Then it Rained

As much as I whined about spring and summer's neediness in yesterday's post, 

I forgot about the rain:

Cloudy days and Mondays ...

That would be today.

A day off of outdoor chores.

I guess I can't mow the lawn today after all.

Thank you, Rain.

Sludging Through

It is the weekend. A long weekend, at that. And I'm having a tough time tackling my one-thing, one-step at a time laundry list of to-do, should-do and must-do items on my eternal task list. 

Summer. Days are long, weather is warm and there is NO snow. You gotta love it. Right?

Well? I like it. I really do. But I find Summer to be demanding. Lawn to mow. Weeds to tend. Garbage bins of fallen pinecones. Windows. Car. Everything around here needs a good spring cleaning. Everything. The downside of it all is it never ends. Grass and weeds just keep growing. Pinecones keep on falling. Windows? I love them. I really do. They are just so needy.

Winter. Short days, cold weather and snow. Despite its drawbacks, it's more forgiving in some ways.

It may snow a lot for several days running. But there is always a break. Granted, that break may come with ice, wind, unseasonal melting creating more ice ... but there are reprieves. 

Snow is different than grass (yes, I am a rocket scientist, aren't I?). Snow comes in ebbs and flows. Grass just keeps growing until fall when it takes a bit of a break. Grass always needs something. Snow? Once it's shoveled, it's good (unless there is wind - that is another story).

Those short, dull winter days don't focus on your dirty windows and dusty house. Winter says, "Take a break. Relax. Save your energy for the next snowfall." Summer says, "Go while the going's good. Sun is shining! Take a good look at that dirt and DO something about it."

It is barely past the middle of May and I'm looking at this needy yard that surrounds my home. I like it. I really do. But really? I just washed windows. Now you want me to mow the grass and deal with the excessive pinecones too?

I sludged through yesterday. Slowly (and I mean slowly) but surely, I (eventually) washed all the windows on the main floor. Inside AND out. What gratitude do I get? The sun pokes around a new corner of the earth and says, "You missed a spot!!"

Aaaack! Summer? You are so demanding. I'm still glad you are here.

Aggressive Chirping

I stepped outside to take a picture of our April snowfall and was distracted by the sound of birds:

(ensure your volume is high, to appreciate the aggressive nature of their chirps)

It seems I'm not the only one who is impatiently waiting for warmer weather.

I wish I sounded so cheerful when I grumble about the weather.

Chicken Soup Anyone?

I will never underestimate the value of good winter tires again.

Hitting a curb (and wrecking a tire) initiated my slightly premature switch to summer tires but I wasn't worried. I was optimistic the spring storm headed our way wouldn't affect the roads too long before the heat of the sun permeated the snow. For the most part (one rather tense trip home spurred me into cancelling an appointment the next morning), I was right.

Much to my chagrin, I shoveled snow because there was a slight snow drift in front of the garage, but as I cleared the way I truly hoped it would be the last time I would have to touch a shovel for the season. 

It continued to snow and I woke up to a snow covered driveway the next morning. Not again. I will not shovel again. I won't! By the time I had to leave the house, Mother Nature had taken care of the snow and I felt pretty lucky.

Then I had the chance to visit with a cousin who lives in the southern (and hardest hit) part of the province and I bit my tongue. They had snow "this high" (my memory wants to believe the indication was to their knees but I think it was a little less than that). The slight inconvenience of slipping home safely on the the winter streets and the minor snow shoveling I had done was nothing compared to what it could have been.

I drove on dry highways towards my weekend oasis last night. I savored the extended daylight hours and enjoyed sighting Canada geese pairing up and strolling beside the highway. The fields were snow covered and it looked pretty chilly out there. I felt a chill run through my bones when I saw a goose-couple swimming in a slough. "How do they manage in the cold?", I wondered for the duration of my trip.

Almost "home", a couple of deer popped up in the ditch and carefully watched for traffic as I slowed to a crawl and they stayed safely off the road. Oooo!! I love spring!!!

Then I arrived. All I had to do was back into the driveway and park the car for the weekend. 

Summer tires and wet snow are not a good combination. The tires spun as I remained stationary. Forward and back, trying to maneuver my way into my little spot nestled beside the house and in front of the garage. When I was satisfied with my parking, I hopped out and assumed Mother Nature would take care of the snow while I was here and I happily settled in for the night.

I am so eager to jump start the season, I picked up some jalapeno burgers before I left the city. Barbequed burgers and a salad would make a perfect spring meal. I was savoring the very thought.

Then I woke up this morning and reality set in. A high of 2° today, a high of 4° tomorrow. I may be pulling out the shovel one more time.

It may be a homemade soup kind of weekend after all ...

It's Not Over 'til It's Over

I optimistically brought out our lawn chairs last week while spring was in the air.

April is a month when anything can happen but I remained hopeful. More snow is on the way today but it will hit the southern part of the province the hardest. 

It could be worse.

 Jet (the cat) looks a little disgusted at this change of weather. I feel the same way.

The sun will shine another day. 

In the meantime, the gloomy sky is wearing thin. I look forward to blue skies and warm forecasts. In no time at all, I will be complaining of the heat. 

Enjoy the moment you are in. Even if it is snowing in April.

It would be a very good day to snuggle up with a good book.

May you find a ray of sunshine within the day..

