April Snowstorms?!

Oh Wisconsin I love your variability when it comes to weather.  It’s April and we are supposed to be having April showers so we can have May flowers.  Instead we are having April snow and who knows what May will bring.

In the last week, there are places in Wisconsin that got over 3′ of snow – yes that is feet.  Two storms of wet heavy, sloppy snow perfect for any January day but we got them in April. 

Where I am we didn’t get that much – maybe 6-7″ total.  However, driving was still difficult and people were complaining – a lot.

Weather is weather and all we can do is – weather it.  (Pun sort of intended).  The nice thing about an April winter storm – we’re all used to driving in the weather.  On my way home last night I expected heavy traffic and slip offs and slides and more problems.  Instead I got nearly empty roads and no one in the ditch.  There was a three car accident in an intersection but everyone was being cautious and courteous while the fire fighters and police were handling it. 

This morning, snow on the ground but by afternoon we are supposed to be in the mid-40s, so we are likely to lose the snow and have mud and maybe a bit of green. 

Welcome Spring!!

Spring has sprung and look we’re covered in snow again.  I’m laughing because this is Wisconsin and I know there are people who are cursing the weather today.  I say – it’s March and it’s Wisconsin, what do you expect.  It seems ironic that the spring equinox was last week and now we have about four inches of snow and it is still snowing.  If you ask me, I’ll tell you I’m not a big fan of the cold and snow but it is a fact of life here in Wisconsin.  Complaining about it won’t make it go away and won’t make it warmer.  It does bring the mood down and makes it harder to get through the season.  The thing is, it’s beautiful.  Yeah I know it’s March and people are tired of winter but if you look at the evergreens frosted with the white it’s picturesque.  If you don’t have to drive in it, (which really doesn’t happen) the puffy snowflakes are gorgeous, the ice on the trees looks like crystal.  It is a beautiful season even if it is cold and difficult.  Sometimes we get the best things when we deal with the difficulties in life. 
 
I’ve been laid up with gout.  I’m in pain and frustrated because I have a lot of work at both my day job and for writing.  I’m not able to sit at my desk easily when gout flares up.  My legs are painful, swollen, red and just plain miserable.  I need to let go of my expectations when my gout is being annoying, which I try to do.  This past couple of weeks I got through three manuscripts for editing.  I got the paper edits entered on the computer, read through the manuscript one more time, ran a spell check and essentially got it prepped for production.  It isn’t how or what I planned to do over the past couple of weeks but I made progress. 
 
Today it is snowing.  Tomorrow could have temps in the 60s.  It’s spring the time of new beginnings and fresh starts.  Everything is new, fresh, and bright (and muddy).  It’s a time to look around at all the possibilities and pick the ones which appeal the most and work on them. 
 
To the grumblers, I say just stop it.  It will be better sooner than you know.  To those who see the beauty in all the weirdness of our weather – I say go make snow angels or have a snow ball fight.  Make the most of the (hopefully) last hurrah of winter and enjoy it while it lasts.  It is Wisconsin after all and if you wait ten minutes the weather will change. 

Lilacs

On one of the more warm days, I drove down Alicia’s road and smelled the ultimate in indicators for spring – Lilacs.  I don’t know what it is but until I get a whiff of the spring air heavily laden with lilacs I don’t feel like it is spring.  I love this flower and plant.  I have three in my yard and one is blossoming.  They are young and growing nicely – no thanks to me. 

Our spring has been a bit funky here in Wisconsin.  We’ve had hot like late summer hot and now we are cool with threats of snow / frost.  I think we are going to have an unusual year for weather.  However, spring has now sprung for me with the scent of lilacs lingering even in the cool spring air. 

I’ve been so busy this semester I’ve not had a lot of time to stop and smell the roses (or lilacs) and now that the semester is winding down I’m starting to look forward to my summer.  This summer I have a pile of books to read.  I want to get back to submitting a lot of my writing.  I also want to work on two manuscripts and see if I can get two others actually published.  My summer is filling up even before it has started.

