Normally I like winter. It’s often my favorite season and never worse than #2 on my list of seasons. This year, I have to admit, is not one of my favorites. As this is unfamiliar ground for me, I’ve spent a little time trying to pin down why I’m not thrilled with a year that is producing lots of winter. Is it that I’m just getting old? Have I gotten so used to years of almost non-winters so that an actual winter throws me for a loop?
No, I’ve decided. That’s not it.
The reason this winter is wearing down even a winter-lover like me is because there’s been little respite from things falling from the sky in the form of one kind of precipitation or other. My enjoyment of winter comes from being able to do outdoor things during the season. It comes from snowshoeing on some preferably sunny day, studying the tracks of my forest neighbors as they move around my cabin and just being able to get outside and do things. This winter about the only thing I’ve done is shovel snow and try and get ready for the next batch of something to fall from the sky.
I had snow on Thursday and Saturday and will have more tomorrow. And that’s just this week. The other weeks have been much the same. At the moment I have something over 20 inches of snow on the ground. 6-8 inches were already on the ground when 14 inches more fell on Thursday. Then on Saturday I got another 3-4 inches of snow and tomorrow I’m to get another 2-4 inches of snow.
Winters here typically aren’t like this. More typical is a snowstorm, followed by 7-10 days of sunshine or at least cloudy days, and then perhaps another snowstorm. It’s the length of time between storms that gives me time to play outside. Instead, this year I go from one shovel-fest to another, with barely enough time to shovel the essentials, let alone putter around the cabin, clearing areas that are non-essential but nice to see again. That’s why this winter is so wearing; there’s no time for fun. I need my fun time in order to enjoy winter! Fun is in short supply during this winter. The next shovel-fest is about to begin!
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6 comments:
Agree, enough of the snow!!!!!!
Seriously, I don't have anymore room to put it. What piles of I do have, I think they'll still be here at the beginning of April.
Carolyn: You and I are perfectly in sync about this winter. I came to the same conclusion that you did (about why this winter is so disheartening). The clean-up and then anticipation of yet another clean-up, repeated ad infinitum (seemingly), is distracting to say the least.
I think the fact that the snow hasn't melted between storms has been part of the problem, too. At least it has for me. It's just day after day of temperatures below freezing with increasing snow depths on a fairly regular basis.
I've also had other related distractions. We were without electricity for five days following the ice storm, then our propane heating tanks were empty and the propane company wouldn't even return my phone calls, then the oil company couldn't get to the house to fill my tank for the backup oil burner heating system, and then my nearly-new refrigerator started to make ominous noises and wouldn't keep the food cold. So, I've had "supplemental" issues as well. (Rest assured--the oil company got to me before the oil tank was empty, so we weren't without heat completely, and the refrigerator seeming "healed itself" though the repairman told me that the thermostat was faulty and needed to be replaced. Still don't have any propane, though--over a week without--we'd be freezing if we didn't have the backup oil burner.)
Oh, I forgot to say that the image accompanying this post is picture perfect. Bravo!
Cathy: I don't have any more room for snow either.
Scott: I don't mind that the snow isn't melting between storms (how could it withou only a day or two in between). I do mind that there's only 2-3 days between storms. There's no time to enjoy the snow--it's just constant shoveling, trying to get something clear before the next batch of snow.
I've been out of electricity for a while, but I still have propane, fortunately. I'm not at all convinced the propane man can get to my tank. It's nothing but thick ice back there. Maybe if it wouldn't snow or sleet or something this weekend, I can work on that area. Of course, that's even more shoveling.
I think you nailed it. All my exercise is with snow moving (I won't even describe is as removal). I'm pooped. No time to play.
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