Don’t call it winter yet
Woodcut (detail), Hiroshige, from “Sixty-Nine Stations of the Kisokaido,” 1835
It’s not that I’m blind to the plain evidence, it’s just that I’m not ready yet for another North Country winter. Yes, the winter-weight pea coat is back from the cleaners. It hangs in the hall with winter gloves sticking out of the pockets. The snow brush is back in the car, and yes, my plow guy came through yesterday to scrape more slabs of turf off the edges of the lawn and add them to the terminal moraine that grows taller each spring at the end of the drive.
But I haven’t taken the air conditioner out of the window yet. Large objects have yet to go to the dump. There is a little outside painting I meant to get around to doing.
Mostly though, it’s my mood that is unprepared. I’m in the locker room about to face an unbeaten team and there is no coach to give the pep talk. The snowbirds are all talking about their post-Thanksgiving evacuation plans. Thanks.
It’s not like I haven’t been through this before – the brief pale days, the relentless wind, the daunting drifts, the false starts to spring that just set you up for the next storm system. I’ve been here before, maybe too many times.
But ready or not, here it comes. Maybe we could just call it the heating season. That doesn’t sound quite so harsh.
Tags: listeningpost
My sentiments exactly Dale!
Sorry but I love winter. I love autumn. I sort of like spring but I just endure summer.
Worst winter I ever had to put up with was when I was in the Navy and stationed in San Diego. I liked the San Diego of 60 years ago but did not care much for an 80 degree Christmas.
I said I endure summer. I endure it without using an air conditioner. Don’t really need one all that much here in the Adirondacks, one of the main reasons I chose to live here.
Where is the “Like” button? 🙂
I loved this post, Dale. I agree with you; I’m not really emotionally ready for winter weather. But I have to say that I’d rather have this than the raging fires California is experiencing, or the floods and hurricanes that hit the South. That said, I think I’ll start calling our winter the heating season as well. It has a nice ring to it.
Agreed. We have been spoiled by long Autumns for about 20 years according to Kurt Stager who has been keeping track of when St. Regis Lake freezes over. Myself I am wondering what kind of creative gardening act I am going to attempt to put bulbs in the ground, under 18 inches of snow. Looks like it will be a long one.
Oh, Dale, you are not alone! I like winter, but when I see 12″ of snow in my driveway, I can’t get to my PT appointment, and my dog won’t go out, it’s just a little discouraging this early in the season.
Nice piece. I love winter… in Sedona, AZ, which is where I am headed. I consider myself hardy for staying at Blue Mt. Lake until the end of October.
It’s good to face winter’s arrival with a little humor, Dale. Shine on!