The two girls in Georgia will probably be coming home this summer.  I am trying to figure out when to take off for their visit.  Of course we don’t have solid dates yet but I’m still looking forward to it.  I want to get Stephanie’s afghan done for her and if at the three quilts I’ve had in the works for a while.  After that for sewing I have a pile of material for Vicki.  She has a bunch of material she wants me to make into work clothes for her.  Along these lines I have the next afghan lined up (and waiting in the living room) as well as yarn for a number of gifts.  I also still have three fleece blankets to get done. 

The question becomes how much of this will get done during this summer?  Hopefully all of it but you never know.  I’m looking forward to taking my vacation time and enjoying my down time.  I’m aware it sounds like I won’t be getting down time but it is for me.

Rhododendrons

Every spring our front garden slowly starts to blossom.  I’ve had white daffodils blooming for the last two or three weeks.  This morning I was a bit grumpy because I was up early and had to go back to work.  It isn’t the work – it is the up early part.  I stepped out of my house feeling slightly grumbly and looked at my garden as I try to every morning.  This morning I was greeted by happy bright pink flowers on my rhododendron bush.  It was cheerful and bright and beautiful.  It made me smile.
I went to grab my phone and realized I’d left it inside.  I had to find my house keys and go back for my phone.  Then I snapped a quick shot of my pretty flowers and text my two daughters in Georgia.  The response I got was – look no snow.  Never mind the gorgeous flowers.  They just commented on the no snow. 
To be fair, we’ve had a bit of a gloomy month for April.  We had snow and a lot of rain.  I’m definitely ready for there to be some bright days.  Just because she lives in Georgia and they’ve had beautiful weather for like three months, doesn’t mean she should rain on my parade. 
Well I just ignored her comment and enjoyed the pretty flowers.  They are a pink / purple color that is just a happy color.  It put a smile on my face and started my day right.  Now I’ll have to keep watch on the rest of the garden to see what pops up next. 
In my back yard I have a daffodils and hyacinth up.  The hyacinths are pink and purple.  The daffodils are white.  At some point I’m going to have more tulips.  They are one of my favorite spring flowers.
My bushes in the back yard are sprouting green and red.  I have some dogwood bushes, hydrangea, lilac, and others I can’t remember the names of.  The spirea bushes haven’t bloomed yet and I’m waiting on those.  We have two in the front yard and one in the back yard. 
It will be so nice to sit in the yard again.  It will be great to enjoy the smells and sounds in the yard.  I’m looking forward to the spring and summer.

Early Case of Spring Fever

The snow has piled up.  The drift between my house and the neighbors to the north is at least 4 – 5 feet tall.  I’m not talking about a drift plowed there by the snow plows.  No I’m talking about snow that was either fallen or blown there (by wind or snow blowers).  That is too high.  I’m so ready for spring to be here and to have some green grass and leaves back. 
I am looking forward to my rhododendron bush blooming again.  I also am excited to see how my bush fence is going to come in.  I am hoping to have more lilacs this year.  The endlessness of the white snow and cold winter has finally worn me out. 
I backed up to leave my driveway and realized the drift between the two houses was so high I couldn’t see over it to tell what was coming in the road.  That is too much winter. 
I’m one of the few people who sits back to enjoy the snow on the trees, the contrast between the white snow and evergreen trees.  However, enough already, I want some warmth.  I want the snow to stop falling – I don’t care that it is big fluffy pretty flakes.  It is still cold and will just add to that damn drift. 
I look out my window both at work and at home and think – more white stuff.. can’t we have some relief from this?  Outside my window at work there is a lovely giant evergreen which is picturesque.  It is one of the darker pines dusted with a lovely layer of white on the branches.  It looks amazing. 
I want to walk up to the tree and shake its trunk hard enough that all the snow falls off.  Not that I could even if I were to walk across campus to do it.  The tree is too large.  It represents winter to me.  I am tired of winter – obviously.
I know I’ll get over this but for these moments – I just want to think of a summer breeze and the birds singing.  I want to feel the sun on my face and be WARM.  I want the breeze to cool me off not put me in a deep freeze. 
I know I have another couple months to go before we see anything near to summer like weather.. until then I’m going to huddle impatiently under my quilt with the bright colors up so I feel like spring will come eventually.