Winter returned

For some reason winter has returned here around Boston. Right now wind chill is about 10 degrees, air temperature is 18, and we got probably 5-6" of snow yesterday. Last Thursday I was out gardening in shorts and a t-shirt. Yesterday I spent 9.5 hours (730am-5pm) driving in what felt like blizzard conditions. The snow storm was moving east and I was driving east.

The roads were horrible, snow covered, blowing and drifting snow. I probably drove past close to 20 accidents. I got stuck behind multiple conga lines of plows going 40. You know the road conditions are bad when the trucks are all going slow.

Last week I planted pansies in pots outside. Today they are buried in the snow. I hope they did not freeze solid. This will be a test on how hardy pansies actually are.

My plan today is to stay inside as much as possible. However I do have a doctor appointment today but not until late afternoon.

The snow should be gone by Thursday when it rains. After that I think spring will be back, for a few days at least.

What are we whining about?

Today is St Patrick's Day. Although I have some Irish heritage somewhere, we will have corned beef for dinner tonight appropriately. But more importantly there are three more days until Spring. We have had a bit of snow here. This graph shows the snow in Boston. But since we are a few miles west/inland, we probably got a bit more than there.

Around here we are all whining about the snow because we are so sick of it. The most amazing part is how much has already melted and how much has not yet melted. I think we have lost a few shrubs here. I only care about the ones I planted, not the ones which came with the house. Maybe now I can get rid of these.

But now all I can do is watch and wait. I am physically unable do any plant rescues because all that does is make my body hurt. I tried to dig out some of the box wood by the front door. It is all bent over to the ground and clearly some branches are broken. Maybe it will be toast and I can grow roses instead (that would make my day).

Yesterday we had enough melting so I can see the ground near the driveway but nothing green growing yet. We should have crocuses and daffodils by now.

I used to like winter

I always liked winter. (Stop me now if you think I have blogged about this for the past few years.) I used to go outside and play in the snow. I viewed winter as another season to get outside and have fun - skiing, snow shoeing, hiking, and more.

Now things are a bit different.

I feel like I have turned into a little old lady...

"Is that ice? I don't want to fall again and have to go back to the doctor."

"Its too cold to go out today."

"Do I need a walking stick to walk to the store? There's an inch of snow."

I am turning into a wimp.

I complain about the cold and snow, instead of enjoying it. The cold makes my ailments feel worse. I am whining and waiting until spring.