If you’re going to live where there’s winter (meaning snow, cold, wind, below zero temps., etc.) there are three things you can’t live without.  Maybe that’s stating it a little strongly.  Better said, there are three things without which you won’t be happy living in winter.  Don’t take my word for it.  Ask anyone who’s happy living in snow country.  They’ll tell you.

By now, you’re already making a list in your mind of what three things you’d have to have to be happy living in snow country.  Let’s see if you think like those of us who live in the land of eternal winter.

Here are the three things: 1) you must have a garage in which to park your vehicles.  If you don’t have a garage, and constantly have to scrape your windows standing in snow to your knees you’ll quickly tire of winter.

2) You must have a snowblower.  Here in Island Park we have commercial operators blow us out, but there’s still the touch-up areas.  And you don’t have to shovel very much snow to be sick of it.  I keep a snowblower up on the porch to keep it clean, and another in the shop to clean out around there.  You can never have too many snowblowers.

3) You must have a winter sport / activity.  If you’re stuck in the house 24 / 7 you’re bummed.  Even if it starts out peacefully doing things you like, it won’t be long before you’re stir crazy.  You must have something that gets you outside and gets your heart pumping.  You absolutely can’t pass 8 months of winter (or even two or three, for that matter) without getting out and enjoying it.  If you try, you’ll be unhappy.

So what’s a person to do?  I mean you can always buy a snowblower, they’re not expensive.  But what if you plain don’t like getting outside in the winter?  Or what if you can’t afford a garage?  Are you doomed to live out your days in Arizona?

We’ll it’s like I said in the beginning.  You can live in snow country.  You just don’t do so with full enjoyment.  Because after all, there are three immutable laws of living in snow country . . .

If you’re a regular visitor to Island Park, chances are you’ve hunted here.  Even if you’ve come to hike, fish,  ride your ATV, pick huckleberries, etc., etc., etc., you’ve very likely carried a gun with you as insurance against predators.  If you live here, you almost certainly have a gun (or two, or three) tucked away for a rainy day.  In today’s political climate, guns are a hot topic.  There are many who would outlaw them because they kill people (funny they don’t want to outlaw cars for the same reason — or tobacco or alcohol for that matter.)

Then there are those who point to the second amendment right to keep and bear arms.  There are those in government who would have you believe that the second amendment was to keep and bear hunting / sporting arms.  But it’s clear from this qoute by Thomas Jefferson that that’s not the case.  Here’s what he had to say:

The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.
Thomas Jefferson

Or this by George Washington:

The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference – they deserve a place of honor with all that’s good.
George Washington

Or this by George Washington:

Firearms are second only to the Constitution in importance; they are the peoples’ liberty’s teeth.
George Washington

It’s pretty clear from these quotes from the founding fathers what they thought of the right to bear arms and why they wrote it into the constitution in such a place of prominence.  

Today as politicians mull over how to strip honest citizens of these rights, the people are hedging their bets.  Gun sales (especially unregistered gun sales) are brisk in our area (and just about everywhere else, as I understand it.)  Everyone’s trying to beat the pending legislation.  And if you think gun sales are brisk, you ought to see what they’re doing in ammunition around here!  One thing’s for certain: change is coming.  It could be now or never.  If you care, better get stocked up.