Have you ever heard someone say, “I did not see that coming?” Perhaps you have even said those words yourself. The phrase is used when we experience something we were not expecting – and in this fast-paced world of uncertainty, it doesn’t seem surprising that we are often blind-sided by the unexpected.
Where, oh where did the warming weather go? We had a couple of days when the temps reached high 50s and low 60s and now we’re back in the single digits and teens. I don’t like this. And, even worse, the winds have been gale force. Gusts have almost taken me off my feet. Uff.
My 44th birthday was at the end of December and I remember waking up and thinking, “Wow, I am middle-aged. If I have half of my life left, how do I want to spend it? What should I be doing with my time?” It is easy to look at others, make comparisons, and start wondering if I’ve done enough or if it’s good enough.
Oh, I could get used to this wonderful sunshine with only a slight breeze. There is hope that we will have green grass and flowers again. For a little while, I had my doubts. Of course, we have to go through the wet, muddy phase. But, if you are able to pick where you walk, it’s not too bad. I considered getting my rain boots out, but I thought my feet would get too cold in them.
My sister and I have a joke about how every time I travel, I have encounters with birds. Each of my digital travel albums includes a video in which some bird - usually a very large bird - is following me, (in quite close proximity) while I engage said bird in conversation. In Salem it was a seagull, at Imperial Beach it was a seagull, in Colorado it was a raven, in New York City it was my nosy hotel pigeon, and so on. Because of all of my previous encounters, I assumed that large birds were just friendly beings who like to hang out nearby and hope for snack scraps, like tiny dogs with wings. That is, until last week, when I had to do some work on a third-story balcony belonging to one of the apartments above my boutique.
Welcome to spring, everyone - and to Daylights Saving Time! A double whammy of warming weather and extended evening light. One is based on our celestial position in the sky, the other upon the whims of Mankind.
Frazzled, ROB rushes into the coffee shop, immediately recognizes FATHER TIME on the opposite side of the café, sitting in a booth. Rob crosses to him quickly and sits.
We all survived last week’s transition to the new systems under CherryRoad. Though I can’t say it wasn’t without a lot of lessons to learn.
It may be a bit early to be offering tips for spring gardening while we are still in the final week of winter. However, like most eager gardeners, even thinking about prepping the soil plants mental seeds that will blossom into action once the weather warms. That’s the key, warming weather, or more precisely - warming and drying soil. Typically the soil is warmed two ways: from above via the air temperature and, of course, a warming sun. However, due to the make-up of our planet. The soil is also heated from below, that heat transferred from its core, up through the mantle and crust. Even in the coldest winter, once one gets below the frozen top soil, deeper layers are often 40-45F.
Sometimes people ask me how I stay ahead of the news. Well, I have many trusted sources but I’ve been reading one publication in particular for longer than all the others. The periodical both informs and entertains. Its prose is simple and clear, but not without style. Their news stories cut to the chase. There is a focus on the natural world. And their puzzles keep me razor sharp. That’s why I still read Highlights magazine.