The Icy Fingers of Spring

Thought for the day:  Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine. [Anthony D'Angelo]

On Valentine's Day, Smarticus and I went for a nice long walk at Freeman's Mill Park. In addition to the gorgeous old mill,  there's plenty of paths around the area, and even a small waterfall, as seen in the header. And let me tell ya, it was a bee-yoooo-ti-ful day, too. Just look at that clear blue sky. It came in a package deal with a few cotton candy white clouds, a gentle breeze, and pleasant temperatures. Yep, spring was in the air, baby.

Love was in the air, too. We found this in a clearing just before the falls: a heart formed with red roses, framing the words, Will you marry me?

Awwwww, how romantic. (I hope she said yes!)

That was on Saturday, mind you. Monday's weather was a whole 'nother matter.

Only in America do we accept weather predictions from a rodent, but deny climate change evidence from scientists. 

Let me preface this by saying, just two short weeks earlier, a crowd of over-zealous early risers ventured to the Yellow River Game Ranch to witness this year's weather prediction from Georgia's resident rodent... groundhog General Beauregard Lee. The fat furry general thrilled the crowd when he waddled out of his mansion at 7:33 AM without seeing his shadow. Woo HOO! An early spring! (No big surprise, because spring almost always arrives in Georgia before its official calendar date.) Nonetheless, everyone went home happy, secure in the knowledge that our warm weather was here to stay.

[morguefile]

And then, OOPS! On the sixteenth, winter popped in for an encore visit. Ice storm! Trees just north of us were coated with so much ice, they toppled, often taking out power lines with them. Lots of people without electricity. C-c-cold. NOT spring-like at all.

[morguefile]

The newspaper even showed a picture of a fella ice-climbing on a frozen waterfall in north Georgia!

Nope, NOT spring-like at all.








Except for a few stray flakes, we fared pretty well that time. But earlier this week, winter made another call, and we got (gasp!)

(Yeah, I know. Compared to the mountain of white stuff some of the country is buried under, calling what we got snow is kinda like that line from the Crocodile Dundee movie when he's accosted by a punk with a pocket knife. Just before pulling out his own enormous blade, Dundee laughed, and said something along the lines of, "You call that a knife...?)

[morguefile]

Still, our General Lee has a terrific track record, darn it. His predictions have been correct an amazing 94% of the time. Lee's so good, so reliable, he actually has honorary degrees from two (count 'em... TWO!) state colleges. From the University of Georgia, he has the esteemed DWP, Doctor of Weather Prognostication, and from Georgia State University, a doctorate of Southern Groundology. So HOW, I ask you... HOW could he have gotten it so wrong this time?

                                                        We decided to go find out...

General Beauregard Lee's mansion

So off the the Yellow River Game Ranch we go with slingshots under our coats.

"YO! General Lee!" I yelled. "I'd like to talk with you!"

Nothing. No fat furry critter. Not a sound. Nothing.

"Aw, come on," I cooed, while putting a pebble in the sling. "We don't blame you for totally blowing the forecast. We just wanta (heh heh) talk..."

Still nothing. Nary a sign of our favorite rotund rodent.

Because (gasp) the rascally rodent... wasn't home!

The groundhog is like most other prophets; it delivers its prediction and then disappears. [Bill Vaughn]

Alas, it seems we weren't the first to pay him a visit, and evidently, others weren't nearly as nice as we are. Can you believe it? They actually blamed that stinkin' fat rat for our wintry weather.

So the sly critter made tracks out of the park and waddled to the nearest watering hole. Probably felt darned sorry for himself as he sucked down a few grasshoppers...

And now? Now, I hear that rat is enjoying some nice spring weather, just as he predicted. In Florida.


Don't knock the weather; nine-tenths of the people couldn't start a conversation if it didn't change once in a while. [Kim Hubbard]


Oh, fear not. Spring WILL get here. Eventually. Besides... There's one good thing about spring snow; it makes your lawn look as nice as your neighbor's.  [Clyde Moore]

                                                      Seeeee? What'd I tell ya?

                                     Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.

Spring is when you feel like whistling, even with a shoe full of slush.  [Doug Larson]