I know our friends in the east are slogging through one of the worst winters in recent memory. They are buried under far too much snow and braving freezing temperatures, which makes my toes curl when I imagine the misery. Surely, the winter doldrums have set in for many.
A blue winter mood used to be much more common around these parts. Year after year, the rains would begin. The sun would disappear for months on end. Gray skies were the norm. Moods dipped and tempers flared. There was consensus among the masses – winter was a very long haul. And while I think locals took some pride in their ability to survive those long winter months – redwoods need massive amounts of cool temperatures and water after all – there was more than one happy dance when the seasons began to finally change.
I don’t begin to understand what is happening on the global front and I am not about to enter into that political discussion here. But what I do know is that this morning the sky is clear, the sun is shining and my daffodils are in full bloom. My fruit trees are leafing out, the ornamentals are in full bloom. It’s February and all of this amazing weather is downright weird.
I know the planet is in a perilous condition and I’ve known it for a very long time. I marched in the very first Earth Day forty-five years ago. With this situation clearly on our minds, it’s why we recycle, have a compost bin, and drive a hybrid vehicle.
So, here’s my guilty pleasure. We celebrated Valentine’s Day with picnic on the beach. We’re enjoying sunset walks under beautiful skies. And on a morning like this, when simply looking out of my window puts a huge grin on my face … will you forgive me for for enjoying this incredible weather? Yes, I know I am being terribly selfish.
I’ll end here, knowing I’m at risk of offending many. My apologies. Besides, I need to go empty the compost.