Monday, March 09, 2009

Yesterday and Today: A Pictoral Essay of Contrast (Without Swearing).

Yesterday the kale was struggling to get it's head above snow, and doing well at it.The sun shone brightly, melting the snow, and bringing the deer into full sunlight.Fearless they are, and hungry.Yesterday the chickens celebrated in the sunshine. I came home in short sleeves, my sweater discarded in the warmth of early spring. Suddenly I was grateful for mud and all it entails.

At 1:00am I woke to the sound of sleet falling against the skylights. At 6:30am I walked the dogs.Gone was the greenish brown of grasses trying to come back to life.Gone the cheerful sound of birds, wild and tame, making their way into the sunshine. In their place, snow,sleet, freezing rain, and darkness.Gene headed off for work, only to call less than a half an hour later. The road from home to work was closed, so he turned for home. We live on a hill.A hill that, for some reason, didn't warrant plowing or sanding this morning. The result: one Honda Civic, trying desperately and failing miserably to climb the sleet, ice, and snow covered hill toward home. I love the fishtail wake it left behind as it - and it's driver - tried valiantly to reach the top even after sliding across the road.I've said before - down usually isn't a problem. Up is. The hill has this sharp angle and a corner, so even a little slippery stuff can make it impossible for our little front wheel drive cars to make it. A little shoveling and some more slipping and sliding and spinning and the car was on it's way again, not without peril. I walked behind. I hate that feeling, the skidding, sliding, slipping feeling. A clear spot where a tree had protected the road from snowfall gave the car just the little edge it needed to reach the top. Back home, the same deer who yesterday were munching their way through our side yard were now across the street, gazing at us accusingly. I told them it wasn't me.I rarely ask for snow, and never for sleet or freezing rain. Spring isn't really here, and winter isn't really gone. And the fact that I just said that without any foul language may be a miracle!
Please tell me someone somewhere has sun and grass and warm breezes.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Sorry about the snow. Beautiful pictures. Orlando is sunny and warm.

stbyra said...

It's mostly cloudy but 78F here in Mississippi. I was out taking pictures of my flowers that are blooming. Sorry, didn't mean to rub it in like that.

Yarnhog said...

Sun. Warm breezes. Grass. All here.

I don't suppose it would make you much happier if I pointed out how beautiful all that snow is, would it?

Anonymous said...

Want to switch places for a little while? It's been quite sunny here today with a high of (please go now to a safe place where you can fall down without doing damage to yourself) 85F! But, don't worry, by the end of the week it's supposed to drop down for a high in the 40's.

Sorry! I love snow, and can't ever get much of those glorious white fluffy flakes to visit here long......

Debra in NC

Anonymous said...

I would trade places with you any day!! It's 80 with 20 mile an hour "breezes" and everything is so dry there's not a day that goes by that we're not having some kind of grass fire. Give us your snow and you can have the hay fever (haha). Enjoy the weather while you can.

Nat Alea in "windy" OK

Anonymous said...

No snow here, but it's been raining cats and dogs Sat. and Sun. Mon. was ok and Tue. the rains came back. Flooded streets and viaducts, flash flood warnings. And tonight it's all supposed to freeze.

Anonymous said...

We don't have snow here just now -- just high winds and rain in Southwestern Ontario. Did truly enjoy the pictures and information.
Hope once he was home you warmed up with some hot chocolate and "special" time.