By the first of March, and often earlier, the world is all agog concerning signs of spring. The welcome accorded winter during the holidays is no longer extended to the remaining snow-storms, and we meet with a frown the last cold wave of the season.
~ Charles Conrad Abbott
(Days Out of Doors)
Sometimes life gets so frustrating! We haven’t been out for a walk in over two weeks. Blaming this on our health problems, car trouble and stormy weather. But on the bright side, we’ve managed to tackle a few neglected projects around the house.
Connecticut’s covid positivity rate is hovering around 3%. My sister worries because there are 72 new cases at the college this week and 4 of her students are isolating. All students and faculty are vaccinated and boosted so hopefully no one is very ill. Still, it’s concerning.
I’m looking forward to spring and the return to our walking adventures soon!
Winter certainly has be unpredictable this year. After 5 days of ice and low temperatures we might be able to go to town for groceries on Monday. Such unusual weather in Arkansas this year. Think this whole country wants Spring. Saw 38 degree weather in San Diego a few days back. I have lived there and that is unusual for the end of February.
I hope you manage to get your food shopping done tomorrow! We have to get our car into the shop on Monday. It broke down a week ago and it was the earliest appointment we could get. I suspect you’re right, most of the country probably is itching to get out of the house and into some fresh spring air. Let’s hope for a long-lasting spring and not a fast leap into summer.
Yes long Spring. Humid Summers here are very unpleasant. Hope things go well with your car repairs. Got up to 40 degrees today and the ice disappeared. Yahoo!!!
Yay! It’s 24° here this morning and not expected to get above freezing today. But they say it will be in the 40s by Wednesday. Keeping my fingers crossed.
“… agog concerning signs of spring.”
Why yes I am. How did you know? I’ve been trapped inside these last few weeks, too. More than ready to mosey around outside.
😊 I had to look up “agog.” “very eager or curious to hear or see something” My friend in North Carolina is reporting daffodils blooming. We must wait for April… Sigh… Hang in there, Ally!
I hope your walking days are very soon! Bring on Spring, Mother Nature! 🙂
Maybe Wednesday! Pulled out the springtime decorations yesterday — at least it’s spring inside now. 😊
I’m right there with you, Barbara — this winter has been especially trying (perhaps because of how COLD it’s been, but also, I suppose, because this COVID continues to linger around). Anyway, I’m more than ready for Spring!
The temperature swings have been crazy and I wonder if I’m feeling the cold more intensely these days because it gets so weirdly warm between cold snaps. And with covid lurking around behind the scenes, getting outside this spring will be a great relief!
To keep warm last week, I cleaned my wood and tile floors, placed all my quilts and towels on the floors as temporary rugs. These 80 yo old cottages are on pier and beam which are freezing. Even Yorkie tippy toes from rug to rug avoiding the ice bare floors!
While I was cleaning I rearranged most of my furniture. Now my sofas are positioned in the spots where the sunshine can warm us and I can watch the the birds and squirrels outside the windows. My body seems to be more pain sensitive to very cold or very hot weather temps as I have aged. At least that is what I think because the winter and summer temps are usual here. Love the impressionist painting of endless snow shoveling as they go around in circles, appears like a vicious cycle. And giggling with your spring decorating!!
Women, Ukrainian women stepping up to stay in their land to fight with the men gives my goosebumps to hear their strength and courage. I break down to the depths of tears because all of it is absolutely heartbreaking.
Sounds like you have lots of good ideas for keeping warm in your cottage. I looked up pier and beam foundations and can see why your floors are so cold! I seem to be getting more sensitive to the cold as I get older, too. When my father was aging we had to get him a space heater to keep him warm while he was sitting in his wheelchair during the day. I always worried about a fire… Even with the space heater he was wrapped in blankets. Even so, the room temperature was plenty warm enough for the rest of us.
My vigil for Ukraine continues…
Sorry that your father was in a wheelchair in his later years. It’s hard. Colder sensitive with age might have to do with my body can only move slow as a snail. Silver lining is I am getting around my home without paying support people. There’s so many news reports about house fire due to space heaters here. I completely understand why people must use them. I’m too afraid to have one in my home at this point. I don’t have gas either, just another fear of mine. All electric power for me.
Monday evening my Heat AC System went completely blank! So that night dropped to 32 outside and held 50 inside. Repair man took care of it Tuesday late afternoon. Much better!
I had to let go of my mowing lawn service Tuesday morning because I was so unhappy with their service and billing issues, just wasn’t getting resolved. So looking for another possibility on that factor of homeownership.
I hope you have your car back running. Yes, things that we depend on… Life is sometimes frustrating!
Do you mean keeping a lit candle as your vigil? I wouldn’t be able to sleep with one burner through the night.
I’m afraid of gas, too. A reasonable fear, in my book. Just this morning we heard on the news of a gas explosion in yet another home. Home ownership has its own set of worries, as does renting. Not sure which is better, I guess it depends on what problems you’re more willing to deal with. Our car seems to be fine now. I blow out the candle for Ukraine at night when I go to bed and light it again in the morning when I get up. It helps me to keep focused on sending healing energy to its people.
As a Floridian, I have no concept of what a real winter is like. But I’ve been to places where it was cold for many days together and for me, after about five days, it’s just too much. And that wasn’t with snow or ice, just cold. So I do sympathize with you and this explains why Florida is so darn crowded right now. I hope you guys can get out and get moving soon; that will be good for your soul.
I’m beginning to understand the appeal of Florida to so many retirees. Winter was my favorite season when I was a child… Not so much anymore. You made me think of my son and daughter-in-law’s nephews who are growing up near them in Georgia. They keep hoping it will snow for them when they come up here for a visit. So far it’s been a miss. Sounds like winter is snowbird season down there in your neighborhood! 🙂
It’s so crowded right now that it makes me want to head north. But not too far! 😜
Is there an off season when it’s not so crowded down there?
The weather woes, the ongoing pandemic about to enter year #3 and the crisis in Ukraine is a trifecta misery. I’m sorry to hear you are missing walks due to health problems – hope that is remedied soon. The ice has been the bane of my existence this Winter … just not worth taking a chance in icey-dicey weather.
Ice is the worst of it and good reason to stay inside and try to enjoy the great indoors. Sigh… We might actually get out and about today. The temperature will be normal for March! Yay! But Tim’s foot is acting up so we might just drive to the cemetery and let me out for a solo walk while he does his ham radio thing from the car…
Normal temps and sunshine go a long way in March – that’s for sure. We had a great weather day today and I hated to come home from walking. Hope Tim’s foot gets better before your special visitors arrive for the outings you have planned.
Me, too. Happy to hear you got a good walking day in before the next storm. I bet Parker was thrilled. 😉
I know you and other northerners are eagerly awaiting spring but I just spent a glorious week in the snow in the mountains of California. It was a beautiful and a welcome change for this Florida girl!
I so enjoyed reading about your glorious snow vacation in the mountains on your blog, Anna! All of what I do love about winter. I just wish we would get more snow like that here, not the sleet and freezing rain and ice that seems to finish off every snowstorm.
I come to this post after having seen the more recent one of your walk with the robins. I am glad you had that walk and hope your spring continues to blossom, Barbara. Not being outside for two weeks would make me nutty.
Thank you so much for stopping by, Jet. For such a short month February sure seemed to be endless. Being cooped up and not feeling well did make me nutty!!! Looking forward to being able to open the windows again come spring.