There are many things I love about Wisconsin that I can’t get in California: the colors of leaves in fall, the affordable housing, and the snowstorms in April. It was 70 degrees on Monday, how could it be snowing on Wednesday? Because Wisconsin, that’s how.

While my husband was displaying the normal reaction (meaning annoyance with a deep sigh of foreboding what the roads would be like with such a sudden onset of snow), I was displaying the reaction of a kid who is just handed an ice cream cone.

“Look! Look! It’s snowing! Come on Gjalla, let’s go eat the snow!”

I do enjoy the unpredictability of Wisconsin weather. In a way, it prevents mundanity and complacency. In So Cal, I took the nice weather for granted because it was always there. The nice weather can subconsciously facilitate procrastination, “No need to go hiking this weekend, it’ll be nice next weekend so we’ll go later.”

In Wisconsin I look forward to every season because I feel like it changes just when I’m getting used to it (or sick of it, in the case of Mosquito Season). It gives me a sense of whimsy when it snows in April, as if Queen Elsa has just Let It Go and turned my 70 degree day into an opportunity to build snowmen.

You’d think I’d have my fill of snow after Polar Vortex 2019 and record breaking lower-than-ever temperatures. But as we drove through the new snow to pick up my son from daycare, I couldn’t help but admire how beautiful the trees looked with their fresh coat of icing. Will I ever get sick of the way snow decorates naked trees? I hope not.

So here’s to whimsy and wonder and unpredictable weather.