaining politically correct group to snipe at. How delightful to have rudeness linked to body size.
     And the fun thing is that I’ve been thin – I came close to making the US swim team in 1971 – and now I’m fat, but to take a page from (and draw a similar conclusion as) Sir Winston Churchill “I am fat and you are rude, mean and unkind. I can be thin, but you will always be rude, mean and unkind.”

248. Valeria, I don’t think any meanness was intended. The point of the koan was that carrying the woman was a burden, and if she had been dainty and petite it wouldn’t have been an imposition worth remembering. Namaste.

249. Your photos of the sweater with the snowflakes on it and your other snow photos are just amazing. I’m constantly in awe of some of the pictures people take when mine seem like such crap. LOL!
     I can’t believe that you’ve never encountered thundersnow where you live. Hmmm. That seems unreasonable to me. I’ve experienced it here in Maryland and also in NW Indiana. How odd that Toronto wouldn’t have it more often.
     I’m going to have to go think on that a while and it seems too that i need to think positive energy for problem solving your way as i knit round and round on my sock.
     Everything sorts out eventually. Just breathe and let it evolve. 😉
     ~Suz~

250. In another time, removed from time, thundersnow fought with the sun dogs and moon dogs. After they were done they realized nobody had won.

251. Sorry I’m just catching up on your posts…have been busy crawling through the southern California desert doing military training!
     Hats! If it weren’t so blamin’ hot in Iraq, I would suggest families there. What about Afghanistan? Does that cross the “afghans for Afghanistan” protocol boundary? What about Chinese or Romanian orphanages? Am I thinking too crazily? Closer to home?…inner city projects? Pick cities with large populations of low-income children – send to them? Maybe send to school districts to distribute to kids? LA/NYC/Philly/Chicago/Minneapolis,StPaul? I dunno – who needs LOTS of hats? ’cause you just *know* they’re gonna pour in!

252. Thundersnow — Mother Nature’s reminder to stay in the NOW.

253. ummmm…that would be God trying to get your attention, changing your focus. try praying about it. works for me. luv ya harlot!

254. Thundersnow. I have only experienced it once and I had to go home and scour the internet for information. Thunder, lightning and snow somehow seem to compliment each other. In fact, your current project above kind of sums it up. White, for the snow (big surprise…), yellow for the lightning and the heavy grey for the big thunderous clouds. What a wonderful image.
     Big hug for you ((((((((((((((Yarnharlot))))))))))))). I hope you feel better soon. (“,)

255. I experienced a thundersnow on my birthday quite a few years ago. A bunch of us women were having a slumber party – it was Dec. 21st and we were doing my I Ching for the coming year and it was the one that talks about the winter solstice and then we had a wonderful thundersnow which my best friend calls a fox’s birthday as she calls any really incongruous weather – the sun coming out as it is raining. I counted it as very good luck. Please remember that if you hadn’t had the wisdom to go out in nature when you were worrying to no avail (which is by the way ALL worry) you wouldn’t have seen such a wonderful thing. Your wisdom led you to it.
     So there.

256. We have about one thundersnow a year here in South Dakota. I love it, it’s like the gods are playing up there. I hope you feel better soon, and that the worry dissolves at least long enough to let your heart relax and your lungs fill with fresh air.

257. Thundersnow is pretty cool…we get it here in the states occasionally.
     And are you sure we’re not the same person? When I heard how you worry and analyze a problem to death, following the husband around with all the Italian-type hand gestures and the “furthermores” and the “don’t they even think about”s and the “what needs to happen is”es I thought…wait a minute, Mom never told me I was a twin! 🙂
     Will probably not make NYC but am strongly considering Pittsburgh…unless, as other posters say, you might consider adding a stop in Cleveland as you travel between Ann Arbor and Pittsburgh. See, you don’t understand that you are forcing Clevelanders to either go to Pittsburgh Steelers territory or University of Michigan territory…talk about choosing the lesser of two evils!

