It both amazes and amuses me when local television stations run stories of impending snowstorms. Invariably contained within that segment are camera shots of snow shovels at local hardware stores with reports of folks venturing in to purchase one. Some stories even reflect a run on the shovels. It almost appears that the higher the snowfall forecast, the more dramatic the need for the shovels.

All of this raises many questions, such as: Did these folks just move to Maine, or is their first experience with snow? Or perhaps is this the first time they bothered to shovel? If the answer is “no,” then where is the shovel you no doubt used in previous storms?

Snow shovels are not disposable items. If you are new to the great north, it is worth noting that it does snow here – and quite frequently, in fact. Even when the weather changes to the warm months, it behooves you to place that awkward-looking shovel in a safe place, because I have it on good authority that it will snow again next winter.

Steven Edmondson

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