A January Subject

Sidewalks runs alongside most of the streets here in the suburban wilds, and snowfall, like the sprouting of dandelions in about four months, divides homeowners into two camps. The snowblowing fanatics who have to remove every flake from the sidewalks now! As soon as it stops falling, if not sooner! (Just as dandelions must die! As soon as they sprout!)

Then there are the sluggards who take a more relaxed approach: it's one thing to dig out your driveway, especially if you have to drive on it. But the public sidewalk?

Maybe it's a small civic duty. On the other hand, during periods of prolonged subfreezing temps with occasional sunshine -- we're in one now -- ice forms easily on bare sidewalks, but not so much on those with a few inches of snow cover. A little snow melts, then refreezes. Snow has traction. Ice does not. Excessive snow removal has unintended consequences.

So it's easy to guess which camp I'm in. That's my rationalization, and I'm sticking with it.