My Favorite Time of Year

When I ran my daycare, the messy transition phase between the melting snow and beginning of things greening up again was not my favorite season. Mud, puddles, wet and cool weather equaled a lot of clean up every time we came indoors. It was the messiest time of year but it did pass quickly.

This year, I am reveling in this season between snow and new life. 

I have been on the highway twice in two weekends and there are NO BUGS to wash off the windshield!!  I love, love, love that!!

I have spent the weekend in my little oasis away from home and it is too wet to rake or take on any of the spring clean up chores. The yard does not expect a thing from me. 

Outside becomes very needy, very fast during the upcoming months so I'm loving the moment I'm in. The moment when I look outside and see what will need to be done. But by the time I can do anything about it, I will actually look forward for an excuse to be outside puttering around.

In the meantime, the only chore I took upon myself was to clean up the lawn chairs enough to sit outside and bask in the freshness of the air and listen to the birds.

We are not out of the woods quite yet. It is cool and cloudy this morning and a "significant spring storm" is brewing south of us. 

Grass will soon start greening up, the trees will be in bud, spring flowers will start blooming ... the world will soon present itself in glorious technicolor. But for the moment, I am simply enjoying the state of "what is". 

We have little choice over "what is", so when we find ourselves in a moment we can savor I think it is a good idea to bask in it for as long as the moment lasts.

My all time favorite place to be when the season starts to change.

Holding On

Winter made its presence known again yesterday.

A light, unaggressive snowfall left a dusting of snow in its wake.

Soon, paw prints in the snow will no longer tell the tale of what unseen presence is around us.

There is something to savor within every season.

As it is with life.

The only thing certain about today is that it will not be the same as yesterday. 

Every step we take is a step beyond where we were.

New days, new seasons, change are all part of our existence.

When those days are hard,

remind yourself you have survived 100% of those days so far.

Please keep going.

Spring is coming.

The sun will rise again tomorrow.

"Time is a wheel that is spinning

Always moving on

The moments you think last forever

You look up and one day they're gone

Gotta hold on, hold on, hmm"

~ Gold - SAILR

It's Coming ...

It is April 1st

The days are getting longer

The temperatures are hovering around "zero"

And!!

The rabbits are starting to change color.

Spring is coming!

 

Footprints in the Snow

I am feeling oddly giddy about the season we are in at the moment. Darkness lingers longer in the morning allowing me to pad about our dimly lit house with a sense of peace. Night arrives sooner which coincides nicely with my personal preference to power down early. And our first dusting of snow has reminded me of what I love about the upcoming weather ahead. Footprints in the snow.

I have stopped window-gazing lately so I haven't been spotting our neighborhood rabbits as regularly as I did once upon a time. But I have seen the odd one so I know they are there. There is simply no evidence of their presence.

Last night, my daughter arrived home after dark and told me to check out the oddly suspicious "rocks" in the neighbor's yard. Rocks? I was not in the rabbit mindset so it took a minute to clue into the fact there were rabbits next door. One big one and a small one.

What a happy moment it was as I gazed at what I am almost certain was a mom/baby combo. The baby was facing Mom, ever watchful of her movements. Baby tried to be still like Mom but its youthful exuberance trumped the "rock" pose and baby ran a small loop around Mom and eventually landed back in the same rabbit print in the snow. This happened twice before Mom decided it was time to move on. Baby leapt at the opportunity and raced across the street. Mom was in hot pursuit and they were checking out yards out of my view when I lost sight of them.

Ahhh! It is the season when even if I don't actually spot the rabbits, they leave evidence of their presence. Even when we have faith in what we cannot see, it lightens the spirit just a little more to see proof that what we believe to be true is fact.

Almost There

Our days are now officially longer than our nights.

The sun feels warmer.

The snow is melting even on days when it feels too chilly to make a difference.

I feel like a child who is continually asking "Are we there yet?",

on a seemingly endless drive.

Wishing, hoping, waiting for more sunlight and warmer days.

Waiting for the snow to melt.

Waiting 

Hoping

Dreaming of spring

We are almost there.

Memories of my daycaring days waft through my mind when I take in this view

Days when being in the presence of children forced me to be still and savor the moment

I feel like I'm wishing my life away,

continually wondering "Am I there yet?".

As if some elusive destination awaits.

How about if the destination is "today"?

What if today is the day we have been hoping and waiting for?

And tomorrow is the same?

And so on and so forth.

Living in the present tense sounds like the best plan I know.

What do you find yourself hoping for?

Could it be wrapped up in "today" if you look for it?

I know nothing. 

I simply feel tired of waiting.

The time has arrived to enjoy the longer days and the warmer sun.

I believe there is a sunbeam out there calling my name.

Is it calling you too?

Fall

As of 7:30 this morning, fall has made its official arrival. 

Our hours of daylight are fewer than our night time hours. 

The up side of this, is the colors of the season. 

If ever I was in charge of designing a city, 

I would choose the trees based on the colors they turn in the fall. 

This tree in our neighborhood would definitely make the cut:

The past two falls, I have made trips "out east" and marveled at the beauty of their fall landscape. 

Their weather isn't as harsh as ours so their trees hold onto their fall colors longer. 

The view takes your breath away.

I am longing to head out east this fall. 

So many reasons. 

The colors of the season being one of them.

There is beauty within all of our seasons. 

Don't let the shortening days supersede the colors while they last.

Happy fall to you!