"I dream of a hard and brutal mysticism in which the naked self merges with the nonhuman world and somehow survives...Paradox and bedrock."-Edward Abbey

27 April 2013

The Melting

Two weeks ago, close to two feet of snow fell upon our Sahel. Almost a week back, we got about eight inches of fresh powder. That next day, I snowshoed down-valley to the library, along the narrow-gage railroad tracks, the countenance of the snow reminded me a bit our trek up Second Creek, almost two months before. When I walked into the library, my snowshoes strapped to my pack in the manner of the wings of some cybernetic dragonfly, the librarian looked up at me, shook her head with stifled chuckle, and handed me the next season of Northern Exposure before sending me on my way. It was fantastic.

It's hard to imagine that now. There are some tall drifts in remaining in the shady spots, but the warmth of the last few days has made those previous storms a memory with the boon of an improved snowpack-ninety-four percent of average, muthafuckas. The river-rafters may have a season yet, and, perhaps we won't have a fire-ban come summer.

There's mud, of course. 'Tis the season. Great rivulets of melted snow run across the roadways and carve channels in the thawing earth. The grass has some emerald striping amongst the khaki. Bulbs are popping up along the east side of the house; tulips, blue bells, and daffodils. We started some herbs in seed pots, and look forward to planting down at our community garden plot, though that's still a month off.

It's almost a given it'll snow again. Maybe even something that accumulates. Fuck, it's the mountains, it can snow any time of year. That's okay, though, it's spring and it's warm. It won't be long now and I'll be living in shorts and riding my bicycle once more.  

9 comments:

  1. I've just come in from the yard, I do believe my shoulders and back are a delightful shade of soft pink....oh, the joy of spring! 72* and sunny is amazing. :) (may it last weeks and weeks--I hate when it flips to hot too quickly)

    Happy spring, my friend.

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    1. Seventy-two?!? That's a hot! in these parts. The eighties is a heatwave. Tomorrow, I intend to walkabout and work on my sunburn ;).

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  2. Isn't it lovely? Here in Mpls, we got over 8 inches last week. Today? 70 degrees and the only snow on the ground is in the shadows, where it is slowly melting to nothingness.

    Pearl

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    1. Almost sixty here. I'm wanting something refreshing out back in the atorondack. Maybe grill something too.

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  3. From snowshoes to two wheels...love it.

    Yesterday it was 84* here...in April. I'm back to seriously thinking of finding myself that little cabin in Alaska.

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    1. The mountains during mud ;). As I mentioned above, that's a heatwave. We'd be wanting an air conditioner.

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  4. You make me want to move to Colorado, and I would, except for all the plants there I'm allergic to. And I hear they've got marijuana there now, and I just happen to be allergic to that as well. Nevermind. I no longer want to move to Colorado...

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    1. But I'll go back to Alaska at the first opportunity...

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    2. I happen to have an allergy to marijuana as well; get stoned, I hallucinate. Although, I'd did a few cursory tokes with my father shortly after my mother died, but that's another story.

      Mint tea is good for allergies. Trust me.

      Alaska holds that certain Northern Exposure/Into the Wild fascination, along with the Kodiaks and whales, but I'd much rather check out Patagonia.

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