SNOWFALL
Before I was born, my parents bought a turn-of-the-century Victorian house that they spent my entire childhood refurbishing (when their budget allowed), and repairing.
Dad would curse while mending fragile banisters broken by my sister and me while “sledding” down the stairs. Other times, he’d be in good spirits - painting the exterior of the house with Miles Davis on the stereo, and my two uncles on deck with clothes spattered in paint, and faces shiny with sweat. Much of the time, you could hear Dad muttering “Oh Shit!” upon discovery of one more “damn broken pipe.” Another leak in the “shit ceiling.” An unexpected demand letter from the city requiring that a hazardous “non-operational piece of crap fireplace” be brought up to code.
Mom always seemed to be in the kitchen making egg salad sandwiches, with piles of warm, unfolded laundry mounting on couches and tabletops. Our dog Max loved to pee on the piles (and on the drapes) — which eventually landed him in another home (grieving my little heart to this day).
There’s a movie from the 80’s called “The Money Pit,” starring Tom Hanks and Shelly Long. “The Money Pit” is an old creaky house like the one I grew up in. By the end of the movie, the charming, but all-too-labor-intensive house all but destroys the young couple.
Eventually, my parents cut their losses, and sold the house on Chester Street. They traded in her historic, 1911 charms for a brand new, fully functioning- albeit much smaller home.
Last year, the Chester house went on the market, and I seized the opportunity to reminisce in her old rooms during an open house weekend. From the forest green carpet (installed by my father in 1986) to dreadful water-stained ceilings (made far worse for the wear through the years), it was clear that the people who bought the house from my parents hadn’t been able to afford the debilitating upkeep of my treasured childhood house.
The fire department swarmed through the house -deeming it a fire hazard - while folks from HGTV proclaimed her a gold mine. The following week, that creaky, squeaky, leaky old house (that my parents once sold for 75K), was swiped for a whopping 1.3 million dollars. She has since been refurbished, and restored to her rightful glory.
I sobbed while walking through those rooms. It was an experience so cathartic, that it became a song.
This is “Snowfall,” born of the most vivid memories of my childhood on Chester Street. I hope you love it! ❄️
Love,
Snowfall
Written by: Rehya Stevens, Jon Kubis and Duane Niellson
Red-Gold leaves have fallen
You feel a deep kind chill in the air
Still not much has changed
‘Round here
Ooooweeeooooo
Ooooweeeooooo
Good old friends returning
Everybody’s home
It’s like old days again
Full grown
Ooooweeeooooo
Ooooweeeooooo
I rode my bike through every single street
In this neighborhood
'Til I was old enough to drive away
Now it sure feels good
Chorus:
To feel the chill creepin’ in
These old fashioned window panes again
When the snow falls down
Old floorboards that give you up
Just as you’re barely sneakin' in
When the snow falls down
Weatherman’s warning
There’s a storm comin' in
Fill up your cup
Saddle in
Ooooweeeooooo
Ooooweeeooooo
Eighteen restless winters spent
Here in these rooms
Waiting for the spring to come
But now it just feels good
Chorus:
To feel the chill creepin’ in
These old fashioned window panes again
When the snow falls down
Old floorboards that give you up
Just as you’re barely sneakin ‘in
When the snow falls down
Bridge:
It's funny how you never know
The things you'll miss the most
While you're chasing a bigger life
Born from small town dreams
Chorus:
Now I just wanna feel the chill creepin’ in
These old fashioned window panes again
When the snow falls down
Old floorboards that give you up
Just as you’re barely sneakin ‘in
When the snow falls
The old tree house in the yard
Strummin' my first guitar again
When the snow falls
Swinging' out on the porch
Watching' these northern stars again
When the snow falls
Outro:
And who woulda thought
That I'd miss these simple things
Like how good it feels just to take a walk
In the park - all bundled up
Or swingin' out on the porch
Strummin' my old guitar
And who woulda thought
I could be happy just being
Just being
Mmmmhmmm
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