The Winter That Would Not Die

Is it just me or does the title of this post sound like a bad western?

As I have stated in past posts, I live in Michigan and have been here my entire life. I love it here! The seasonal changes, the unpredictable weather and great ways to spend summers! Being surrounded by the Great Lakes makes things interesting. This is where I must also admit I love winter. Watching snowflakes cover trees and the ground like a giant white blanket of cotton.

I enjoy wondering if I am going to be snowed in (Less likely in the city though it can happen; see pics) and if I'll be able to take my kids sledding or be making a snow fort instead of taking them to school (NOTE: I believe school is important but I love having snow days with my boys too)! Parents learn to be creative and imaginative during the winter to keep our kids occupied!  The following quote takes a whole new meaning:

"Let us love winter, for it is the spring of genius."  ~Pietro Aretino

Pictured at right:  Snow drifts over 25 inches tall in our backyard from Hoth on Earth 2011 (Also known as the Groundhog Day Blizzard of 2011).  Pic taken on 2-2-2011 of my oldest doing random measurements of the drifts.  The snow in that spot was almost to his upper thighs.  Three snow days in a row for my kids is almost unheard of here.  We enjoyed every single moment.

Some fellow Michiganders would disagree on my assessment of winter because of the driving conditions, the cold and so on.  I agree it can be tough and sometimes downright brutal, but it doesn't make me hate it.  It does make me appreciate the other seasons even more!

So while our current winter is hanging on tooth and nail, I am dreaming about flowers and trees and the wildlife that will be coming soon!  I am already seeing new growth in my flower beds that will soon be marked with tulips, daylillies, columbine, pixie lilies, hosta and hopefully the other new plants that I put in last year will also have survived transplanting and be in bloom.  Yesterday I saw my first Robin of the year and it made me smile. A woodpecker was hammering away at the large maple in our front yard too!

(Pictured:  My tulips in 2010)

I know spring is here even though the weather isn't cooperating right now.  Like the hail we received last night and the freezing rain/sleet and snow we are experiencing today. We are at the threshold and I think every living thing can feel it coming!  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!





"In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six different kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours."  ~Mark Twain