Now You See Me ...

 

CDC eases COVID-19 mask guidelines!  For those fully vaccinated, they no longer have to wear a mask.

Freedom!

Well, sort of.

It's freedom, but there are exceptions to the rule.

The first stop along the mask freedom road comes in the form of Federal rules on the subject.  But politicians are just as tired of wearing them as the rest of us, so while there are places where they must keep their hot air and germs still corralled behind mouth and nose coverings in Federal government buildings, etc– oh, yeah, they're GONE.

Then come the mandates of each state. Some states embraced the change immediately or within a few days of immediately.  Still others have set dates where masks can be tossed in the air like graduation mortarboard/caps, a preparing period and/or wait-and-see what happens approach of several weeks to a few months duration.  Basically, though, all the states will have followed suit by sometimes during the summer.  County and local municipalities, including school districts, are basically following their state's mandate.

Finally, there are the individual business decisions.  Now, while you might think every business would be thrilled to see their customers full-faced and want to greet them the same way, there are still some who are being cautious.  I was surprised to find my grocery store still requiring masks or face coverings after the state had eased the restriction.  But I also understand it.  

Think about it - someone with COVID-19 who has no symptoms just coughed or sneezed on the produce, etc.  Granted, just breathing passes the virus into the air and onto surfaces as much if not more, but there's more of an eww factor with the cough or sneeze that gets to us.  We like to think that everybody covers their mouth and nose when they cough or sneeze.  We like to think that everybody without a mask is abiding by the honor system of being maskless only when fully vaccinated.  We like to think that we're still as cautious with our handwashing and our food washing as we were when the masks were always required.  Reality check - it ain't necessarily so.

Masks, handwashing, social distancing, and now vaccinating are not perfect in their prevention of COVID-19, but they do work.  If they didn't, we wouldn't be seeing the numbers infected noticeably decreasing.  We're still on the road to recovery from SARS-CoV-2, aka COVID 19, and we can't fully let our guard down yet.  So, sometimes you'll see me without mask (fully vaccinated - thank you Pfizer and Walgreens) and sometimes you won't.  It depends on where I am at any given moment.  If they say I can ditch my plain white multi-layered cotton face covering, I just might (and have). I can only hope everybody is following the rules in doing the same.

Countdown to Spring - Oh, Wait ...

That's right.  It came in  Saturday morning.  Oh, yes, yesterday was the official start to spring.  It's going to be a while yet for it to be felt far and wide.  But according to the calendar, it's here.  Friday, the last day of winter, had a short burst of snow in the morning, not even enough to coat everything one last time.  Lots of wind as well, enough to take down a few larger dead trees, one of which fell in the back yard of the house where I live.  No damage, no injuries.

With all the above-freezing temperatures we've been having locally in the last two weeks, there isn't a smidge of snow left.  I did say that I would do the Snoopy Dance when that happened.  I made the attempt to show that cartoon beagle joy, only to discover I'm not as young or agile as I used to be.  Happily, there is no video of my sad little attempt, but it's the thought (that I didn't end up in the emergency room) that counts.

Crocuses are up and in bloom, snowdrops were up and in bloom and are done for the season.  Daffodil leaves have emerged, but I haven't seen any blooms or buds yet.  Some of the trees are more than ready to let those leaves show themselves, others not so much.  But most importantly, the wild onions have appeared in the yard, and I can see the stinky skunk cabbage as I drive over the bridge and out into the world for work and shopping.  No dandelions yet, but they're only a week or two away.

Lots of spring bird songs now.  Many of the migrators have returned, but I have yet to see is a robin.  I know they're out there, but I've usually seen them stalking earthworms in the nearby park by now.  I'm sure they're here – somewhere else.  Eventually, I'll see my first one and, as always, it'll make me smile.

So after our long, cold, pandemically-influenced winter, more daylight, warmer temperatures and more chance of rain than snow seem to have more meaning.  I don't know about all of you, but this seasonal renewal that is spring is especially welcomed this year.  

Get out there and enjoy it.  I know I will.

