Countdown to Spring: Goodbye, February

“It’s the end … but the moment has been prepared for.”

final words of the 4th Doctor from the Doctor Who episode “Logopolis”

And this final moment of February 2015 has been prepared for with a rousing 

“Yee-Hah” 

from me.

February has felt longer than its 28 days this year.  It was snowier and colder than it should have been. I don’t know that it’s really been that much worse than other Februarys in my lifetime, but it ranks somewhere in the top 10 of the most unpleasant of them.  I’m certainly not going to miss it when it’s gone.

I look forward to March being warmer, although perhaps not right away.  I look forward to seeing the piles of snow disappear, leaving only browns with touches of new green growth that will eventually dominate the landscape.  That’s the seasonal cycle and I don’t expect it’s going to change this year.

I have some not so pleasant words to describe this ending second month of the year as well, but I’m sure people can guess what they are without me writing them.  I will simply finish by saying ...

Goodbye, February – it’s been real, but it hasn’t been fun.

Only 20 days until spring.

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Countdown to Spring: The End is Near

Only one more day to go before we reach the caboose of this February train.

That is all.

Only 21 days until spring.

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Countdown to Spring: Nuisance Snow

Today's weather brought an unexpected few hours of what many call nuisance or annoyance snow.  For those who live in areas where even light snow throws people into shock, awe and panic, nuisance snow is light snow which doesn't generally accumulate beyond an inch or so when it's done. Some define it as not sticking to the roads, other will say it's not a nuisance if it doesn't stick to the roads and make them slick and a potential hazard until the asphalt warms enough to melt it.

I define nuisance snow at this point as anything greater than one snowflake per square foot in a 24-hour period.  Doesn't matter if it coats anything.  Doesn't matter whether the roads are covered or not.  It's all nuisance snow now, and it needs to go

AWAAAAAAAY.

Am I getting more militant about this winter stuff or what?

Only 22 days until spring.


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Countdown to Spring: The Blissful Silence

Today, it hit 43°F.  Strangely enough, even though it’s nicely warm – well, relatively warm – and the sky clear and the sun bright and inviting, I haven’t been able to motivate myself to take my walk today.  So, after getting back from shopping, I stayed in and listened to … silence.

Blissful silence.  The silence of the boiler not needing to run because it’s warm enough outside and in that it only needs to come on sporadically to maintain a minimum boiler temperature and occasionally heat the house.  More of those days are coming, when the constant droning of that which keeps us snuggy and warm on cold days is replaced with the peace and quiet which comes with warmer weather.

It’s a welcome break to winter-weary ears, and to paychecks and wallets as well.

Only 23 days until spring.

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Countdown to Spring: Be Careful What You Challenge

I have some rules.  Don't challenge anything bigger than you unless you have a real chance of winning and not getting the snot kicked out of you is one of them.  Sadly, I forgot that when I challenged February to get its last licks in.  It hit -8°F this morning, which is actually the coldest I've seen on my thermometer all season.  No hot or cold water in my kitchen presently, although I suspect that will change for the better as the temperature rises.  It's presently +10°F and it's supposed to go into the 20s as the day goes by.

Dear February, I didn't mean for you to take that challenge so literally.  I did say earlier that I knew winter wasn't done with us yet and I meant that, so I am aware of how ferocious you can be.  My apologies for offending the potentiality of your 28 days.

But, you're still out of here come Saturday.

Only 24 days until spring.

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Countdown to Spring: More Than Anticipated

Having been on the happy side of what a friend of mine called an "oopsie" with regard to a major miscalculation of the amount of snow anticipated, I'm not surprised now to be on the less than pleased side of said error from the latest round of winter weather..

They predicted less than 1" of snow before yesterday evening.  We got just shy of 3".  They predicted 1-3" overnight,  We got 6".  Granted, it's on not the scale of what they've gotten pummeled with elsewhere, but it's still unexpected and less than thrilling to wake to and still have to shovel.

There is some minor solace in that it'll be going into the 40's today.  Unfortunately, it's going to be immediately followed by single digits and/or below zero temps again tomorrow night.

That's okay, February.  Get your last licks in now.  Come Saturday, you're gone.  I can deal with your antics until then, at least I think I can.

Pass me the ibuprofen.

