onion snow
n. Chiefly Pennsylvania
A light snow in late spring, after onions have been planted.
I heard this term for the first time a few years ago, when I moved here to central Pennsylvania.
Today we had our 'onion snow'.... Or, I hope it was the onion snow. That is, the last blast of winter... We woke up to a nice coating of snow over everything, but by the time I had arrived at work, there was almost none left on the ground - as the ground was a bit too warm for it to stick.
Unfortunately, I was running very late, and didn't have the possession of my senses enough to grab my camera on the way out the door, so I have no proof of this event, but I am telling you truly, there were onions everywhere.
4 comments:
Thanks for the new term.
Reminds me of after joining the Air Force and meeting some upper midwestern folks and hearing for the first time the term "roast'n ears". I could not figure out what in the heck they were talking about.
And I am guessing 'roast'n ears' has something to do with corn on the cob? Seems like I mighta heard that one, but then, although I am from Arkansas, my Mom was born and raised in Colorado ... so there were times when I heard words that most Arkansas country kids didn't.
Like, we had pop, or Coke... maybe even, occasionally, soda pop. Most kids we knew had Coke.
"So, I am going to the Quik Sak for a Coke, want one?" "Yeah, grab me a Pepsi". "Will do..."
Here, everyone just drinks "soda". Now to me, that brings up a vision of baking soda... Do you mix it in water, perhaps? (and for real, that's what gives "soda pop" it's name... but still, sounds kinda nasty, doesn't it?)
Yep - it was 'corn-on-the-cob' but I would have never guessed that in a hundred years. I had to chuckle when they finally enlightned me.
On the other hand, a lot of them had never heard of "fox" squirrels - only "grey" squirrels.
And 'ditto' on the "coke". It was always 'coke' and then you got specific if need be just like you said. But back when I was a kid most folks drank 'Coca-Cola' anyway. If not - it was either root beer or grapette. Other than that, as you stated about down here in Arkansas, you never heard the term 'soda'.
I was down for the count yesterday! I went to bed Wednesday night with a huge headache, by Thursday morn, I was aching from head to toe.... I slept more in the 36 hours ended about 6 this morning than I've slept in a similar timeframe, ever, i think.
Speaking of local sayings... I used to tell people around here, "I've been feeling kinda puny" and to them that meant weak, or bony, or something... not "ill". Maybe, that was just my family's saying, don't know, but when we were down, we were "puny".
And in Alabama, a neighbor used to say, "My kids sure are ill today" - they weren't sick, they were misbehaving!
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