Meditations

Sights, Sounds, and Smells of Spring

– Posted in: Meditations

Sights One of the many good things about spring is that without it, and without the absence imposed by fall and winter, we flawed mortals might fail to appreciate the beauties around us. So much of the wonder of spring is found in the return of what was absent. Would the appearance of new leaves [...]

Spring is just around the corner

– Posted in: Meditations, Mud Season

The trouble with that platitude is that Spring is so erratic around here that we often don't recognize it when it comes. For the next eight weeks or so, every time we hit a spell of bad weather, we will repeat to ourselves, and each other, "Well, spring is right around the corner." But we're [...]

Cabin Fever in Extremis

– Posted in: Meditations, Weather

I wrote this essay several years ago after the winter of 1993-1994 and I dig it out to reread every winter in which I feel I'm suffering excessively. Of course, no matter how bad your winter is, someone else can top you, so I don't promote this as the worst cabin fever anyone ever had, [...]

The first snow

– Posted in: Meditations

We are supposed to get our first snow of the season tonight and tomorrow morning with accumulations of an inch or more in the higher elevations, which is where I am. The first snow always evokes a lot of conflicting feelings in me. I have to face up to the fact that I am not [...]