Countdown to Spring - The Big and Little Cats of March

There's a saying that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb,  The latter part of that saying remains to be seen, but this month definitely came in roaring. March 1st was ushered in by some gusty winds, and there have been several days, today included, where it's been kicking dust and debris around at 30-40 miles per hour out there.  My deck and walkway have been littered with tree branches, what I refer to as Mother Nature doing her final housekeeping of the winter season by clearing away the dead branches so that the ones still with life in them have room to grow.

My winter housebound cats (their choice to stay in and keep their feet, faces and fur warm and dry) don't like going out when it's windy.  But last week, when the temperatures got into the 50s and 60s during the day, they were outside sucking up the light and heat of the sun anytime the wind died down.  They've also discovered that at around 8:00 AM (now 9:00 AM thanks to Daylight Saving Time that started today), the sun comes streaming in the balcony door and they can get their solar "fix" for at least an hour before it goes away and returns on the other side of the house around 11:00 AM.  So, while the big cat of winter may roar all it wants, the little cats seek out signs of it going away and of better days that are coming.  They're as tired of the darkness and chill as we are.

Only 6 days until spring.

Countdown to Spring - Looking Down is Looking Up

Okay, not quite Snoopy Dance celebration time, but ever so much closer.  Lots of snowmelt over the last week and lots of bare ground showing. Interestingly, grassy areas seem to be the last to undergo the transformation.  Shame - brown ground is nice, but green is so much more supportive of spring fever.  

The ground around trees has shown the biggest melt, and looking up, I can see why.  Their branches show extensive budding.  They know it's time to wake from their dormancy.  I have a coworker who taps maple trees to gather the sap and make syrup.  Although he had slow start this year, he's seen the signs of tree life as well and is preparing both trees and equipment for this annual activity.  In the past, I dropped hints that I would welcome being a paying happy recipient of some of that freshly made syrup gold, but it's always destined for family consumption.

By the way, I FINALLY bought the soil to start my seeds and that'll get done today.  I may or may not have seedlings by the time I reach the end of this silly series for this year, but I'll still reap the benefits of the early start of my little herb garden sooner rather than later.  I don't start vegetable seeds because I don't have the room for much more than one or two veggie plants.  The patio tomato plant will be a purchase later on, maybe around my birthday in May.

This coming week will bring – be still, my heart – 50s and even 60s during the day.  It's going to drop back to the 40s again by the weekend, but if ever a pandemically isolated, winter-weary world could use some sunnier and warmer time, it's now.

Only 13 days to spring.

Countdown to Spring - Snowmelt, Baby, Snowmelt

We had snow again early on Friday.  I didn't whine or complain.  Why?  After several days of not getting out of the 20s during the day and being in the teens and even single digits a couple of times at night, we were graced this last week with 40s, 50s, and even one day when it hit 60.  The snow we had on Friday managed to total 3", but it was immediately compressed and then gone thanks to rain and above freezing temperatures.  I happily shoveled a half-inch of slush off my deck and walkway just to speed the process of making it go away.

As I looked outside today, the area around trees and bushes is down to bare ground for a circumference of anywhere from 1 to 3 feet.  There's life in that there plant-life!  Looking closer, the actual snow depth in general, save for where it was shoveled to from the previous snowstorms, is only about 2-3".  With our temperatures forecast again to be in the 40s and 50s for the first week of March, we might be down to mostly bare ground by the end of the week.  My apologies to any snow lovers, but I am very much looking forward to that, and may have to do a Snoopy dance when it happens.  Yeah, I may be 63, overweight and have arthritis, but I can still manage to look that silly.  Spring fever will do that.

Only 20 days until spring.

Countdown to Spring - Well, It Had to Happen

Today, I shall not discuss snow and snow shoveling.  I think I've clearly established that I'm tired of the precipitation type and the action required to remove it from places where I walk.  Tomorrow, we're supposed to have a little more, as in 1-3" of snow mixed in with rain.  I can deal with it because after that, temperatures will be in the 40's all week.  Let the snowmelt BEGIN!

Did I say I wasn't going to discuss snow?  I digressed.  It's hard not to.  It's still February, after all.

