Snow and slush

The first thaw of winter 2014 has finally arrived on Roundtop Mtn.  While this is generally a good thing, for the moment it means my driveway is full of slush that refreezes overnight, creating a skating rink.  I will try not to complain too much about that, as the slush is dissipating and there’s less to freeze each night.

The thaw should mean that I will be able to finish clearing off my back deck, shoveling out the propane tank and perhaps working on the roof gutters.  It’s true that will all mean another weekend of shoveling, but at least those projects will be done until the next storm.

I heard this morning that while the eastern U.S. is enjoying (or suffering through, depending on your point of view) the winter of 2014, the rest of the globe is experiencing one of the warmest winters ever. I heard the winter overall is shaping up as the fourth warmest winter on record.  But weather, like politics, is a local phenomena, and that news just isn’t gaining much traction with me at the moment.

Instead, while I am enjoying the easing of winter, I am also relieved that the snowy winter should do a lot to improve the water table in the area, and I’m hopeful it also means fewer ticks and mosquitoes when the weather finally does warm up for spring. The way the weather is going, this could turn out to be one of the last “normal” winters I get to see. I will make every effort to enjoy that however long it lasts.