I'm not sure when the snow dance tradition started, but it has grown and evolved over the years. It is key to do the snow dance when the weather is looking and "feeling" like snow. Forecasts for snow are a plus. This increases the level of faith for the Snow Dance, thus increasing its likelihood.
The snow dance is performed similar to an Indian Rain Dance. Simply hop and dance in a circle while moving your arms like snowflakes.
We did not have a "snow chant" until this year. I wanted to ramp it up...
Snow, snow, we want snow.
Snow, snow, let's go!
Snow, snow, please come.
Snow, snow, its lots of fun.
Snow! Snow! Snow! SNOW!
Some of the Jensen's best snow memories:
In Mt. Vista next to the Drapers...
We had a very steep driveway. It was the best hill ever for sledding with pine bushes and garage doors at the bottom. Our kids hit the Drapers garage and they hit ours.
It looked like so much fun! Once, I went down the hill and hit the drain bump. I caught some air and broke my tail bone! I was in pain for weeks. Wisely, that was the last time I went sledding.
The kids and I would watch out the girls window as Dad would try to make it up the driveway so he could go to work. We always hoped he wouldn't make it. He would start in the garage, rev up the engine then take off. Half way up the hill he would lose traction and the car would start rolling back down the driveway.
One year there was an "Arctic Chill". We had a lot of snow plus freezing temperatures, it was really too cold to play in. We had the Foltz children over since school was canceled and the kids had lots of fun. It lasted almost a week.
The same Arctic Chill froze our fountain, waterfalls and ponds. Because Dad was out of town I went to a tack store to get a "cattle trough heater" in a vain attempt to keep it thawed. The kids went out every hour or so to try to break up the ice but it was a lost cause. I'm sure they all remember that!
Sunriver...
The snow was part of the attraction of Sunriver. There were sledding hills and Mt. Bachelor to ski. The kids were still beginners when I took them skiing. It was great! There was virtually no one else skiing. That's when we got hit with a blizzard. Angel's ski came off, others skis were not properly bound and with other complications we had to be rescued off the hill.
The hot tub was especially fun when there was snow. The kids would wear their boots out to the hot tub.
The teen years...
The kids were not allowed to drive in the snow. I think Dad took them to a parking lot to get a feel for it, but we didn't let them drive on the roads.
One year Andi prayed for snow. Snow fell more often than any other year. Each time it snowed a major dance at school or church had to be canceled. New Years, Preference, Valentines...a great teaching moment on what to pray for!
The mission...see above picture...
The first winter of the mission I could feel snow in the air. We didn't watch news or forecasts, this was strictly a gut feeling. I invited the office Elders to do the Snow Dance with me. Within a day or two it snowed! They were duly impressed! It was only a few inches but hey, snow is snow. That was the only snow of the mission and it is very rare for Italy
So, keep up the tradition everyone. Do the Snow Dance!
Snowku
