Dig the snow

What we now call the pan flute used to be known as the ocarina. The instrument at right makes different notes, depending on the length of the pipe that the player toots through. The pipes will remind us in Baltimore of the 7-day weather forecast. Notice below how the temperature goes up and down like the proverbial yo-yo. Ups and downs like that used to be called "the ocarina effect."

If anyone is counting noses, please put me down in the "Likes It Cold" category. Especially at this time of year, it doesn't feel right to put on the Christmas scarf and Santa hat and step outside to a 70° day.

And the other day, the meteorologists were calling for the slim chance of a little tiny bit of snow overnight. That's all it takes for Baltimore kids to go into their time-honored rituals, things we do to make sure it snows in the morning. 

For instance, do you want to see a 6" snowfall? Just flush 6 ice cubes down the toilet. We believe there is a cause-and-effect relationship between sending ice into pipes below and snow falling from skies above. It makes perfect sense to me.

In order to put the full whammy on the weatherperson or snowplow operator, follow the cubes with turning your pajamas inside out and tucking a spoon under your pillow.

(And then the next day, someone can say, "You have a spoon in your ear!" and you can reply "I'm sorry, I can't hear you, I have a spoon in my ear!")

No one seems to know where these hoodoos started, although from what I read, we on the East Coast have the monopoly on them. The only California kid who runs around with inside-out PJs is one who just transferred in from Maryland, and is still trying to fit in. (This is not the way, I am assured.)

Brea Corbet, of Mississauga, Canada was chirping “Snow day! No school!” on Twitter the other day, and she gives it up for his kids having done the spoon, ice cube and PJs dance.

Andrea Oakley, an assistant principal at a school in Tennessee, tweeted that down there in Bluegrass country, they add one more step, and it seems logical: Tennessee kids put a white crayon the freezer along with the spoon, ice cubes and pajama trick.   

And there was one more trick, from someone whose location was not specified: tape a quarter to the bedroom window.

I'm sure we all have our little rituals to assure a good snowfall, and I hope all of yours work all winter long!