Only 26 days until spring.

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Countdown to Spring: A Mini-countdown to March

This is going to be one of those mercifully short entries.

Tomorrow will begin our final week in the dismal state of February 2015.  Just seven more days before it becomes history.  Not that the weather is going to miraculously change next Sunday – chances are it won't – but there is something psychologically uplifting to the final full month of winter being gone, gone, gone, and that warmer weather, the disappearance of snow and ice and the return of greener scenery are not that far away.

Only 27 days until spring.

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Countdown to Spring: Into the Wind

Okay, so I took a two-day hiatus before writing again, and for those who were reading my little spring fever love notes last year, I know I never missed a day.  Forgive me for my writer’s freeze – seems a more appropriate term than writer’s block, given the 5°F temperature presently, don’t you think?

Yes, it’s still cold.  And windy.  Let’s talk about windy.  A drafty old house lets in such quick-moving air, so I know it’s windy even before I can look out and watch trees swaying in the breeze like listeners at an outdoor folk music concert.  Take a moment to think about the fact that, given it’s 5°F and the wind is blowing at around 30 MPH, the wind chill factor is around –19°F.  Let it make you feel seriously brrr, then grab something (or someone) warm and move on.  You already know it’s cold and feels colder when the wind blows, and you’re already going to be bundling up against it as best you can.  So, what’s the point of being a slave to knowing wind chill factor?  I went and looked it up just for this entry.  Much as I’m a weather geek from way back, knowing the wind chill factor is right up there with knowing the heat index – not generally required for my existence.  Common sense is more my friend in these instances.

The wind of the last two days has made me think more of kites.  I have two, one a traditional diamond kite, and the other a delta kite that actually pops into shape and collapses back down to fit into its little circular storage bag.  I’ve had both for more than 15 years and neither has seen significant air time.  I seem to lack the skill of getting the kite up and keeping it flying for more than five seconds.  The last few years, I also lacked the supplies.  The spines for the box kite got broken, but they were easy to replace.  Decent kite string eluded me after I lost the one small winder of 25 lb.-test string I had.  Even though you can buy a kite locally, you can’t easily find the supplies to fly it.  But, someone finally gifted me with an online-purchased 1000’ spool of 100 lb.-test kite string last year for my birthday.  But then, I was reminded that I can’t tie kite string so that it stays tied and doesn’t allow the kite off its grounding leash.  You sort of need things like o-rings and tiny carabiners to keep things together and you still need to tie things down right.  Since I didn’t have the money for the accessories and still lacked the skill for knot tying, the kites remained grounded.

But, the lack of funds for the those little kite supplies, the lack of skill for knot tying as well as simply flying those silly bits of fiber, fabric and string has not deterred me.  I still want to get one or both of my kites up in the air and watch it play in the breeze high off the ground under my control.  I learned to tie a decent knot, and also learned of substitutes for the modern-day accessories to keep kite things together.  After all, our ancestors have been flying all manner of kites for centuries and they didn’t have things like plastic spines and carabiners. 

So, my kites are ready to go and go they will.  Am I going to fly either one now?
Are you crazy?  It’s 5°F out there.  Kites are more a March thing.

Well, maybe earlier if weather permits.

Only 28 days until spring.

Countdown to Spring: Deceptive

With the sun making its presence known earlier, staying around longer, and being just a little higher and further north in the sky than it was a month ago, it’s wonderfully bright out there.  That’s especially true with snow covering the ground and bouncing the light in every direction.  Despite the snow, it actually looks like it should be warm and being outside in the sunlight would feel great.

And then you step outside into that 15°F air temperature and wonder if you really, really, really need to be out there at that moment.

The best cure for cabin fever is to get outside.  One of the best treatments for a condition known as seasonal affective disorder is exposure to natural sunlight.  In both cases, you’re also getting a nice self-made dose of vitamin D in the process.  But, it’s hard to appreciate all that extra sun time when you practically have to cocoon yourself to protect against frostbite, hypothermia and the like.

Still, the walk is really worth it and not just because it’s good for you physically.  There’s something you should see.  More on that tomorrow.

Only 31 days until spring.

