by Greg Koelker
Ma Nature isn’t to be taken for granted I guess. I saw this list online and it pretty much covers it, I guess:
- Winter: December through March (and sometimes April).
- Fool’s Spring: A brief, warm, sunny week in February or March that tricks you into storing your heavy coat.
- Second Winter: The inevitable blizzard that occurs immediately after Fool’s Spring.
- Spring of Deception: A few days where it reaches 50°F and residents start wearing shorts, only to be hit by more snow.
- Third Winter: The “once-in-a-hundred-years” blizzard that occurs in mid-April.
- Mud Season: When the snow finally melts, leaving behind a brown, slushy mess.
- Actual Spring: Lasts approximately 4 days in May.
Anyway, I hope that at least that Third Winter gets side tracked in Siberia.
We heard that a week ago, there were over a hundred robins in a field near Cassville. The vanguard might have to just head back to Illinois or Iowa for a few days at least.
We have been watching the Winter Olympics practically 24/7 it seems. There is an inordinate amount of Curling. It can be exciting when you figure it out I guess, but it is on every time we turn on Peacock. Anyway, at the risk of having rocks thrown or slid at me, I propose that if Curling is an olympic sport, maybe beer pong has a shot. Think about it. Instead of shouting “sweep, sweep, sweep!” they’d yell “drink, drink, drink!” College kids everywhere would tune in. Okay, I AM JUST KIDDING!
We saw mountain man Mark’s name on the list of judges before the Men’s Slopestyle Snowboarding contest Wednesday. The slopestyle event had been postponed for a day due to getting dumped on with snow and high winds. While Mark was there he got to ride the Olympic Slopestyle hill, take in the Sondio, Italy village festival that looked a lot like Oktoberfest here, and catch up with his friend Austria’s two time Gold Medalist Anna Gasser.
He got home to Colorado late last night. On his way home, he texted from Newark that Simone Biles and Martha Stewart were on his plane. I Google it and AI said that Simone was there to support Team USA. Martha was a special NBC correspondent along with Snoop Dog.
Until next time, get out – El and I just came in. Overnight we got about 9” of heavy wet snow. In places it was over the top of my knee boots. While I tried to push and pull the heavy cover, a lynch pin came loose on the bucket of my John Deere Tractor. I finally figured it out and with the help of a piece of 2×4 and a cement rain gutter diverter hiding in the garage, I was able to finally get the pin back in. Two afternoons this week, we took in the cocktail hour on the porch wearing fleece jackets instead of parkas. The snow was all gone around our yard and buildings. It just proves the 1970’s Chiffon adage, “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature.” Finally, we want to congratulate Ellen’s little brother Bill and his new bride Hillary. They got hitched a week ago today. We are very happy for them.
Pray for peace.
Greg Koelker is a lifelong resident of the Driftless region along the Mississippi River. He is the acclaimed author of the “Grouse Hollow Journal,” a column that celebrates rural life, nature, family heritage, and the traditions that bind communities together. While technically focused on the “outdoors,” his writing often explores broader themes of community values and education.
Add comment