Seeing signs of spring as snowstorm draws near

A robin Wednesday at MMU. He and nine of his buddies were busy bitching about the weather while hunting food–just wait till this afternoon, bro.

I’ll have to get my butt in gear and get home soon—I rode my bike today, and a winter storm warning starts at 3 p.m. Snowmaggedon is coming.

Still, we’re in the waning days of the shortest month of the year. I firmly believe February only has 28 days in most years because nobody wants any more (except in election years because we all enjoy the campaign so much and we just wish February would never end).

And, as this snowpocolypse (OK, I’ll quit adding stupid end-of-the-world suffixes to “snow” now) bears down, it’s worth noting there are all kinds of signs of spring, too:

• 

  Amelia enjoys some deck play the day her younger sister was born.

  More outdoor play time. The days are getting longer, a few have been warmer, and the grandkids can go out on the deck more.

• Returning robins. I saw a large male group of robins hanging out and being obnoxious on the MMU campus Wednesday afternoon. Why are they already here? If they had a second amendment and opposable thumbs, they would shoot their guide this afternoon. But, they are here, which means spring is coming.

• Trees wantonly felled. Not such as positive sign for a certified tree hugger like me, to be sure, but there it is. Utility crews have been busy sawing, dewoodsing the woods behind my back fence. They trampled and damaged many of the young trees I planted there, too. Hey, workers, just stop! Those little trees are supposed to be eaten by deer, not felled by your boots!

Wood in the woods from fallen trees.

Anyway, here’s hoping I get home before the flakes fall. And here’s to knowing those flakes won’t be around for weeks—it’s getting too late in the season for persistent snow cover to last. Hooray!

Early February–MMU students at ICMA. Another sign that winter is almost over.