Stoic Yankee Stock

(Spring Countdown Clock: http://days.to/spring/2015 )

This is going to be short as I'm exhausted from the first day back at school and from having stayed up too late watching the Oscars.

I'm tired of winter. I love to sled, ski, skate and all those fun, free and outdoor activities. However this winter has been one bloody outdoor obstacle course, not a playground. I'm hoping to ski in the woods at least once before it melts....

Melting. The next big threat. May have to shovel the multiple feet of snow away from the house on the upward side of the hill so that it doesn't all run into my basement during the thaw. None immanent, mind you, but the threat is tapping on the back of my brain.

The cold. Yesterday was the first day above freezing in a month. It was so cold that my students didn't even go down hill skiing over the break. And there was fresh powder, in huge quantities, in New England ~ which never happens, but it was too cold. One friend of mine reported two frostbitten toes in his tales of skiing over the vacation. Tonight, through midday tomorrow, we have our 5-6 windchill alert within the last two weeks. Supposed to go down to -20 - -30.

Today I didn't go on the roof (one of two days in the last three weeks). Yet I came home to a leak running into my pans in the kitchen, again. People at school were reporting many accidents involving ladders and roofs over the break. One 21 year old woman in a neighboring city was killed by a plow.

More and more of my flowering bushes are being chewed up by the roaming deer and rodents. The birds are tugging at the not yet formed buds on my trees, as I can't get to the feeders ( several are buried under snow on their stands ). It might be time to string cranberries for the critters and birds.

It's left everyone exhausted and disoriented. We haven't had a routine, other then battle the elements, for almost a month now. Work, vacation, and regular schedules have all been interrupted. Some town and school committees are meeting to discuss taking away part or all of April Break or Good Friday to make up for all the snow days lost (so we're not administering finals in schools while it's 100 degrees outside).

24 Days until Spring. I'm hoping to be able to enjoy a little bit of winter before it's behind us. Yet,  I'm looking forward to Mud Season (with out floods). Who'd a thunk it!?!

Good Night, Stoic New Englanders, G'night!