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Countdown to Spring: It’s Always Darkest Before the Dawn

I was up a few times in the night to make sure the boiler continued to boil on, which it did with only a few very slight struggling moments.  By the way, if anybody wants a recommendation for an additive to prevent heating oil from gelling in the line from the outside tank to the inside furnace or boiler, I’ll be more than happy to provide it.  It’s worked all season for me.

I was resisting the urge to look at the temperature before morning light.  Why look, anyway?  It wouldn’t make a difference to know and would only make me shiver at the thought of it.  Yet the weather geek within me still wanted to know.  So …

Still o’dark-hundred (5:30 AM):  -3°F (-19.4°C)

A sliver of light on the horizon (6:00 AM):  -3°F

6:30 AM:  -3°F

Sunrise (6:49 AM):  -4°F (-20°C)

7:00 AM:  -5°F  (-20.5°C)

When the sun is actually over the horizon and shining on my little corner of the world (7:14 AM):  -5°F

And the most important time of all …
When the temperature started to go back up (7:21 AM):  -4°F 

So, while it may be darkest before the dawn, it tends to be the coldest after that, at least in this instance.

Science lesson over.  Time to warm the tootsies again.  Stay warm, everybody.

Only 32 days until spring.

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Countdown to Spring: Let's Kill Some Trees

I didn't get out a ruler and measure it, but it looks like we got another 4" of fluffy dry white stuff from the latest winter storm.  I was out at around 3:30 in the morning moving the snow off my porch and sidewalks and, of course, the car – and I was up anyway, in case you're curious.  It wasn't windy at that hour, but I knew it was going to turn blustery later on, so I figured I might as well get it done before the wind chill factors took a nosedive.

As the day went by, I began my quest to find seeds online.  I visited the websites of about 10 companies.  Some were like old friends, companies I bought seeds from in the past.  Others, while I knew their names, I'd never done business with them.  I perused webpage after webpage, drooling over the most perfect specimens of vegetables, flowers, herbs, trees, etc. that could be photographed. They never turn out looking that wonderful in the average garden or yard. However, these places are not just selling a product, they're selling a dream, a paradise that could be yours for the humble price of .... HOW MUCH?

Yes, the prices online were pretty similar to what I saw in that one seed display I looked at the other day.  Factor in the shipping and, for the most part, it cost less to buy the seeds locally.  There was one exception, a seed coop company, where I saw prices for seeds  like I haven't seen in at least five years.  Even with the shipping charges, they appear to still cost less than what I could purchase locally.
There is one thing I grow every year, though, that I can only find in one company's catalog and it's not my more economical seed coop place.  So, there will likely be two orders going out soon.

However, I found myself yearning to continue the journey through pictures and descriptions of perfect plants, a sojourn that could be continued away from the computer.  Yes, I wanted catalogs.  They don't send them out automatically anymore since it costs them money to produce and mail them and they're not necessarily recouping those costs in the sale of goods.  Maybe that's why the prices make my eyes bug out to look at them.  Anyway, as environmentally unfriendly as it might be, I requested four catalogs that would make me smile as I turned the pages and daydreamed of how their wonderful items might look in my fantasy garden world.

Forgive me, I have spring and cabin fever and I need a dose of dose of hopeful green.  I promise to recycle the paper, okay?

Only 33 days until spring.

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Countdown to Spring: Today it was Sunny and in the 70s

... in Tucson, Arizona, where my brother and his family live.  Hi, guys.

Here today, it's been snowing since noon and we're likely going to have about 5" before it's over.

I haven't been outside to shovel at all.  Too sore, too tired.  I did some quick shopping and came home around 11 AM, while the snow still qualified as flurries.  Tomorrow, I will shovel with the wind making it feel like it's below 0°F, and tomorrow night, it really will be below 0°F once more.

Right now, I'd really like my winter of discontent made glorious summer.

Only 34 days until spring.

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Countdown to Spring: Seed Sticker Shock

Houseplants are wonderful.  The duty to their continued year-round green existence is lovingly performed.  But, starting plants from seed this time of year isn't just to have plants mature enough to transplant and get flowers or a crop of herbs and veggies from sometime in the upcoming months.  It's also to see the renewal process begin a few weeks earlier than the snow cover outside would ever allow.  To see those tiny starter leaves pop through the soil and slowly develop into much more does a winter-weary heart and mind good.

