Walking and sitting outside

Sunday, March 21, was memorable for several reasons. Among them were: Belinda and I took our first walk outside since last Fall. We're at an age where slipping on ice isn't an option so we wait until the ice has melted before we begin our walks.

Second, Grandpa and I sat outside and watched the cars and the trains. We didn't stay too long, but at least we were outside for a while.

While sitting outside, I made some observations. We have a new neighbor that we haven't met. That's because of the winter hibernation that we do in North Dakota. Hopefully, now that it warms up and we see people working in their yard, I will venture across the street and introduce myself.

Also, the snow pack has taken it's toll on the lawn. The grass is mashed down. Completely laying over on its side. I wonder if it will perk it's head up or will we need to rake to make the lawn look healthy again.

I also noticed the ducks and the geese flying north. The ducks are quiet. The geese are honking as they follow the river.

Lastly, I noticed a majestic pair of evergreens in a neighbors yard. I remember staring at the trees back in 2001 when I didn't have a job. I would be waiting at home for the phone to ring, and I would stare out the picture window at the big, majestic evergreens. They are beautiful trees, but when the leaves pop out on the other trees, the two evergreens simply fade into the background. But before the leaves bud, the evergreens are "king of the castle."

I don't know how much room the trees take up in the neighbor's yard, but it looks like a considerable amount...judging from my vantage point. Yet, I'm thankful for the homeowner who has never cut them down because they truly are beautiful....especially when they have a coating of snow on them.

But I didn't say that because I've seen enough snow for a long while. The snow that still lingers is like the last leaf on a tree in the fall. It knows it's days are numbered.

What happened to February

Generally, I try to write at least one post on my blog a month. But February was obviously an exception. In looking back, I can sum up February in one word, "WINTER."

I swear winter in North Dakota gets worse every year. I remember it was that way in the mid-1990s also. One time I said, "One more winter like that and I'm leaving." The next several winters were actually pretty nice and I got lulled into staying. Now I'm thinking I'm too old to leave. Also, for the next two years, I need to not only keep a job but keep a job that pays pretty well so that Scott can finish college debt free. So, while I'm not saying I'll be moving any where soon, it would be nice to go back to those milder winters.

Last winter we got our Christmas decorations down in late February. This year, some of them are buried under the snow and we haven't even tried to remove the Christmas lights along the fence because we would be standing in three-foot drifts of snow. As it turns out, I'm the kind of people I used to make fun of. If we don't have a spring thaw, I may just leave the Christmas stuff up all year.

If next fall, Belinda wants to put up the inflatable snowman with the sign that says "Let it Snow", I may go outside and personally vandalize it. I've had enough.

Another sign of winter is the disappearance of your neighbors. I know they are still alive because I see vapor coming from their chimneys, but I don't see the neighbors. They are not out grilling or weeding the garden. We might as well be bears who hibernate through the winter.

This morning, the roads and highways were a sheet of ice because it rained in the middle of the night or early this morning and it froze. Tomorrow, we're expecting more snow. The weather forecasters say they don't really have a clue how much snow we can expect because storms this time of year are hard to predict.

Well, speaking for my snowblower, I hope if we do get snow, it's the light and fluffy stuff. I have had March snows that are so heavy that the snowblower is useless. Then you have two choices -- either wait for the snow to melt (my favorite) or shovel the driveway by hand (my wife's favorite).

So March has come in like a lamb. Very little wind, lots of fog and absolutely no spring thaw. While I know that it appears there is no end to this winter in sight, the sun is starting to crawl up from the horizon where it slept all winter and one of these days it will be warm enough to melt the snow and ice. And then we get our one month of spring before it turns unbearably hot for three months before our one month of fall. Then it's WINTER again.

If this blog were a book of the Bible, it would definitely be Lamentations. Nuff said.