Thursday, February 2, 2012

Happy Groundhog Day!!

I was supposed to do a follow-up on theater ettiquette today. That will have to wait since, this morning, my mind is anywhere but in a stuffy theater that smells of popcorn and farts.

As I navigated the huge mountain slight incline that leads to the mailbox to retrieve my morning paper*, sniffing and blinking as I performed my aerobic exercise for the month day, I got an unmistakable snootful of spring.
A late winter sky

There was no mistaking it--loamy and fecund (I have waited 35 years to have a reason to use that word!), it gave me a jolt and I sang out the news to a neighbor, walking her dog.

Standing still, both she and the dog sniffed the air. The verdict was spring.

Now, we all know what an oddly warm winter it's been in the northeast, virtually snowless after a freak autumn storm, the temperatures have been unseasonably mild. Yet, with it's wardrobe of grays and browns, the truth cannot be ignored--the season is undeniably winter.

When spring does officially arrive, while it won't be quite the delirious relief it was after last year's 54 inches of snow and relentless cold, it will still be spring. Poets, writers, composers and scientologists* have not been performing creative cartwheels for centuries over spring for nothing.
February

Spring certainly isn't my favorite season. It's always been too hopeful and heavy with promise for me.

I prefer fall with not only it's brilliant pallette but it's symbolic last hurrah before the decay of winter. But the visceral reminder of the growing season, subconscious memories of my ancient pagan origins as well as the sight of my neighbors unshaven legs as she walked the dog, inspired the stirrings I've experienced at this time of year ever since I was a kid.

No one can predict the weather (and I mean that literally, local weathermen) and the remainder of the month is capable of just about anything. So are March and April, for that matter but with today's whiff of the mysterious and intoxicating season still in the wings, it cannot be denied that my heart feels just a bit lighter.
Hey! Don't grab me there!

And, as I glance towards the calendar, I see that it's Groundhog Day, to boot!

I can never remember whether it's six more weeks of winter if he does or doesn't see his shadow (or, more accurately, if the lunatics wearing top hats who haul him out of his hole while he's still sleepy to hold him aloft for the cameras, see his shadow) but all I know is that this morning, I smelled spring...and I liked it.

*I climb that ridiculous mountain every morning to get the paper for the crossword puzzle not for the news. I get my news every morning from College Daybreak.

** Scientologists, as far as I know, have no specific spring ritual. I just thought I'd throw them in there.







13 comments:

  1. I smelled spring the other day, too. It's been even warmer inthe city.

    I also signed up for College Baybreak. It looks good.

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  2. If I was that groundhog, I would bite that guy pulling me out of my hole.

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  3. Nice post. I didn't see my shadow this morning, bitches.

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  4. Thanks for your comment,Sal. And I think you will really like getting the Daybreak. If you don't have time to read the paper, it's all you need and it's in your email every morning by 9!

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  5. So would I, Michelle. I'll bet there have been "bitings." Thanks for stopping by today!

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  6. Thanks,um, G.Hog...and who you callin' a bitch?

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  7. Fecund? There you go making me go to the thesaurus again.

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  8. I got to go outside and take a 2 mile walk yesterday without a coat. I wanted to do a cartwheel. It's chillier tonight, but I'm still hoping out against hope that it does not drop below freezing during the waking hours until, oh, say December.

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  9. I have been to Punksatawney and seen Phil and Phil and Phil... There's three or more of them. They live in an elaborate dwelling in the window of the town library. I miss winter.

    WG
    http://itsmynd.com

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  10. Ahhh, Michele...fecund is just so, well, fecund! Nice to see you!

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  11. I have to kind of agree with Scoot (comment below yours), I do miss winter, somewhat.But I am enjoying the no-coat situation. I've worn sweaters so far most of the winter!

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  12. Don't fret about missing winter, Scott...with the way the weather is lately, we;re sure to have it...in July!

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  13. and here's me... at the other side of the world... thinking - a ground hog... was a make-believe critter... made up by meteorologists... who still have a job, despite being WRONG at least 75% of the time...
    Grey and brown here too - in the middle of summer... sigh... Global Warming??? - Bring it on!

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