Thursday, February 17, 2011

Boots or Barefoot

It's the middle of winter. February 17, to be exact. Considered by most to be the height of the cold season.

Not this year.

The snow has pretty much melted in a few day's time, the skies are blue, the sun is bright and the air is warm.

The thermometer reads 70F. Yeah. I'm serious.

Hello to my long lost, neglected blog on this perfect day! For once in the middle of winter, the place I hail from is beautiful. Bouquets of flowers are evenly posted on random tables indicating the special event that took place just two days before: our 8th anniversary.

The grill on the deck is screaming for hamburgers and the scent of summer in the air gives one an uncontrollable desire for picnic weather food. Soft wind floats through the house from the open windows, beckoning all to follow its trail to the great outdoors. A week ago we were wearing boots. Today, sandals are even too much for this barefoot weather. Like I said, this weather couldn't be more perfect.

It may sound like I'm describing a tropical location where it's always warm and the skies are always blue and the weather is always perfect. Actually, I'm not. I'm describing the same place where a year go, people were dying from Cabin Fever and the roads were iced over, forcing people to stay inside their warm homes where heating bills sky rocketed for months. The skies were grey and cloudy. Blowing snow shrink wrapped our houses. No one dared to go outside for fear the very skin on their faces would become charred with a bitter frostbite.

Okay, maybe it wasn't quite that extreme but sub-zero temps that lasted over a month, sure made the winter long.

And now summer is here. In the middle of February. In the Midwest.

Of course it won't stay long as snow is predicted in the near forecast but knowing that winter has been overcome by summer, even just for several days, brings hope that soon winter will be gone forever.

We love you, Summer. Thanks for the visit.

1 comment:

pat ve said...

It is so fun to see you writing again on your blog. It has certainly been delightful weather this week. I think a week ago M-W I was sitting in my house with near zero temps. outside, and watching the wind do something with the snow that was close to a blizzard. Maybe that was 2 wks. ago.
Anyway, I have noticed that your comments about your native homeland (state) are not as frequent and at least THIS WEEK, you are enchanted with "the midwest". I consider that statement pretty close to "Nebraska".
I'll let you off the hook. No one should complain about what we're getting at the moment.
Just about every place in the cont. US has had some weather to remark about this year, and I like remarks like your's here.
Did you grill hamburgers?