WILL IT EVER WARM UP?

O spring, where are you hiding, I wonder on this day, April 15.  Winter officially starts at the end of December, as most of us know, but in Minnesota, there’s nothing official about it.  It might throw snow our way at the end of October, and then compound the insult by lingering darned near through April.  The last few years have been teasers, with little snow in March and even an 80 degree day in April. This year we had one weekend teaser in April and people in Minnesota were out in full force, biking, hiking, playing ball, walking around lakes, and thinking that spring had finally arrived. Perhaps Victor Hugo said it best, as he put it all in perspective, “winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart.”

Last Friday night our local baseball heroes, the Minnesota Twins took the field to attempt to play a baseball game against the New York Mets.  Television sets in New York that were glued to the game must have thought they had turned to the Comedy Channel, for amused and confused players were looking to the snow filled skies with great amazement.  And the fans in the stands were bundled up in winter coats and scarves, comical hats, and thick, colorful blankets.  Free hot chocolate and coffee was offered to entice the brave-hearted, ”true-blue” fans to show up and offer their support. It turns out that watching the fans was far more entertaining than the game itself. 

Over the weekend the snows fell again, and my ever-adventurous son decided that it’s better to get out and play in the snow than sit and grumble about it.  He and his family headed four hours away to northern Minnesota for a skiing weekend.  As I looked at the kids this Monday morning and heard about their escapades, I smiled and wondered about the major sunburn both of them displayed.  Minnesota definitely has its own special charm.

Tonight offers another evening of outdoor baseball in downtown Minneapolis, with the high temperature right around the freezing mark and snow in abundance outside the stadium.  Fans will again be challenged to find the right blend of fashion and warmth to cheer on their heroes.  These are the true baseball fans!  I must confess that I’m trending towards the opposite direction—a cozy spot next to the fireplace with the television tuned to the local sports channel; I  might even make my own hot beverage.

This morning I heard about a rare occurrence—a frozen turkey vulture falling from the sky in South Dakota and landing on the porch of a surprised couple.  Its wings had frozen during the blizzard and when they thawed out again, that lucky bird left in the middle of the night.  There were numerous calls to Animal Control about that very thing in other parts of the city.  A Sioux Falls Animal Control officer told the newspaper, the Argus Leader that “when wild birds are covered in ice, they are unable to roost in trees and will stay on the ground until they thaw out and the storm passes.” The lucky vultures who survive must also be asking, “Will it ever warm up?” The latest word is that there might be a 60-degree day by the weekend, just as our Minnesota Twins head to another part of the country, and the stalwart fans have pangs of withdrawal for baseball’s unpredictable nature.

Perhaps I’ve given the false impression that I’ve had it with winter--for good.  That’s

 

 

 

 

 

 

not the case, but as with everything else, “all in moderation.”  It still is one of my favorite times of the year, believe it or not. My simple little camera doesn’t really do it justice, but still, here are a few photos to share.  No more grumbling, I promise!

“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.” (Anne Bradstreet)

“Perhaps I am a bear, or some hibernating animal underneath, for the instinct to be half asleep all winter is so strong in me.”  (Anne Morrow Lindbergh)