The Snow Flies

Snow Flies?

Are they, perhaps, slightly larger, or maybe, smaller, than house flies, with an overall white look about them that makes them seem somewhat snowy? Are they like horse flies, large, and stinging, or more like gnats, just small, buzzing, and annoying?

As far as I know there are no snow flies. The first time I heard the term, a few years ago, we were at an Amish open-air farmer's market, and had just bought a jar of peanut butter with marshmallow cream that the Amish Farmer's wife had made, and we asked him if he was there, year round. He said, "I'll be here till the snow flies."

It's one of those PA Dutch sayings, or maybe, just an up-north saying. It means, he'll come every day the market is open, till the point where it starts snowing, then he's going to either stay home, or at least, go someplace warmer to sell his goods.

Well, today, the snow flies. That is to say, for the first time this year, there is snow falling outside. The weathermen say that we won't see any accumulation today, but tonight, an "Alberta Clipper" is coming, and we'll see, perhaps, an inch or so by morning. Not a lot, but the first snow, nonetheless.

Other sayings I've heard here and there, in Pennsylvania? We were at a craft show, at Lykens Glen Park, one brisk autumn day. We had passed the food pavilion, and were headed up the stream to more craft vendors, when a group of ladies passing us, going the other way, were talking - and although there was no intention to eavesdrop, I did hear one say, "We'd better get back to the food before the soup's all."

I said, "What?" My wife, who had worked with more Pennsylvania people than I had, explained patiently that this was their way of saying "all gone..." And, in that context, the sentence made a little more sense.

Here, people say, "We're going to the store to get some soda." Back home, it was usually, "We're going to the store to get some coke. What kind do you want? Pepsi, Mountain Dew?"

All the time here, people "let" things do things. I mean, like this: "Just let that book over there on the table. I'll get to it later." And then they "leave" people to do things, like: "Just leave him do it, he'll get into trouble on his own, and perhaps learn his lesson."

Now, where I came from, we would leave things on the table, and let people do stuff. Not the other way around.

I am not saying anything is wrong - it's just a different slant on the same language. It's interesting to study people and how they are different, in such minor ways. But, the people here do have huge hearts, and are very friendly, and I guess I'll leave them say it however they want to.