258. It was an amazing show, wasn’t it? Just the thing to help one regroup, reprioritize, and carry on worrying…

259. Ohhhhh Thundersnow..it sounds incredible..such huge fluffy flakes and the lighting! I could see it in my mind’s eye….I love how the Universe and Nature brings us back to the awe of miracles. That little flick on the head from the Goddess for a moment’s enlightenment..and then it is back to our every day crap…That over thinking and worry thing is horrible…I think we all fight it! I use my meditation trick when I find myself doing it…very simple…just say “Thinking”…it pauses the worry and helps to change the direction…now mind you there are times I am walking in public and muttering aloud ‘Thinking, thinking, thinking, thinking” and it seems to be of some sort of concern to stangers around me…I suppose you could say to yourself in your head…but it can be so amusing to see the reactions of those around you and it can really change your mood even quicker!!

260. I hope all will be well in your household much sooner than later, but the snow pictures are just incredible. I’ve never seen thundersnow but it reminds me of the Calvin and Hobbes strip where Calvin builds a snow-Frankenstein and needs lightning to make it come alive and then he and Hobbes realize that there wouldn’t be lightning until spring, ergo they would have a Frankenpuddle. So, from that, I always assumed there was no such thing as thundersnow.

261. We get thundersnow every couple of years or so. I think it’s cool and I love “big” snow too. Makes me think I have a legitimate excuse for hanging around, drinking tea, (reading or knitting) and avoiding all tasks domestic.
     I’m totally with you on the worry/analyzing thing. I do WAY too much of both and my poor husband seems to think that if he points that out to me I’ll magically stop.
     BTW: Today is my due date. . . no signs of baby wanting to come. . . .drat! Impatience is building. Someone said (and they are dirty, rotton liars) that the second baby comes sooner. HA!
     Good luck with your obsessing. . . it will either pass or be replaced with something (hopefully) more pleasing to you

262. gotta love nature…hope you are feeling better and less “not in control.” that’s why i don’t get drunk. hate that “not in control” feeling i get.

263. Yep – like the other Okies said, it’s not that unusual here. And the bunches of huge flakes? Think about how hard it usually rains and the big fat drops in at TStorm. Turn it into snow, and there you go.
     Last week standing in the sun with the snow falling on me several times was pretty interesting though. That one’s usually reserved for spring and summer rain storms.
     Hope the obsessing clears soon. Makes for looong days.

264. Oh my, I am most definitely also a world class worrier. I think we are an under-appreciated class of folks.
     Thundersnow, how amazing. I wish I could have seen it.

265. Interesting effect with the thunder during the snow.
     I’ve been thinking alot about your last post. You really seem to be whipping knitters into a frenzy, and a wee little part of me wonders if this isn’t at least a little bit about selling a whole bunch of your books at the launch.
     If you truly have the sole aim of impressing the world at the number/power of knitters (plus their salaries ?!?), then donate 100% of the profits from the sale of the book at the launch to charity. And then consider donating 5% of total sales after that to MSF.

266. I’m aghast. I knew about thundersnow before a Canadian? I experienced it for the first (and only) time as I drove through Cleveland in March 1998 (YOTIS*) to meet my future husband for the first time. Since I was driving, I couldn’t watch it, but there were two flashes, and two loud bangs, and like you it didn’t first occur to me that it was thunder. I actually thought some idiot was lighting fireworks in a snowstorm. Mind you, in Cincinnati, we make fun of Cleveland (the Mistake On The Lake) so it made sense until I stopped for gas just inside the Pennsylvania border and the guy at the counter asked if I’d been caught in the thunderstorm.
     * Year of the Ice Storm

267. If I were the boss of the world, I don’t think I would have thought to create a talking Elmo doll with a singing animated pizza face. *shrug* Perhaps there are reasons the reins haven’t been put in our hands, eh?

268. If I were the boss of the world, I don’t think I would have thought to create a talking Elmo doll with a singing animated pizza face. *shrug* Perhaps there are reasons the reins haven’t been put in our hands, eh?

269. Oh, and dude? I totally didn’t click anything more than once. I hit Post, and then got a 404 message. When I came back to the main page and hit the link for comments, there I was, twice.

270. I remember thundersnow once here in Louisiana. Dramatic result of cold front colliding with warm, moist air. It was in the late 1980s in the first week of March. We thought we’d had our last cold front of the year. I was out in the yard with a friend who was helping us build our porch. The day started off clear and about 65 degrees Fahrenheit. We were wearing jeans and sweatshirts. Then the wind kicked up and the temperature kept dropping. The clouds rolled in. By lunchtime it was around freezing, and we all rounded up jackets and kept hammering and sawing. It started snowing and we were stunned –snow is rare enough here, but never in March. Great wet sloppy snow, dim lightning, and this weird dull thunder … it reminded me of the thunder effects in really old movies … we had four inches of snow by midafternoon. In March. In Louisiana.

