Janet's Blog

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 near...

I love thunder and lightning, puddles, and rainbows. I love the smell of rain, and the beauty of the thunderheads as they overtake the entire sky. The last few years have brought an abundance of rain to the Nebraska Panhandle, but this summer is different. This year, our last significant rain was more than two months ago. Since the beginning of June, we've seen some promising clouds, heard a little rumbling thunder, and experienced some devastating hail, but we've only felt a few sprinkles. Just this week, I saw these unwelcome words in print: severe drought . Ugh! So, this summer, we've had to celebrate the wonders of water in other ways, and in other places.  Ask the LORD for rain in the springtime; it is the LORD who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone.  Zechariah 10:1 We set up our pool early this year, before Memorial Day. Pool accessories have been hard to find this summer, so we've made do with a pa...

As I ventured out of Erin and Reed's house this afternoon, for a walk in their neighborhood, one word came to mind: FRIGID. The temperature hovered in the mid-twenties, but the humidity was at least 80%, so the air felt much colder, even with no wind. After thirty-seven western Nebraska winters, I had almost forgotten what winter is like in the Northern states. Erin and Reed's house A few stray snowflakes sputtered down from the leaden sky as I walked briskly along the sidewalk. Soon, I was wishing for the snow pants and warmer gloves that hadn't fit in my suitcase. These wetlands are within easy walking distance from the house. I headed for the wide, asphalt path that led through the wetlands, just a couple of blocks away. The grasses were brown, of course, and tall, framing a perfect circle of ice in the middle of the marsh. Except for a lone cardinal scooting through the air, I didn't spot any wildlife. This gravel path winds through the neighborho...

It has been quite a summer throughout Nebraska, weather-wise, and the Panhandle is no different. Just in the last week, we have had three hailstorms, with golf ball- and even baseball-sized hail. The last storm was a doozy, pouring a torrent of rain, two inches in little more than an hour, and boasting winds of 90 miles per hour. Our yard and cars fared pretty well. My petunias and hollyhocks were flattened, but the petunias, at least, are looking much better already. The solar pool cover has quite a few holes in it, but that is easy, and relatively cheap, to replace. Victoria's Mini Cooper has only a couple of new dents, but our daughter, Meagan, wasn't so fortunate: her mini-van sustained thousands of dollars in hail damage while awaiting repairs at a local car dealership. Other people in Scotts Bluff County didn't come out well at all. Shattered windshields and dozens of dents are not covered by the liability insurance that is all so many younger people can afford. O...