Snow Falling Before the Autumn is Through

Hello, you have A Way with Words.

Hi, my name is Miles. I’m from Madison, Wisconsin.

Hi, Miles. Welcome to the show.

It was a couple weeks ago. I was just out on a drive and I was listening to the show and then I got back and I was sitting on the porch.

And it’s not so much anymore, but the leaves were really hanging on to the trees this year.

And I just had a thought. I was wondering if there was a word or a phrase for when the leaves are still on the trees and there’s snow on the ground.

Or if there’s, you know, when the leaves are falling and there’s snow on the ground.

I know it seems a little kind of plain,

But there was a couple years ago on Halloween that it snowed about six inches,

And there was a lot of leaves on the trees.

It’s just a really bizarre, bizarre sight.

Yeah.

Yeah, it’s really evocative, isn’t it?

And I love thinking about those kind of liminal periods, you know,

Between seasons when you have that nice mix of, say, snow and leaves falling at the same time.

It doesn’t happen that often, but when it does, it can be kind of magical, don’t you think?

Yeah, it definitely was. I remember we were out working on a conservation site, and it’s a feeling

That it doesn’t come often, and I think the term you used, liminal, is a great way to put it.

It was really magical, yeah.

You know, the only term that I’ve seen specifically for that, and it’s a made-up term, is that some people refer to snowlage, you know, like foliage.

Sure, sure.

That’s the only one I know specifically for that, and it’s just a, you know, sort of joking made-up term.

I wonder if we need a term.

Yeah, yeah.

We need to make something up ourselves.

There are so many expressions around the world for sun showers, like the donkey is getting married or the devil is chasing his wife.

Maybe we could create a similar metaphor that talks about the leaves falling on the snow, like Mother Nature making the bed or something.

Yeah.

I believe in Japan, historically, the falling of certain kinds of leaves on the snow has been compared to the writing of words on white paper with a brush and ink, which I think is exactly right.

Oh, yeah. I like that.

Just imagine certain kinds of dark purple leaves falling on perfect white snow.

Yeah, I know we have words for really light snow, you know, just a dusting on the ground,

Which can occur when leaves are still on the trees, like cat snow,

Where there’s just enough snow that you can track a cat that way.

And in springtime, there’s onion snow, which I think is such a tasty term, onion snow.

But that’s on the other liminal end, you know, when it’s just starting to become spring and it snows after onions are planted.

But I think that’s really evocative, too.

But I don’t know of a specific term.

Well, Miles, we have a whole raft of creative listeners who come from different cultures and different experiences and have great minds that can come up with stuff.

So maybe somebody knows a word or an expression for that feeling or the sensation or the moment or the idea of leaves falling on the snow.

And if we come up with something, we’ll share it.

Okay.

Yeah, I would love that.

Thank you very much.

Thank you for the call, Miles.

Take care now.

Yep.

Take care.