271. Whoa. Physician, heal thyself.
     Just as the pulmonologist has to earn enough to
     keep a roof over her own head, the author’s quest to make a place for herself in the world is not a sinister thing. Stephanie rightly recognizes her leadership role and she believes in herself. That ought to be applauded. It’s not fair that you try to diminish the contributions she has already made and has led many others to do as well.

272. THUNDER SNOW?! That story gave me chills. wow

273. Yo, Lungdoc. It doesn’t take either a rocket scientist or an existentialist poet to get Steph’s point. Knitters simply aren’t taken seriously. We are condescended to by a great many people. Including the matter of reminding retailers that we have disposable income, Steph’s entire point is simply to make the world aware that knitters are people of consequence, that we are here and that we do matter.
     Unfortunately — with regard to women in general and North America especially — “mattering” means having economic and political clout.

274. Here is my quote…of the same ilk…
     “It’s all going to be OK. But even if it’s not OK it’s still OK…because it’s OK to not be OK.”
     works for me!

275. Here is my quote…of the same ilk…
     “It’s all going to be OK. But even if it’s not OK it’s still OK…because it’s OK to not be OK.”
     works for me!

276. Here is my quote…of the same ilk…
     “It’s all going to be OK. But even if it’s not OK it’s still OK…because it’s OK to not be OK.”
     works for me!

277. Here is my quote…of the same ilk…
     “It’s all going to be OK. But even if it’s not OK it’s still OK…because it’s OK to not be OK.”
     works for me!

278. I saw it once too…I thought I was crazy! I always kind of missed thunderstorms once it got to be winter anyway. Who knew I didn’t have to wait?

279. I like this one: worrying is like trying to travel by rocking chair; you’re going to waste a lot of energy going nowhere. But rocking chairs are great for knitting and watching snow! 🙂 Deep breath…all will be well.

280. I like this one: worrying is like trying to travel by rocking chair; you’re going to waste a lot of energy going nowhere. But rocking chairs are great for knitting and watching snow! 🙂 Deep breath…all will be well.

281. Thundersnow?! I’ve never heard of such a thing. Of course, I live in Georgia, where we almost never have snow of any sort. But still, that is wild!

282. I thought I saw thunder during a snow storm once, but figured I was just crazy. Now I know I wasn’t.
     I’m going to NYC towards the end of March anyway, but I would like more information. i.e. is there going to be a price to go?
     -Thanks. Good luck with everything

283. Yarnharlot:
     I sympathize with the worrying, especially when your powers as woman/wife/mother don’t seem to be able to fix everything like you think they should.
     My late mother’s wisdom on this has kept me fairly sane over the years. She told me this when my first child was born, and I quote, “Sometimes life is great, and sometimes life hands you garbage. All you can do with it is the best you can do. And sometimes, there is nothing you can do.”

284. I saw lighteningsnow here in Albany, NY last night – could have been thundersnow, but there was no way I was rolling down the window of the car while I was driving to find out. Good thing I read your post yesterday, otherwise I would have thought the aliens were invading!

285. When I was in school, and got worked up over an exam, I learned to ask myself- will I remember this in 10 years? If not, not worth making myself crazy over. Helped me keep some perspective. And no, I don’t remember those tests.

286. When I was a young ‘un back in Yorkshire and feeling hard done by my Dad would quote a proverb he’d heard in India; I cried because I had no shoes, until I saw a man who had no feet.

287. I’m an obsessive worrier myself. It’s no fun, that’s for sure. But the writing and the knitting help, ya know?

288. I don’t have a wise saying regarding worrying, tho I do it alot. I waste a great deal of energy on the analysing part. I believe I do that as a way of justifying my feelings, proving to myself that this is something really important…whatever! I do have a wise saying about knitting, however, from my grandmother; I may have posted this before but here it is again: your project won’t come out right unless you rip out at least once. so that will make you feel better about making mistakes, anyway! altho – ut oh – I don’t want to pass on any bad mojo or anything regarding your current (beautiful) project!
     PS tell the lady lawyer that we were all going to buy your book anyway, regardless of the event. The event has another message.

