Twenty-four hours of winter has been a delightful thing to behold. Waking up to an inch of fresh snow was beautiful. Every little limb outlined in stark white, against a backdrop of angry black clouds. Winterpast was again dressed for the ball in a blanket of snow. Opening all the blinds, my town was a more appropriate host for the Winter Olympics than the landscape of Beijing as seen on TV. With a little more than a month of winter to go, there was no need for man-made snow here.
Throughout the day, the snow disappeared. By last night, there was no trace left. The perfect kind of snow storm for me. No shoveling. Snow in inches, not feet. No need for 4 wheel drive anything, really. Just postcard beautiful for the morning hours, and then business back to normal.
February patience is tough. The 2022 bathing suits are hitting the racks at Walmart. Walking down the aisle in the toy section, stacks of wading pools and water wings are on display. The pink and red of Valentine’s Day are gone, replaced by Easter baskets and bags of cellophane grass. Spring shorts and tees are on display, while I just wait for the iris’s to jump out of the ground.
The weather had been so nice for so many weeks, it was easy to forget that winter isn’t done with us yet. During the 24 hour storm, the local ski resort was covered with 9″ of fresh powder. The interstate slowed to a crawl with travelers sharing knowing looks with each other as they passed Donner Lake. THAT Donner Lake. If you’ve ever driven through a Sierra snow storm, the horror those folks endured takes on a new meaning. If you are unaware of the Donner Party and their gruesome tale, Google it. It’s a story you won’t soon forget.
Waiting for spring to arrive, it’s time to refocus on goals. Time to plan the garden, and then order the seeds and bulbs. Examine the shape of the trees and how a pruning might give them a chance to produce larger fruit. Here in the high desert, it’s a given that most years, the first bloom will be lost to frost, but we can hope for a second. Without pests, the apricot crop is the one I’m waiting for. I hope this year brings enough for Oliver and I to share.
Thinking about the garden furniture tucked safely in the barn, I wish it was time to bring my living space outside again. The chairs and tables could use a little paint. The bird houses are in need of some TLC, too. All too soon, the desert temps will be blazing, leaving everyone hoping for an early autumn. And so go the seasons.
All of these gardening ideas amuse me, while keeping irritations and upsets at bay. So many things can derail a person from the beauty of the day in the high desert. Things that really matter not one bit in the giant scheme of things. Keeping the television viewing at a minimum does help. The news is nothing but bad. Tedious. Minute by minute, the revisions of yesterday’s news only turn more rancid, souring the day. Politicians need to pick up a shovel and move a pile by hand. Refocus on goodness and light. Wouldn’t that be swell?
Whatever you have planned for today, focus on positivity and patience. Find a happy spot to enjoy something. Be grateful for what you have and try to forget about what you don’t. There is always something about which to smile. Spring 2022 is just around the bend.