I Haven’t Walked on Water Yet

It’s been a warmer than normal winter here on the Tundra. I have yet to experience those energizing days of having my nostril hairs freeze. I haven’t felt that brutal bite of sensing each crease in my forehead as I open wide my eyes or squint to see something. I haven’t been confident that nature’s fury has encouraged all the “riffraff” to move on to warmer climes. I’ve worried that I might become soft and wimpy. Oh winter, where is thy sting?

To help the Warden this morning, I did tag team dog duty. Raven and I left the house heading north and I was so tempted to get out on the lake, but some remaining semblance of common sense urged me to stay on the path. It’s exciting out on the lake, winter or summer. And normally January is one of the safest months. I don’t read about many drowning during the first month in this part of the country. By now it should be safe for not only dogs and people and snowmobiles and cars. Usually by now you can slip your one ton pickup into four wheel drive and drag your winter cabin out on the lake.

As a lifelong Minnesotan I know we’ll pay for this. Come April or May we’ll get dumped upon. As the flowers are starting to pop up we’ll look out the window and see huge white flakes attacking with a vengeance. The winds will jump right over Canada and slap us with a direct hit from the North Pole. Those who were too anxious for spring will have to make a second trip to the greenhouse and re-buy their living lawn accessories. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. And join me in being grateful that that’s probably good for business.

But for now I’ll stay off the lakes until I see the first lilies start to reveal their glory.