289. oops – I mean the lady doctor. whatever. the message is still the same!

290. Yes from body to sleeve and sleeve to body;) I am about at the same stage with my Bohus as you.
     And I love snow, much snow.
     Monica, Finland

291. I’m having snow envy. Can you ship some down to Houston? (Currently 69 degrees F. Makes me say nasty words because it is too hot for February.) Thundersnow. Nice.
     Hope things are getting better for you.

292. Honestly, your colors are pretty enought that shots from different vantage points will probably amuse us. The thundersnow is neat, and I always love pictures of snow laden branches.
     And since I didn’t reply to that particular post, thanks for your Valentines Day manifesto. I’ve been engaged for 7 months and get married in 3. I forwared your blog post to my family and fiance — he forwarded to his family — parents and extended — hopefully a good sign? In any case, thanks for the rational view. Identifying with your thoughts made both of us happy. (he isn’t even an knitter… :-P)

293. Honestly, your colors are pretty enought that shots from different vantage points will probably amuse us. The thundersnow is neat, and I always love pictures of snow laden branches.
     And since I didn’t reply to that particular post, thanks for your Valentines Day manifesto. I’ve been engaged for 7 months and get married in 3. I forwared your blog post to my family and fiance — he forwarded to his family — parents and extended — hopefully a good sign? In any case, thanks for the rational view. Identifying with your thoughts made both of us happy. (he isn’t even an knitter… :-P)

294. Thanks for the info on the weather forecast for today in Chicago. We expect thundersnow late today and tomorrow….

295. Defintely think Sting can be bribed with a pair of handknitted socks. Being that he is uber-wealthy, has been offered everything under the sun from groupies and music companies but he has NEVER been offered handknit socks.
     You can have him or err excuse me the tickets if you work it.

296. My wish and prayer for you is a better tomorrow

297. Thundersnow is always awe inspiring! We’re preparing for a blizzard! While the rest of the city is running to the store for milk and toilet paper I am on my way to my favorite yarn shop for sock yarn (and probably some other yarn to add to my stash)! Knit on! NYC sounds great! Wish I could be there.

298. That sounds incredible – we recently had snow with huge pile-flakes like that, but no thunder.
     Thanks for the link to the article – an interesting read.
     Hope you’re able to knit now – things are bad when a knitter can’t knit for worrying and talking-it-out.
     From a knitter who has been there.

299. Honestly, your colors are pretty enought that shots from different vantage points will probably amuse us. The thundersnow is neat, and I always love pictures of snow laden branches.
     And since I didn’t reply to that particular post, thanks for your Valentines Day manifesto. I’ve been engaged for 7 months and get married in 3. I forwared your blog post to my family and fiance — he forwarded to his family — parents and extended — hopefully a good sign? In any case, thanks for the rational view. Identifying with your thoughts made both of us happy. (he isn’t even an knitter… :-P)

300. I had never heard of Thundersnow before reading this post. Then, last night I was out doing some grocery shopping and when I came out of the store I saw the most beautiful snow I’ve ever seen. I loaded up the groceries and I heard it. Thunder. Fabulous!

301. stephanie…
     i never would have known exactly what to call it until i saw your post, but i’m having thundersnow RIGHT now. perhaps it took a little time for your canadian storm to make its way down to new york? 🙂 its beautiful, but it’s scaring the wits out of my poor pets. i’ll be glad when it’s over… oh, but then i’ll have to drive to work in it! drat.

302. Wow. What a coincidence. I experienced my first thundersnow (I know the name now thanks to your blog !) here in Seoul, Korea during our first (of two) big snows of the winter this year. It was odd, and now that I think about it, the flakes (or rather chunks) of snow were huge, too. I wonder if they are becoming more common and if it has anything to do with Global Warming…something to think about I guess.

303. Ah, thundersnow! I’ve only been lucky enough to experience it a couple of times, but it is such a trip. Kind of like when you hear thunder on a sunny day with no rain in sight. And those huge fluffy flakes – makes me almost miss winter!

