Friday, April 18, 2014

Dogwood Winter? Redbud Winter? Blackberry Winter?

Whichever of the Southern late-Spring cold snaps fits in this case, it hit and we all groused.  But first, we reveled in the warmth. A week ago, I headed downtown to sit in the shade, have a glass of cool white wine and people-watch. At the table next to me, a group of 20-somethings chatted with each other and snarked about the poor souls who hadn't yet packed away their coats. The ring leader laughed and exclaimed, "Ha! Look at that guy in the puffy vest! What's WRONG with him?" As if it were a moral failing on his part. When the talk turned to their own clothes, I snickered a little at her story of defending the "romper" she said she was wearing. I was sorely tempted to turn to her and explain that it is a far more egregious fashion sin for alleged adults to wear clothing designed for toddlers than clothing designed for cold weather.
With the temperatures climbing up into the 80's last weekend, I stopped on my way home from hiking and spent a happy half hour washing and vacuuming out my car.
And because it was just too pretty to be inside, I followed up the hike with an afternoon walk out at the lake. According to my fitbit, I logged 21,538 steps that day and climbed the equivalent of 125 floors.
Which made relaxing on the porch that evening with a sandwich and a cold beer that much sweeter.
When I went into town for a walk Sunday, I knew the forecast was predicting a temperature drop the next night. I even had the foresight to drape the budding azaleas and tender annuals in towels and sheets before I went to bed. But still, I didn't expect to find myself on Tuesday interrupting a patient's story by suddenly blurting out, "It's snowing!" She turned to look out the window behind her and said, "Oh. My. God. It's APRIL!"  It's almost as though we forget every year that we get brief relapses into winter before summer is well and truly here. Two chilly days later, and now we're out again in short sleeves and congratulating ourselves on temperatures being back in the 70's as they should be. Because Southerners? We're spoiled.

31 comments:

  1. I'm guilty of wearing shorty overalls well into my thirties. They were maroon. They belonged on a three-year-old.

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  2. We had high 70s Monday evening and an inch of snow Tuesday morning. No matter how long I live here, I will never get used to the weather extremes.

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    1. We don't get extremes as much as crazy variability. Except int he summer, when it stays nice and hot.

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  3. ha. consumed with what we wear...and what others wear...great depth in them eh? today looks to be back to a beautiful day...i will be out in it soon...

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    1. They were young - I kept reminding myself of that.

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  4. "But still, I didn't expect to find myself on Tuesday interrupting a patient's story by suddenly blurting out, "It's snowing!" She turned to look out the window behind her and said, "Oh. My. God. It's APRIL!"

    Yes, the same thing happened here on Tuesday. We actually had a HAIL storm Tuesday night! Last Sunday, I was sitting in the sun with the temps at 82 degrees yet today, it's back to freezing temps and winter coats. Crazy hu?

    That photo of the pink blossom tree is STUNNING!

    Have a great weekend, girl!
    X

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    1. Thanks!

      It was the weirdest thing - not a flake stuck but it swirled around in the air for hours.

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  5. I'm seeing the Seattle version of spring: sun and 70 for the first couple days, now rain and high 40's for two days. Who cares when I'm locked inside with a rabid 4 year old that is trying to cause an M.I. via being a whirling dervish.

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    1. I watched a documentary about Rumi yesterday that included a bit on whirling dervishes.

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  6. That is a lot of steps to cover in one day.....way to go. Something very refreshing about a white wine as the weather warms. I love a clean car and Winter makes it so hard to keep them clean. A cold beer is also a great treat when it's warm. Enjoy your weekend......hope it's as wonderful as the last one.

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    1. Thanks. It will be a different weekend, but good in it's own way.

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  7. Totally spoiled.

    We're having a real spring this year. Generally spring in Montana involves a series of days in which it might be winter, summer, or a bit of both, but not actual moderate temperatures. It's in the 40's right now. I consider that a bit chilly, but still temperate.

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    1. 40's for me is pretty damned close to bitter cold! I don't like anything below mid-50's.

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    2. I certainly like it better warmer, We hit 70 yesterday and I almost took off my sweater. I kept wondering why I was so hot. By the time I checked the thermometer, the temperature was starting to drop anyway.

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  8. The weather's very changeable here too, but no snow thank goodness.

    Can 21,500 steps really be the equivalent of climbing 125 floors? Surely climbing a staircase is more demanding than walking on the level? In fact I read somewhere that climbing stairs uses up 1000 calories an hour.

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    1. Those are two different measures. I walked that many steps, but the floors are a measure of how high you climb, either on stairs or up a hill. I walked the steps at the dam (all 121 of them) and also was hiking up mountains and climbing over fallen trees.

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  9. I wonder what response you would have got if you had said that to her!! lol
    A great walk you had and well deserved the beer treat.
    I envy you your climate although I gather from what you say it can get a bit chilly sometimes before summer kicks in.

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    1. You know, I'm such a baby about cold that I doubt many people would find this area as unpleasant as I do in the winter.

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  10. Good going on the steps, I would have enjoyed walking with you. And your porch is gorgeous. Well deserved feed and grog.

    XO
    WWW

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  11. Love those pretty pink blossoms! We don't get the vibrant colored blooms here. I always say in each season we have of weather we can get the previous season's weather too; looks like winter wanted to revisit you guys one more time, thankfully it was a brief visit this time.

    Our latest snow in Montana when we lived there was the Thursday before Memorial Day one year; 6 inches, but it melted by the next day :)

    betty

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    1. This are is so lush, especially in the spring. I love the flowers here.

      Good grief, that's late. But I remember seeing snow on the ground in June in Switzerland.

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  12. With 37 to 39 deg C maximum and 22 deg C minimum daily, we are already in our summer and I would give an arm and a leg to have some rain leave alone some snow!

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    1. We have plenty of rain to spare - wish I could send some!

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  13. I am applauding your 21,000+ and love seeing those blossoms as well. We hiked today, and I am not sure how far we went. The kids were just excited that our snake sighting count was at 9.

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    1. Nine snakes! That would be a happy thing for me, too!

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  14. winter just will not quit this y ear!

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  15. I need that beer RIGHT NOW--and am duly dazzled by your footstep count of over 20,000 in a day!

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