My intention was to buy seeds today and get them going for all the reasons outlined above.  I wasn't able to go to the store that I normally have a variety of seeds and seed companies to chose from, but I figured I'd pick up at least one or two packs to start when I stopped by the little display at the hardware store I had to go to.  Then I saw the prices.

In younger days, seed packets could be had for 10 cents.  Prices have slowly crept up from there over the years, of course.  Inflation misses no product or service nowadays.  The ordinary varieties of vegetable and flower seeds were always a little lower than the fancier ones.  Not so much anymore.  Prices have mostly equalized and at least at this display, they all started at over $2 a packet.

Now, I just bought seeds last year and while they weren't 10 cents, they weren't all over $2, either.  I need to get back to the store where I normally buy them and see if this is true no matter where I go.  I had intentions of starting 3 vegetables, 3 flower types and 4 herbs.  But to have to pay $20 or more for 10 seed packets on a tight budget is too much right now.  I could have bought the two packets today, but I just couldn't make myself pay that total without shopping around first.  I walked out of the store empty-handed, as they didn't have the item I went there for in the first place, anyway.

So, my best laid plans went awry, at least for the moment.  There are options like waiting for a sale or sharing the cost with a fellow seed-starter.  My spring-fevered brain wanted to buy seeds now, though, and come home and get my hands dirty playing in the soil.   I wanted to plant seeds and wait with happy anticipation for those touches of green to break through the surface.  But, it didn't happen, at least not today.

But it will.

Only 35 days until spring.

Countdown to Spring: It's a Blizzard ... and Then It Isn't

During my walk, there was intermittent snow flurry activity.  As I sat on the porch afterward, I watched as it became a light, pretty snow.  There were no clouds, but the sun shone through an area of what is referred to as "before snow" or "snow aloft" like it was shining through frosted glass.  It was wonderful to watch.

I went back inside and gathered my things to drive to the store and when I looked out again, it was snowing like crazy.  Uhh  ... huh?

The snow aloft was ahead of a bona fide snow squall, and it snowed for about 20 minutes.  Since it had been above freezing and the roads had been salted and sanded, it didn't stick, so driving wasn't a problem.  By the time I got to my destination, it had pretty much stopped.  I kind of knew it would because the flakes were actually in clusters.  Fast and heavily coming down clusters, but clusters nonetheless.

It did this two more times during the day as two weather fronts worked their way through – sunny skies to a pretty falling snow to a not so pretty blizzard-like snow and then back to sunny skies.  Alarming initially, but quickly over.

I've gotten to the point in the season when I wish this was the way the snow would always fall between now and when flowers start to bloom.  I know it's not going to be the case, but I can dream.

Only 36 days until spring.

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Countdown to Spring: The Shoveling Has Taken its Toll

Despite an inviting bright blue sky and temperatures warming into the low 30s again, I didn't venture outside today.  I would normally take a walk once the temperature gets into the mid 20s, but the only reason shoes were on my feet were to keep them warm.

Cold, tired and achy was my mantra for this Wednesday.  With only rare moments of activity, I lived under the comforters.  Cats were encouraged to join me because they're little 101°F furry rocks that increase the warmth without turning up the house heat.

I blame shoveling snow in the cold and damp.  Rest, fluids and ibuprofen for another day, and then ...

I go buy seeds for early indoor planting.  Go ahead and let that thought work on your spring fever for a bit.

Only 37 days until spring.

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Countdown to Spring: A Brief Respite from the Cold

Today found our New York temperatures in the mid to upper 30s.  Everybody chime in and sing, "We've having a heat wave, a tropical heat wave ..." now because by Friday night, we're going to be below 0°F again.

February is a month of extremes.  Never mind the January thaw we didn't even get to enjoy this year.  February, as near-January chilly as it is, actually starts to show moderation in temperature.  While we still see frigid cold air oozing down from the Arctic, it doesn't around stay as long.  Temperatures drop like a stone when those cold fronts slide down from Canada.  But instead of it taking 3-4 days to recover, we begin to see the return to normal faster, and the days, especially toward the end of the month, are even a little – dare I say it? – warmer. It may not seem like it's happening because we're not shedding coats and thermal underwear yet.  But trust me, the trend is there.