304. Late comment: I tried to comment 2 days ago, but the computer gods were angry with me and one stray button push erased it all.
     We had Thundersnow down here in Wisconsin 3 days ago; first heavy snow at night, so thick you couldn’t see headlights a block away, but diffusing the streetlights so all was glowing orange. Then, not long after being tucked up in a warm bed, Lightning! Thunder! Wow!
     If you get this far in the 300+ comments:
     Something I find helpful to remind myself of:
     I have no control over any one else…
     (we can fool ourselves into thinking we control our children, but you know that’s just an illusion!). I can’t control others’ actions, words, what they think of me; just how I myself act, what I say and do. And, I guess, how I think of me! It’s very liberating to realize this and Let Go.
     Whether it’s the jerk in traffic or a family member making a decision I don’t agree with, or any number of other things: I can’t control it, whatever it is, but I can control what I do in reaction to it.
     Secondly, something you’ll find amusing & enlightening: The part of our brain that has to do with what I would call ‘common sense’, but brain scientists describe as integrating and controlling other parts of the brain, does not mature until the early to mid-20s; later in males. This explains why a very smart teenager can act so
     dumb! And why they say the things they do! They have no ‘governor’ on their brain! Also explains a lot about college guys.
     Good thoughts are coming at you from so many directions. Can’t hurt, could help!

305. Hi Stephanie,
     I haven’t ever posted or commented before and would just send this to you if I knew how but I don’t. I have a question that maybe you can answer since you are around wool fiber a lot and around lots of other people who are too. I have been spinning for a couple of years now, and just dyed up a lovely batch of fiber on Sunday that is now dry and ready to go. My question has to do with my throat and bronchial tubes seemingly reacting to the wool. They feel like they are constricting and get tight and even a little wheezy, which is disappointing, to say the least. It started happening a few months into my spinning and I can go for an hour or so and then need to stop. There have been times that I thought I’d not stop and see what happened but then those areas are affected for a few days.
     I am wise enough to know that clearly something is going on and that I shouldn’t be pushing myself but I haven’t found anyone else who has this affliction, or literature in my research that mentions it either. Usually it sounds like wool allergies show up in the skin rather than in the respiratory track.
     I don’t know if you’ll see this note, buried as it is amongst the spelling encouragement comments, but I thought if anyone would have heard about this, you would. Thanks for your writing and sharing your heart through your words and your art.
     Warmly,
     Ann

306. Here in the SoCal High Desert we get a snowstorm that drops enough snow that sticks long enough to call it real snow about once every five or six years, if that often. As a result, semi-natives like myself don’t really know a lot about snow storms and what’s normal. A few years ago we, too, had thunder and lightning embedded in a snow storm. I was quite astounded but my Iowa-raised husband took it in stride, saying that it was fairly common. Not in my life, it isn’t.
     However, allergies are. My poor itchy collie is about to start an iniquitously stringent anti-allergy diet to see if we can put an end to his itchy misery. I have several kinds of allergies that show up in my skin, including the adhesive in certain kinds of band-aids and the tanning method used for some leather, like watch bands and the insides of shoes.
     People who work in cotton mills got serious lung problems from breathing in the lint until they got protection, so there is a real danger from fibers. If you suspect that wool fibers may be inflaming your respiratory tract, get some dust masks for Lowe’s or Home Depot. You want the kind sold for people sanding sheetrock or doing anything that produces fine dust. These are fairly inexpensive and they keep any little bits of fiber from being breathed in.

307. üzgünüm ama beğenemedim çümkü yazılar ingilizce olduğundan dolayı okuyamıyorum lütfen yazıları türkçe yaparmısınız?

308. Hi, Stephanie.
     I hope your stress goes away soon. I knit and crochet so much I can no longer tell whether I’m doing it to relieve stress, or I’m just plain ol’ obsessed. One thing I do to relieve my stress is to think for a few moments about what I can and cannot control. If one of my kids or another family member is doing something they shouldn’t, and I can do something about it, I do something about it. If I can’t do anything about it, I still let them know I don’t appreciate what they did, and I treat myself to something I like to do, like knitting or playing with my dolls.
     We’ve had thunder snow here many times before. I was kinda surprised when I first saw it. I’m near Albany, New York, too. I think for some reason the lightning stays in the upper atmosphere during the winter. It must have something to do with the layers of cold and static.
     I love your blog!
     Kathy

309. Stephanie~ Dear God I thought we were the only ones that ever had “Thundersnow”- I figures it was some freak Iowa thing in the USA~ so glad I was wrong! Love your blog, love your books, love you~and knit on girl and don’t stress life is too short!!!

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