It is March 17th, 2014. St. Patrick's Day, and it is 14.3 degrees outside at 7:30 AM.
The snow is still on the ground, and the ground is still frozen hard. No sign of Mud Season yet. The sap began to run when the temperature rose to the 50's a few days ago, but is most likely confused as heck right about now.
The snow cover in our backyard is slowly retreating like some ancient glacier only to loose ground to a "covering to an inch" of overnight frosty annoyance.
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| The frozen landscape on Brookfield Road. |
This is my seasonal Monday morning whine. It is something that has to be done at least once each winter, and for the opposite reason, once each summer, or my head will explode. And, yes, I am from New England, and I should be used to this, so why complain?
Being used to something doesn't mean one has to like it.
Lately, I have been using my Trulia iPhone real estate app to seek out a little piece of warmth in Florida. Something to give refuge to this New Englander now, and again, and maybe a place to hide once retirement comes.
I never thought I'd consider becoming a "Snow Bird", someone that winters in warmer climes, and returns to New England in summer, but I am considering it. I think it may be something that naturally evolves as one grows older, or just grows tired of winter.
I am feeling myself evolving, and I would really like to smell some mud right about now.
Yes it has been relentless, Wally. But in my 13 winters here, there have been worse. I remember my first winter in New England, 2001. It was trial by snow. I had never seen or experienced anything like it in my 50 prior years growing up and living in the Philadelphia region. Runner-up to that winter was 2011. I believe both of those years featured snow totals over 100 inches..... and it stuck around all winter. At least this winter we had that great melting period which cleared the slate so to speak.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy the cold weather. It really doesn't bother me. With the proper equipment, the clearing of the 1,500 square fee of driveway and parking area takes less than 30 minutes, and I can do it sitting down. No more horsing around my walk-behind Ariens.
My wife and I have noticed one thing while living up here. We see and encounter more older and active senior citizens here than were we came from. Folks who make your jaw drop when they tell you how old they are. I don't know the true reason, but I wouldn't be surprised if pushing snow around, and living out the cold winters had something to do with it.
I think you are on the right track in thinking of warmer climate. The problems in winter are endless on brookfield road.
ReplyDeleteSnowblower BROKE
snow shovel BROKE
mail box well forget that.
I think the message is loud and clear. warm weather will cure it all.
Craig, glad to know that someone else feels my pain.
ReplyDelete