The nights are still cool but the days are getting sunnier and warmer. I can see the first signs of the bulbs I planted last year pushing their way through the earth. It reminds me of how much spring is a time of renewal.
Just as the animals shed their winter fur, we humans take the time out to spring clean. We try to air out the house as well let in fresh, warm spring air. Once again watching the birds come to the bird feeders as we listen to their beautiful songs.
Where most people use the New Year as their time of resolutions and planned actions, I use the spring season as my jumpstart on to the year. It is hard for me to make plans for much when the weather is bleak, cold and often snow filled. But I get refreshed and have my creative juices flowing like a babbling brook (an emphasis on babbling )
With the weather warming my life also gets busier. At my day job spring and summer are the busiest times of the year. Also, my youngest son starts baseball in the next few weeks and do to me trying to earn extra money I am teaching three evenings a week from April 28- May 22.
This weekend it was amazing how the bleak and bare trees suddenly began to come to life with buds of flowers and leaves. It is definitely spring here.
I am also noticing many different birds at my 8 bird feeders (what can I say I love to watch birds) but my favorite is the pair of cardinals. We had a pair that we lovingly call momma and papa when we were in North Carolina. Johnathan thinks they followed us here. So the new cardinals are now named as well.
There is something about spring that makes me feel alive again. Like there are so many possibilities available. How does spring effect you?
Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Thursday, December 6, 2007
winter wishes to all my southern friends and family
Today when I woke up and drug my tired and frozen buns out of my toasty bed to see that it was a balmy 16 degrees outside. Despite the want to run back under the covers and play hooky, I got dressed.
When it was time to head out the door I had to begin the process of putting on my gloves, scarf, ear muffs (because I refuse to wear a hat when I have to be presentable at work) heavy winter coat and thermal snow boots. I have to have a pair of dress shoes in a bag to change into at work. You don't dare try to navigate the icy parking lot and walkways with 3 inch heels!
I grab my bags and keys and head outside in the frigid air. We have had snow for a couple of days now and while it is maybe 2 inches, it is frozen solid and crunches as I walk in it to the van. I can't drive the mustang in this weather because it is rear wheel drive, lacking traction control and abs.
I open and start it while grabbing my ice scraper to clear my windows. My windshield wipers are frozen to the window and I can't climb up to reach them in my suit I am wearing so I do the best I can to try and break them free. I wipe the snow off the windows as my feet are starting to go numb and my fingers begin to feel like icicles. I get back in the van and watch my breath as I rev the engine in hopes of it warming up faster. It finally gets warm in the van just as I am 2 exits on the interstate from my destination. About this time I see traffic slowing down because someone took the turn too fast and spun out.
I finally get to work and pull into the still unplowed parking lot. Only the head cheeses get the spaces close to the building so that leaves us peons to park in the back lot. With my boots on I get good traction and my feet stay relatively warm and dry. What digs into my bones is the wind whipping up from the canal and lake nearby. The buildings create almost a valley between them, making the wind even stronger. It reminds me of living in Chicago years ago. That feeling lets you know it is winter in the north.
Once inside the building there is slop from everyone's winter footwear, so you have to tread carefully so you don't slip on the slick tile floors. By the time I trudge up to my office on the 3rd floor I am sweating from all the winter gear. I unlock the door and begin to peel it all off. I swap out the boots for a pair of pumps and quickly go make some hot coffee. It warms me on the way down.
When it is this cold outside I avoid going back out until it is time to leave. I have to begin the dress process again as well as the painfully cold walk to the parking lot. I also have to scrape off of the window, warm the car and attempt to not get frost bitten while the van's engine warms. To add insult to injury, it is also dark out when I leave at 5:00 p.m. I then begin my trek to my second job (teaching 3 nights a week) 20 minutes away. The roads are very steep and I often see cars spun out along the way.
I get to school, teach and have to head home again, only now it is 10:00 p.m. and 9 degrees. Luckily there isn't any new snow fall on the car, but the wipers are yet again frozen to my windshield. I warm up the car and head home 40 minutes away.
I go inside, try to unwind for bed as quick as possible because I know the toastiness of my bed will be short lived when the alarm goes off again for another round of dressing, scraping, warming, slopping, etc. This pattern generally occurs from December through March (and sometimes until late April) with some days better (and worse) then others.
Sure it can be easy to become bitter and cranky during this time of year, but the beauty of fresh fallen snow, the fun of snowball fights and the joy in children (both big and small) at the prospect of sledding down the big hill at a near by park out weighs all the bad ten fold.
When it was time to head out the door I had to begin the process of putting on my gloves, scarf, ear muffs (because I refuse to wear a hat when I have to be presentable at work) heavy winter coat and thermal snow boots. I have to have a pair of dress shoes in a bag to change into at work. You don't dare try to navigate the icy parking lot and walkways with 3 inch heels!
