Here it is, the middle of February already. Most years, I would be gritting my teeth and wishing for this month to end, because March should certainly bring some signs of spring. At least, I could hope. But this year is different.
This year, I haven't been longing for winter's end because it feels like winter has hardly begun. Except for a couple of weeks--one in December, and the other in January--we've had no snow and no sub-freezing daily high temperatures. We've had more cloudy days than usual, and some horrific windy days that we could all do without, but most days have boasted highs in the fifties or sixties.
It's been so warm that the squirrels have been skittering around outside for weeks, scurrying across the street in front of my car and scrambling up and down trees and fences. Instead of hibernating, it seems like they've been taking cat naps this year.
The weather has been so mild that Millie's puppies have been able to play and poop outside nearly every day. Consequently, when they move to their new homes this week, they will be mostly house trained.
My neighbors painted their whole house in January, because most afternoon temperatures stayed above 50 degrees. And today, I noticed that one of my neighbors has replaced a section of sidewalk.
I'm not complaining, but I've noticed that most of the Canada Geese that winter on the North Platte River have already left for northern lands, much sooner than usual.
Several neighbors have turned on their underground sprinkling to water their parched lawns and trees. I agree, our grass and trees could use some moisture, but I think it's too much trouble to turn on the sprinklers for an afternoon, and then turn them off again so they don't freeze when the temperatures dip into the twenties overnight.
It isn't unusual for daffodils to bloom in early March and, sometimes, the tulips will bloom by early April, but this year, they have all burst through the mulch in my flowerbeds, poised to bloom before the end of February--or, doomed to freeze before they bloom at all. If frigid weather is in the forecast, I will be sure to cover each clump of green shoots with a pile of leaves and an overturned bucket with a brick on top to keep the bucket from blowing away. I will really miss my daffodils and tulips if they don't bloom this year.
Many of us who live in the Nebraska panhandle are praying for moisture in any form, rain or snow, because this so-called winter has been exceedingly warm and dry. But, deep down, we are really hoping that this March and April won't bring us an abundance of wintry weather. It's happened before, and it could happen again.
However, meteorologists are predicting a warmer than usual March and April for our part of the country this year, along with slightly less moisture than usual. Would you join me in praying for an abundance of spring rain?
Praise the Lord from the earth,
you creatures...
fire and hail, snow and clouds,
wind and weather that obey him,
mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,
wild animals and all livestock,
small scurrying animals and birds,
kings of the earth and all people,
rulers and judges of the earth,
young men and young women,
old men and children.
Psalm 148:8-12
Ask the Lord for rain in the spring,
for he makes the storm clouds.
And he will send showers of rain so every field
becomes a lush pasture.
Zechariah 10:1
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