In the meantime, though, bundle up and stay warm.  As keen an observer and as optimistic as I am, I know winter ain't done with us yet.

Only 38 days until spring.

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Countdown to Spring: Once More, Twice More into the Storm

It's sort of like the mantra for hair washing of rinse, lather, repeat.  Only it's dress, exit, shovel, re-enter, dry off, get warm, repeat.  I shoveled snow at 5:30 this morning, when there was about 4-5" on the ground.  I didn't do a thorough job because it was still coming down at a good clip.  I came in, got warmed up, then went out again at 7:30 and shoveled another 3-4" from the same places I removed it from before.  It was like a snowy déjà vu.

And it's still coming down at a decent pace, even though the forecast is only for 1-3" of the white stuff today.  I don't mean to be a doubting Thomasina, but I think they're trying to give us false hope.

My neighbor drove by on his way to work.  I asked, "When is this supposed to stop, and don't tell me spring."  He smiled and replied, "Not soon enough."
He was right.

Anybody got any liniment?

Only 39 days to spring.

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Countdown to Spring: Comfort Food for a Winter's Day

As I sit and watch our next snowstorm begin to fall (collective sigh from the winter-weary among us), I am enjoying a wonderful warm bowl of macaroni and cheese.  No, no and emphatically NO, it was not from a box.  There's nothing wrong with boxed M&C, although foodies might disagree.  But, there's just something special in making it yourself and hey, I know my way around a kitchen.

Stove-top mac and cheese at its most basic is macaroni in a white sauce with your cheese of choice melted into it.  Do I know how to make a white sauce from scratch?  Do I know how to grate cheese to add to the sauce?  Do I know how to cook pasta to proper al dente doneness?  Uh, yeah.  None of it takes a seasoned culinary specialist.  Really.

Thirty minutes later – voila, homemade mac and cheese, cheddar the fromage du jour.  It warms the fingers wrapped 'round the bowl, as eating it at a table is just too civilized.  It tantalizes the tongue with its silken cheese-sauciness with touches of bacon (forgive me, vegetarians and vegans) and Dijon mustard (forgive me, mac and cheese purists) added in.  It warms the body from the belly outward, and we won't even think about the calorie count because it's comfort food and comfort food isn't meant to be thought of how as to it fits into any dietary restrictions.

And comfort food, most importantly, is supposed to make us smile and forget our troubles and worries for a while.  Let the snow fall – it's winter after all.  For just one bowl in time, ignore the crappy weather.  I did.

Only 40 more days until spring.

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Countdown to Spring: The Cats of Winter

Brad and Diva

Beebles

Anyone who knows me, or has been following this blog for a while, knows that I mention my cats on rare occasion.  I try to keep it to a minimum because it’s bad enough to be looked upon as the crazy cat lady locally, worse that it extend out beyond my town’s radius.

Jay

However, I mention them now because, as anyone with a pet that has indoor/outdoor status – cat, dog, pot-bellied pig, etc. – knows that, while they appreciate the food, warmth, attention and love the great indoors offers during the colder months, they still yearn to wander beyond the confines of the house.  A lot like ourselves, actually.

I haven’t had a dog as a pet in many years.  I love them, but cats are just easier, especially in terms of going out.  Give them a cat door, shove them through it a few times, and they’ve got the letting themselves in and out thing down.  Dogs can do this, too, but there’s the whole leash law thing.

Dogs, especially the medium to large-sized ones, tend to love a good romp in the snow.  Cats, who don’t generally glide gracefully across the top of snow and kind of fall in and get lost, tend to wait until you’ve shoveled a path and then only go out as necessary.  I did have one cat many years ago who adored snow and would go outside and run in it with happy cat abandon, plow  through any drift and chase any size snowball that came her way.  Yeah, she was nuts, but it was a good kind of nuts.

