The last storm was not without its comedy; it was supposed to be more of a northern event with just a few inches here in our Sahel. By the time I got home from obligations, Sabina had measured eighteen inches in the yard and it was still coming down. I could not help but chuckle how winter waited for April to give us a proper storm. How the one storm I'd have been drinking that coveted last bit of Nepali black tea I had to explain to travelers-muthafuckinrepeatedly!-why most of the mountain passes were closed.
Without irony, my life would be boring, and, quite wrinkled...
A day later, the sun's out and it's warmer. The High Country in spring. As I dug the vehicles out-two feet of snow? We've got shit to do-I would hear the wumps! and roars of avalanches, which precludes any Backcountry travel without a beacon, probes, and a will. So it goes. I'll just do a running of the Bull's Head.
Meteorological prophecy foretells of chances of snow through at least Thursday. The last prophecy was for three to five inches, not eighteen, so we'll see. We all know my views on prophets and oracles. Be that as it may, I remember something matron once said to a tourist;
"Up here, we don't put away our winter coats. We just move them to a different part of the closet."
True words, and a mantra, which also reminds me to keep my snowshoes handy...
Wow, nearly two feet of snow? That's a good dose of Winter!
ReplyDeleteOddly, there's heavy frost and really bitter temps here all of a sudden. It's colder now than last month. Ah April...
It is! Puts our snowpack at seventy-five percent for our river basin and seventy-six statewide. Miguel Loco told me he'd be happy with at least eighty.
DeleteI ran into a few neighbors who'd gone boarding at Loveland and helped them back up, and they bitched how the fresh snow was so slushy. Mashed potatoes, one chanted. Gotta love spring snow.
18 inches?? WOWzers. I must admit I am envious though. I've been waiting for a snow that size since I was a little boy haha.
ReplyDeleteI know that down south six inches is considered a mighty snow and everything's paralyzed for a week, at least. When I lived in North Carolina, friends would ask me if I was grateful for the snow and my mother would curse those unable to drive in it.
DeleteWell, I think it's great you got some winter this spring! I like surprises (when they happen to other people).
ReplyDeleteApril is having an identity crisis in Amarillo, too, but we expect it here.
Despite my feelings toward chaos, I loath surprises. However, this snow is nice. Perhaps we won't be completely in danger of catching fire come summer.
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