March Madness

No, I'm not talking about college basketball here, but rather the crazy weather that has characterized this winter and launched us into March. We finally got some of the long-absent heavier snows that we should have seen during December, January, and much of February. It waited until the end of the month - to the eve of Leap Day (February 29) - before rolling in here to blanket the landscape.

The good news is that it wasn't all that much snow - maybe 6 inches or so, it didn't come down incessantly - maybe 18 hours, off and on, and it's already melting rapidly under 50 degree air temperatures and a blazing sun that I'm sure is having its impact. All of those factors make me much happier than I might otherwise be with a "heavy" snowfall. And they are nothing compared to the devastation that has befallen some communities in Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky from the spate of tornadoes that slammed into them in the past few days. I send them prayers for recovery, and count my blessings for the relatively minor effects the snow has had on life here.

Just before the snows started to fall on Tuesday, I was up very early (as usual) and found, as I looked out the window, that I was not alone. A small herd of deer were making their way up the hill to the lawn, as they have been inclined to do fairly regularly this winter, for their morning graze. There were a couple of fairly small ones lagging at the back of the group - fawns that are probably six months to a year old, I'd guess. What made this little group a bit unusual was how close to the house they came that morning. Usually they're a good 50-75 feet from the structure...far enough that they can dart quickly to the adjacent woods, but Tuesday one of the ringleaders showed no real reluctance to stroll just beyond the windows. So, of course, I grabbed my camera and tried to snap a few shots as quickly as I could before I spooked him (or her...).

It was fun to see them out there, finding plenty of room to roam and graze, along with the shelter of the woods. It struck me as I observed them that they really are well designed by Mother Nature to blend fairly invisibly into the landscape with their light brown coats matching the grey/putty color of the terrain.

The other neat thing about this time of year is the ongoing display I've been enjoying from my amaryllis bulbs. My previous post displayed the brilliant Valentine red blooms of my largest flower, but those blossoms have faded. I'm now admiring the salmon pink of my second and third bulbs, which have provided a bit of cheer in an otherwise bleak view of the outdoors.

My pink geraniums, wintered over from last summer, also are in bloom and continue to thrive in the south-facing windows and sunny warmth of this partially passive solar house. They've been wonderful reminders that Spring, and cute bunnies and pastel colored things are not far in the future...along with shamrocks and corned beef. I'm more than ready for all of them!

Memorial Day Weekend!

Well, there is literally no excuse...and many explanations. It has been a crazy few months and the relentless winter here in the Northeast just about did. me. in. Seriously. I'm not a huge fan of the frigid months, and, while snow is pretty, to be honest, it is not my favorite thing. I like my lawns and my trees green. So Spring was a very welcome sight here, when it finally arrived. We had one wonderful week of perfection in May, then a week of nothing but rain. It's one extreme or the other this year.

That said, I found myself saying more than once that while Spring was rather late in getting here, every blissfully mild day of May was one to relish because the hot days of Summer are not far behind. Apparently, we're getting a taste of Summer's best on this Memorial Day weekend, this "unofficial" start of the summer season. I've barely put away the snow shovel and my winter boots and I've turned on the fans and am batting at flies and other flying insects! Still, no complaints - I'm truly appreciative of every lovely, sunny day we get.

We have had our fair share of flooding here in the Northeast - not uncommon after a heavy-snow winter and spring rains - but what we see routinely up here is really relatively minor compared to the floods and staggering tornado damage in the midwest and south. My heart goes out to all those whose homes and lives were devastated by Mother Nature's ravages, and my prayers go to them, too. It's shocking to lose a loved one to a powerful storm, and a daunting task to rebuild one's life when everything you worked for decades to establish is blown to bits and scattered to the four winds. It seems to be a pattern lately - if it's not the economy and people losing jobs, livelihoods, and their roofs overhead, it's the winds blowing everything they have apart. If you've lived long enough, you know it doesn't get easier to deal with such upheaval, but hopefully the years have brought some wisdom and some consolation to those directly impacted by these forces and they will recover and forge ahead again.

I'll close with my apology, again, for the long gap between posts, and with a reminder that today is the day we honor those who have served our country over the generations to help ensure that we have choices in our lives and to help protect us from those who would have things otherwise in this world. Like so many, my dad served in the military - he enlisted, wasn't drafted - and went to England during World War II, and my mom worked for the Army as a civilian, too, before my parents met. It was life changing for Dad, for sure, and, dare I say, the efforts of all of our soldiers at home and abroad changed the course of history, and our lives as we enjoy them today, as a result. I am and always will be grateful for their service. Job well done.

Have a safe and pleasant Memorial Day.