Now, I have cats of regular winter mentality.  As in every other season, they sleep most of the time, demanding food at regular intervals.  But, there are also long sessions of staring out windows longingly and more frequent changing of sleeping locations.  It’s not that there’s anything wrong with where they were parked, they just needed a change of snoozing scenery.  There are the exercise sessions as well.  I’ve  initiated some of them with little cat toys and a little catnip.  But mostly, there’s spontaneous running and impromptu climbing of things that will hold them (and sometimes won’t).  These sessions become more frequent and sometimes more frenzied, no catnip influence required, as the winter months go by.  Kitty cabin fever. They’re bored.  They want to be outside, but can’t because snow is flying or it’s simply too cold to tolerate it for more than a short outing.  Like us, they’re waiting for warmer and greener days to reappear, when they begin to explore a wall-less world once more.

And I can’t wait to kick them back outside ‘cause they’re driving me crazy.

Only 41 days until spring.

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Countdown to Spring: Baby, It’s … Oh, You Know

After hearing the forecast for where the temperatures were heading last night, as in below 0°F, I decided I wasn’t going to look to see how cold it was outside when I got up during the night.  I was in denial and seeing the reality wasn’t going to help, especially at 2 AM. 

My sleep was light and unsatisfying as I listened to make sure the boiler wasn’t having its food supply cut off by the cold gelling the fuel in the line from my outside tank.  It chugged a little, straining just a bit to draw in the oil, but never faltered.  It has failed in the past – and what a less than fun couple of hours that was – but the additive I’ve been adding to prevent it has worked so far.

As it became light enough to see the outside thermometer, morbid curiosity finally won.  As of a half-hour ago, the temperature was -3°F.  It probably won’t get any worse than that, either.  They were predicting -10°F in my area, with it getting down to -30°F in the Adirondacks.  A sampling of temperatures currently in that most northern region of New York suggested that that potential low of -30°F wasn’t even close to obtained.

February is notorious for being brutal.  Cold, blustery, and snowy, I bet it prompts more people to consider moving to a warmer clime than any other month.  But, there have been times when it wasn’t all that bad.  I’ve even had my crocuses and snowdrops in bloom in the middle of February on occasion.  That’s the exception, of course, but it’s an exception I wouldn’t mind having right about now.

Only 42 days until spring.

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Countdown to Spring: In a Love/Hate Relationship with the Highway Department

Every time it snows, I make sure that the path from the road to my heating fuel tank is clear.  My neighbor was kind and cut a serious swath for me the first storm and I've kept it shoveled since then.

Let me say first that I love my local highway department.  They're generally out at 5 AM, plowing and sanding first thing and multiple times after that to make sure that everybody who needs or wants to get out on the road can do so.  I always try to wave and say hi when I'm out shoveling.  They earn their salary this time of year, make no mistake.

One of the things they do, of course, is plow the snow off to the side of the road, creating a ridge of the stuff that is markedly higher, and usually heavier, than the original accumulation.  If you had 6" of snow, you're pretty much guaranteed to have 18-24" of snow mountain range along the entire street edge, and that includes in front of driveways and any pathways shoveled to get to the street.

Yesterday, I watched in the afternoon while they took advantage of a quiet time between snowstorms to widen the driving area.  For this, they use a specially angled plow blade that catches the snow at the street edge and forces it further back and away from the road.  It's very efficient.  Yes, indeedy.  It created a brand new 2 1/2 foot high by 3 foot wide snow plateau which obstructed the hand-shoveled path I had just finished clearing the day before.  The new ridge in front of my car was similar to that on one side, but decreased in size as it went up the hill. Either way, I was out there shoveling those mounds of snow back and away from the road, just like the plow was doing.  The plow's back and arms weren't hurting afterward, though.

I'm sure we'll be doing this again in the near future and there's no way to avoid it. They'll plow, I'll shovel, they'll re-plow, I'll re-shovel.  That's the way the game is played.

But they have bigger snow toys to play with.  It's not fair!

Only 43 days until Spring.

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Countdown to Spring: The Pitter-Patter of Little Feet

The birds are in search of food, especially now that the snow has covered, well, everything.  I would normally have a feeder out for them, filled regularly with a mix that appealed to most of the bird population as well as a few squirrels.  Things have been very tight financially, though, so the feeder sadly sits in storage, still waiting to serve.

While I can’t give them standard winter bird food fare, I always strive to give them something.  Whether it’s a couple of slices of 12-grain bread, a few crackers, some steel-cut oats that I mistakenly bought  (the container looked just like my preferred old-fashioned cut oatmeal), and even dry cat food (no lie, they eat this first), I leave them something at least once a day.  It may not be the seed mix from the the heavy duty plastic or paper bag that which makes me shake my head at the price and walk away at the grocery store, but they still gobble it up.

