As late afternoon sunshine moved toward nightfall yesterday, the Coastal mountains dazzled with brilliant new snow. I quickly forgave the day’s earlier hail, winds, and snow flurries.
Indeed, that storm has ushered in a crisp combination of cold and bright — I’ll take it! I started my day with a vigorous run, followed by a leisurely walk with a good island friend, catching up and observing signs of spring all around us. Makes it easy to tolerate another few weeks of wintry temperatures when we know that the sequence of wildflower blooms is already begun.
And somehow, I only just got to Adam Gopnik’s Massey Lectures on Winter last night, so I’ll be content to have a few more days that remind me how wonderful it is to have comfort indoors from which to observe winter’s drama outside. I’ll read through the lectures by a fire which is that much more delicious when the winds are howling at the door. . .
Now I’d better get back to work preparing this evening’s lecture. How are you enjoying this transitional time? Impatient for spring? Savouring the last weeks of winter?
We're having our own version of lion/lamb here too. Was 80+ F over the weekend, today in high 50's. I'm savoring the cooler days and enjoying boots and sweaters. The snow on the mountains is gorgeous.
That's quite a range . . . and the 80 degrees is something to dream of!
It's s great to see the sun shining…I feel so much happier just thinking of Spring!
Hasn't it been fabulous?!
Must check out these lectures you mention.
They're a series of 5, all given by the same celebrated thinker, and this year's choice is Adam Gopnik who chose Winter as his focus. They're published as well as broadcast on CBC radio (and available as podcasts) — really worth tracking down. (I especially love the ones writer Thomas King gave several years ago).
Kinda sad I didn't manage to order new rose bushes, and wondering if it's too late to plant some.
Well, I'd plant them here, once the soil warms up a bit, but not sure about where you are.
The lion roared here at the weekend, but today it's supposed to go up to 10C. Nevertheless, we are off on Friday for a week in Arizona, where we'll enjoy 26C at the weekend! Can't wait! P.
Oooh, soak up that Arizona warmth — I'm envious!
Montreal bounces daily between -10C and +10, and that means hard to get dressed right, but ideal conditions for the sugar shack!
Maple syrup, yummy! What fun! I agree that's a tricky range to dress for, but you must enjoy those upper reaches.
When I was in Dallas a few weeks ago it was a gloriously warm spring. Here we bounce back and forth between the upper 60s and the upper 30s to low 40s during the day, with a few brutally windy days. Still, from my perspective as a recent transplant, the weather is way ahead of what I am used to.
Yes, you must be revelling in the milder weather, even as you miss aspects of your old environment. It's just so much easier to manage everything without snow and ice.
I was enjoying the transition, but after a few days in the warmth of Texas, I'm a little bit impatient now for spring to arrive in the upper midwest.
Oh, that I can imagine! I've never "gone south" in the winter, but have always thought such trips have to be very well timed so that Spring is at least very close by the time one comes back to winter country. . .