I grab my bags and keys and head outside in the frigid air. We have had snow for a couple of days now and while it is maybe 2 inches, it is frozen solid and crunches as I walk in it to the van. I can't drive the mustang in this weather because it is rear wheel drive, lacking traction control and abs.
I open and start it while grabbing my ice scraper to clear my windows. My windshield wipers are frozen to the window and I can't climb up to reach them in my suit I am wearing so I do the best I can to try and break them free. I wipe the snow off the windows as my feet are starting to go numb and my fingers begin to feel like icicles. I get back in the van and watch my breath as I rev the engine in hopes of it warming up faster. It finally gets warm in the van just as I am 2 exits on the interstate from my destination. About this time I see traffic slowing down because someone took the turn too fast and spun out.
I finally get to work and pull into the still unplowed parking lot. Only the head cheeses get the spaces close to the building so that leaves us peons to park in the back lot. With my boots on I get good traction and my feet stay relatively warm and dry. What digs into my bones is the wind whipping up from the canal and lake nearby. The buildings create almost a valley between them, making the wind even stronger. It reminds me of living in Chicago years ago. That feeling lets you know it is winter in the north.
Once inside the building there is slop from everyone's winter footwear, so you have to tread carefully so you don't slip on the slick tile floors. By the time I trudge up to my office on the 3rd floor I am sweating from all the winter gear. I unlock the door and begin to peel it all off. I swap out the boots for a pair of pumps and quickly go make some hot coffee. It warms me on the way down.
When it is this cold outside I avoid going back out until it is time to leave. I have to begin the dress process again as well as the painfully cold walk to the parking lot. I also have to scrape off of the window, warm the car and attempt to not get frost bitten while the van's engine warms. To add insult to injury, it is also dark out when I leave at 5:00 p.m. I then begin my trek to my second job (teaching 3 nights a week) 20 minutes away. The roads are very steep and I often see cars spun out along the way.
I get to school, teach and have to head home again, only now it is 10:00 p.m. and 9 degrees. Luckily there isn't any new snow fall on the car, but the wipers are yet again frozen to my windshield. I warm up the car and head home 40 minutes away.
I go inside, try to unwind for bed as quick as possible because I know the toastiness of my bed will be short lived when the alarm goes off again for another round of dressing, scraping, warming, slopping, etc. This pattern generally occurs from December through March (and sometimes until late April) with some days better (and worse) then others.
Sure it can be easy to become bitter and cranky during this time of year, but the beauty of fresh fallen snow, the fun of snowball fights and the joy in children (both big and small) at the prospect of sledding down the big hill at a near by park out weighs all the bad ten fold.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Snow
Up here in Ohio it is supposed to snow for the next few days. I love the first snow, it is so pure, so innocent. It made me think everything going on right now.
This poem came to me as I looked to the sky at the storm/snow clouds moving in as the sun tries to push its way between them and shine down on my face.
I am not much of a poet, but every now-and-then my mind lets me. Here is the result.
Snow
Snow falls down
Covering our hearts
Blinding our eyes
Like innocence
It covers the bad
And hides the ugly
Turning everything pure
Untouched
Like innocence
It stays that way
Until it is ruined
By people
Snow falls down
Onto a grave
Helping to hide the pain
Helping to guide
Us to justice
Softly the sun rises
Over fields of white
Glistening rays of hope
Like innocence from the sky
This poem came to me as I looked to the sky at the storm/snow clouds moving in as the sun tries to push its way between them and shine down on my face.
I am not much of a poet, but every now-and-then my mind lets me. Here is the result.
Snow
Snow falls down
Covering our hearts
Blinding our eyes
Like innocence
It covers the bad
And hides the ugly
Turning everything pure
Untouched
Like innocence
It stays that way
Until it is ruined
By people
Snow falls down
Onto a grave
Helping to hide the pain
Helping to guide
Us to justice
Softly the sun rises
Over fields of white
Glistening rays of hope
Like innocence from the sky
Monday, October 1, 2007
October Begins...
I have to admit I love this time of year; the cool breeze, leaves changing, football, just cool enough to wear your favorite cozy sweatshirt and jeans. At night you need an extre blanket because leaving the windows open makes you snuggle more. Playing outside doesn't cause you to get all sweaty. Long walks gathering leaves for fall school projects are fun. Hiking with the family is a lesson in nature and the world around us. You begin to discover hidden nooks around the towns you live in as you step in to warm up and have a cool drink. Life slows down again for the last time before the winter holidays are upon us. The daylight is shorter so you tend to be at home with the family earlier then in summer. Dinners of chili and homemade chicken soup begin as well as baked goods. Having the windows open allows the smells of the yumminess fill the neighborhoods. Campfires in back yards are starting up. Smores and scary stories are being gobble up. Fall is a great time of reflection. We watch children go off to school and can remember our school days. We watch the big homecoming game with this new generation but yet can recall where we were for our homecoming. As the apple trees and pumpkins are ready to be picked the ciders and pies become plenty. So on this first day of October I raise my hot cocoa to all the sprits of fall and the beauty they bring.
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