And if they live in the northern extremities of the country they probably don’t spend much time wondering whether it’s time to put away their snowshoes and get out their bermuda shorts. Based on what I see on the national weather reports, it’s possible that residents of International Falls, Minn., don’t even own Bermuda shorts.
But for those of us in the Midwest, this is the time of year when the snow is on the daffodils and the only meteorological certainty is that we have no idea what tomorrow’s weather will be.
Is it safe to put away the snow shovel and get out the lawnmower? Is it time to switch the thermostat from “heat” to “AC?” Should we cover up the stack of firewood and take the covers off the patio furniture? Does being able to play tennis outside in the afternoon mean there’s any reason to hope we won’t be scraping off the windshields of our cars the next morning?
A Florida vacation sounds great this time of year. But what if we head for Orlando on a cold, miserable morning and, when we get there, turn on the television in our $250-a-night motel room and discover that the weather back home is 72 degrees and sunny?
Anyone who has spent four or more seasons in this part of the country knows that neither Mother Nature — nor the calendar — can be trusted. As we tell newcomers when they arrive, “If you don’t like today’s weather, stick around. It’ll change tomorrow.”
But hope thaws eternal in our frosted Midwestern hearts. And on a recent day when the temperature reached the upper 60s, I knew that didn’t mean the end of chilly weather, but I thought it might be safe to start the annual closet switch. So I packed up my wool sweaters, carried them to the attic and brought down some of my warm weather clothes. Before I could get the last short sleeve cotton polo shirt on its hanger, it was snowing outside.
The good news is that the Major League baseball season has started in Cincinnati and I’m ready to go watch the boys of summer.
My topcoat, gloves and ear muffs are hanging in the hall closet.
Contact D.L. Stewart at dlsew_20000@yahoo.com.
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