April, the Cruel
Two days ago, the first of the new month, a weather report warned of a big snowstorm coming later in the week. My first thought was, “Nice try… I’m not falling for any stupid April Fools’ prank.” Alas, today’s weather report confirmed the news: many places around here will be getting heavy snow. That seems odd, as considering climate change has resulted in almost ZERO snow this winter.
Not that I’m complaining, but still…
More detailed weather reports now indicate that we—right here—will probably receive nothing more than heavy rain for a couple of days.
Whew!
However, unpleasant April surprises—in the form of snow—have been known to occur, from time to time.
I can recall one Opening Day of trout season, wallowing through deep snow in waders just to get to a favorite stream. There, right next to a place I’d camped the summer before, a bear had ripped a deer apart—leaving bright red splotches of blood, and a shattered rib cage, strewn in a circle maybe eight-to-ten feet wide.
After fishing with frozen fingers, way upstream, I passed the same spot a couple of hours later. The blood, no longer fresh, had darkened. I must have just missed witnessing the carnage the first time I went by.
Speaking of carnage: In looking through my old journals, I found this little note that was written around the time that the Nixon White House was falling apart:
In April, just when the arrival of robins and redwing blackbirds has convinced us that Spring has arrived as well; when woodchucks stand bolt upright in the middle of the broad meadows, taking in the new season’s illumination; when every night reveals Orion dropping lower in the western sky; just then Winter drops its last heavy load of snow.
It is almost as if Winter decided that a show of power was in order, but the nature of the display points up the season’s waning strength. The snow is thick and wet, smelling more like Spring rain than anything else. The snow seems a cruel trick to play on the robins, but the birds show no concern.
They do not confuse contrary weather with the steady progression of the seasons.
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