Birds make the rounds in search of food this time of year, going from house to house in search of a kind human’s generosity.  While the group that stops here is diverse , it’s the starlings who make their presence known first thing in the morning.  Shortly after sunrise, I’ll hear what sounds like raindrops on the metal roof over my head.  Now, when it’s cloudy and above freezing, there is the possibility of it being rain.  But when it’s 5°F and the sky is cloudless, there’s something else afoot and it’s usually them.  I’ve opened my front door and seen a flock of at least two dozen of those gold and white-flecked black birds take off and head for the nearest trees or telephone wires, only to return to the roof once I go back inside.  It’s a great view of the morning’s food supply spots, including my front steps.  Some consider them the bullies of the bird feeders, but even bullies need to eat.

And so, I will continue to feed my feathered wanderers whatever I can, and when my funds improve, their fodder will as well.  Until then, I shall continue to give them what I can to keep them going until warmer days, when their natural food supplies return.  I can only hope that the rest of the bird lovers are doing the same.

Only 44 days until spring.

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Countdown to Spring: The Aftermath of Linus

Whose brilliant idea was it to name a storm the same as a beloved Peanuts ^TM character, hmm?  I actually know the answer to that question, don’t agree with the choice to name winter storms and said business entity will not be mentioned here.  Only one trademark symbol per blog entry, thank you.  Regardless, it had me humming the piano piece associated with the character a few times while I watched the snow fall yesterday.  I normally measure total snowfall at the end, but was so tired of shoveling by that point that I just didn’t care anymore.  I know it was around a foot of fairly lightweight snow, the equivalent of an inch of rain, give or take.  Pardon my inner weather geek for that bit of trivia.

I can’t remember whether I shoveled four or five times yesterday, I lost track.  I shoveled that frequently to stay ahead of the job so that I wasn’t dealing with a huge pile of snow to move off and away from the car and off my porch and pavers at the end of it all.  Much as I’m in better physical shape than I was this same time last year, I have no desire to visit the local emergency room as a snow shoveling-induced heart attack victim. 

I did manage to frost-nip my fingers the second time out because I didn’t wear gloves – bad Lauren.  The lateral epicondylitis, so-called tennis elbow, that set in as a result of digging out three snowstorms ago, also wasn’t improved by yesterday’s workouts.  This, too, shall pass given time, rest, some doses of a nice anti-inflammatory drug, and a little less shoveling.

Ya hear me, sky bears?

Only 45 days until spring.

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Countdown to Spring: And So It Begins …

Last year, I posted every day to my personal Google page from Ground Hog’s Day to the first day of spring.  This year, I will be posting here instead.  So, if there be any followers of this blog who don’t want to read my banal words lamenting winter weather and the lack of spring day after day after day, ignore all posts starting with “Countdown to Spring” until after March 20, or 20 March for some readers who know who they are.  Most entries will be mercifully shorter than today’s post.

It’s presently snowing in the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York and we have about 10” from a storm that only started about midnight last night.  It may be  revenge by the sky bears  for my laughing at the snowstorm that wasn’t last week, when they were predicting 18” or more and we only got 4”.  By the way, if you need the sky bear reference explained, you’ve lived in a snow-free location your entire life.  Anyway, they are predicting an inch of snow an hour until sometime after noon today.  When after the noontime hour ‘sometime’ occurs is anyone’s guess.

Speaking of predictions, down in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, the resident ground hog (also referred to as woodchuck, whistling pig, and that little ?##*%! that ate my garden), lovingly referred to as Phil, saw his shadow at the appointed hour this morning.  They were fortunate that the storm took a different course and they weren’t standing in the middle of a foot high snowbank when feisty Phil did his winter forecast thing.  Anyway, for those unfamiliar with the Ground Hog’s Day tradition, when the ground hog sees his shadow, it means six more weeks of winter.  Well, duh! and *sigh*.  Much as it doesn't really make a difference, I really prefer it when he doesn't see his shadow, as that means the vernal equinox is just around the corner.  However, that corner is still six weeks away.

Only 46 days until spring.

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