Long, Long Winter

It's March 5th--can you believe it? Outside my office window, freezing rain pellets, mixed with a fine snow, are being swept across the fields by a blistering Arctic wind. How's that for a Maritime picture this "pre" spring Wednesday morning?

Yesterday when I ambled down our long driveway to get our morning newspaper, I was basking in the 40 degree (F) temps, loving the sound of those finches, and savouring the feel of the warm air on my face. Not so this morn--I had to pick my way over the ice that lays underneath this freezing "mess" that we're being pounded with, yet AGAIN!

My point to all this grumbling? There is none really. It's that "pre" spring thing I mentioned. It's the onset of spring fever, that yearing that "springs" up from the lowest part of our bellies, where we dream of "green" (and I'm not talking about St. Patty's Day), where we start to imagine the smell of the fresh earth and envision the new buds popping on our trees and shrubs. It's that urge to yell, "Enough of this Mother Nature--we've had enough!"

My husband has taken more photos this season than ever before, simply because the scenes that have met us at the breakfast table have been awe-inspiring, incredibly breath-taking, stop-you-in-your-tracks beautiful. But, we've now got all of those photos we could ever want or need.

It's time for a "turn"--a new corner that takes us away from these stinging north winds and freezing pellets. We want "warm", sand, beach walks, colour back on our faded "northern" skin. And, that said, Hubby picked up the phone yesterday and made reservations at Myrtle Beach, for a 2 week holiday for us. Can I yell now? YES! YES! YES!

For today and the next few, I can focus on my "to-do" lists, sort through my "beach" clothes, start my packing, dream, dream, dream. Okay, Lord willing, the dream will become reality in a few weeks, as we load up and head south, to a one-bedroom efficiency, just across the street from an Atlantic Ocean beach that will be our home for a glorious 12 days--I'm going to yell again; YES!!!!!

I do also have to mention that we've both been hit with a nasty bug, giving us sinus pain, buckets of "you-know-what", coughing fits and over-all "blahs". Top that with storms that won't quit and you have a recipe for the "get-away" blues. Well, we also have to say that we are blessed to able to travel to somewhere warmer, if even only for a few days. We can dip our toes in the salt water, gather shells and sharks' teeth (yes, sharks' teeth), gently brown our legs and arms with Myrtle Beach sun on a beach that's just steps away from our lodging--HOW CAN YOU HATE THAT??

Thank-you Lord for winter--I mean, thank-you Lord for warmer places, and for our warm summer, which we will (no doubt) be complaining about before too long. Help us NOT to grumble but teach us to love where we are and who we are--Amen!

Blessings to you and "yours" today and we'll chat again soon.... Barb
I've included a few of those "awe-inspiring" photos I was talking about, and yes, there is lots of beauty in winter-I do have to be honest here--grin:o)