But, I am here to talk about spring fever, which I have and it's right on time, and how I deal with it.  I have need of green and not just the green of my houseplants.  I need new green, new growth, that which can only come from starting seeds.  Some might say that it's too early for it.  I say they're wrong.  January is too early.  I started tomatoes one time in January and had fruit developing in March.  Much as I love home-grown tomatoes because the flavor usually runs circles around store-bought, my early crop was a little boring, or what I refer to as cardboardy, and I vowed never to let my spring fever control my gardener ways like that again.

Late February is still a little early to be starting veggies.  But herbs, now that's a different story.  If all you want is green, starting herbs now is the way to go.  It's all leaves, all green, all shiny and new, and it does a spring fevered heart good to see them pop through the surface of the soil and make their way into the world.

So, I headed toward my local produce store, where they always have their seed display out by January 1st each year.  They also have a greenhouse, where I'll go when I need a serious "fix" of exposure to flowers, herbs and developing vegetable plants.  I wandered up and down the rows of seeds, looking at the pictures on the packets and knowing damn well my plants were never going to look that good.  I had specific plans on herb seed starting - sage, rosemary, and thyme (no, silly – parsley is started later in the season).  Last year, I started sage, thyme and oregano, but I only got the oregano to winter over inside and it's gotten seriously scraggly looking - not enough sunlight, mostly.  But by the time the seeds get growing, there will be light aplenty.  So I plunked down my green paper (money) for five packets of spring fever remedy and headed home.

What I forgot in my glee of buying those seeds was the soil to start them.  Yeah, Lauren, something to grow them in.  Duh!  It's okay, I can wait two days to go get that.  Why not go tomorrow?  Because it's going to snow – again.

Only 27 days until Spring.

Countdown to Spring - I Take it Back (Sort of)

Okay, I am officially over February, over winter, over shoveling, etc. etc., etc.  After our 18" of dry fluffy snow, we had another 5" of slightly heavier snow last week.  We're expecting another 3-8" of snow tomorrow into Tuesday, with the possibility of ice on top of it all, followed on Thursday by snow and possibly freezing rain, with rain on Friday to make a lovely mess of it all.

If Mother Nature is trying to try my patience, it's working.  I know we've been fortunate in that, except for the 15" snowstorm in December, we didn't have anything until February.  I didn't have to sweep or shovel, didn't have to throw de-icer down until this month.  However, it seems to be making up for lost time in terms of the frequency and amounts we're getting and predicted to get, not to mention we're getting into the messier winter weather as the slightly warmer temperatures start to creep in.  I know, it's a seasonal process and one we go through, for better or worse, every year.  I understand it.  It doesn't mean I have to like it.

However, as I look out the window at bushes and trees, I see evidence of their awakening from their winter slumber in the form of leaf buds.  I also hear some of the birds doing some territorial singing as well.  Granted that they're year-round residents and will have to re-stake their claims once the migrating birds return.  But these little reminders of warmer, greener days to come are most welcome and will keep me going as I pitch said forecasted snow off my deck over the upcoming week.

Only 34 days until Spring.

Countdown to Spring - A Late Start

For those who still read my blog, you know I normally start this series on Groundhog's Day.  I did watch Punxsutawney Phil on 2/2, but was kind of busy shoveling out from the 18" of snow that fell on 2/1.  By the way, just because it's a light and fluffy snow doesn't make it any easier to clear off a second floor deck and walkway.  I am fortunate in that my neighbors came over to help clear the ridge of snow left by the plow and the area around my car, bless them.  I'm getting too old to be dealing with this stuff, yet love New York too much to consider relocating.

So, the groundhog did see his shadow on February 2, which means six more weeks of winter.  Was I surprised?  Not in the least.  Despite not wanting to deal in cold temperatures, snow, sleet and freezing rain, I know it's part of the process toward a normal spring.  The lack of normalcy of this past year due to the pandemic has given me an appreciation for normal seasonal weather and transitions.

Still, as I look out on falling snow again, which will be happening every other day for the next week, it makes me wonder about warmer climes and snow-free places, if only for a short while.

Only 41 days until Spring.