Yep, Mainers sometimes do call those storms that drop 2 feet of snow a little squall………..again it really is a matter of perspective isn’t it?  A squall is defined by Merriam Webster as:. 1 : a sudden violent wind often with rain or snow. 2 : a short-lived commotion.

In Maine it seems to be synonymous with blizzard and becomes a joke on the out of staters to say something like, “It was nothing, just a little squall”. (My Mainer brother was talking about a blinding snowstorm that stopped traffic on I-95. He said it with a sparkle in his eye that tells me he knows a bit about how to get your goat………)

He has a subtle, very authentic Maine accent, but challenge him and he can pour it on with the best of the Downeast Maine comedians.  I have been trying to write in Maineiac language – the spelling is quite a challenge.

For instance, blizzard is pronounced: Blizahd (Bli’- zahd).  Out of stater is one word: Outastatah (Out’ a sta’ tah).   Garden is pronounced gahhhdin (gahhh’-din).  Try it, say it out loud……….with some serious practice you could pass for a real Mainer in about ………….. forget it……..you can’t.   🙂   I try to get my Maine accent back here in Ohio, and we fondly call my attempt “Kentucky Forrest Gump”.   But throw me back in Maine for a few weeks and you can hear a hint of it, so I guess I haven’t completely lost it.

Spring time is coming, garden season approaches.   I will have my tomatoes in the ground way before my brother – but he is more ready than I am.  He sent me an email telling me about plans for digging out from the big “stawmm” – and that despite a couple more feet of snow garden season is right around the “caw-nah”.

I quote:  “We have onion seeds started along with leeks; gardening is not far away even though it is zero degrees today with a wicked wind chill.”

Wicked is a term that deserves its own post, so I will save it for another time.  Suffice it to say that I think this song is Wicked Good.