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Spring in New England - April Fools in the North

It is commonly said in New England that Spring starts, not on the vernal equinox as first believed by many scientists, but on opening day at Fenway Park in Boston. I think that Fen was somehow related to Alexander Cartwright (not to be confused with a cartwheel). The northeast is sometimes called down east. I am not sure how they came up with that term, but legend has it that it was a drunk with a compass in one pocket, and a magnet in the other. I don't really know. I am more certain that the term "three sheets to the wind," first described a windmill going out of balance when sheets, covering the four blades, were put on under low wind conditions, while one came off as winds increased-- all this creating a terrible crashing sound before launching the forth blade into the Atlantic Ocean.... or something like that.

As we look forward to the new life of Spring, I wonder if things like braille drive-through ATMs were created in the dead of Winter? The crocus are almost done making their reach to the sun -- sometimes even through the snow. It makes me think of Cat Steven's "Morning Has Broken." I don't really remember the lyrics, but I am plowing through a host of random thoughts related to Spring trying to find something worthwhile to say.

Speaking of random thoughts, I like all the different answers to the "Why did the chicken cross the road jokes?" My favorite answer, to prove to the opossum that it can done! There is even a web site dedicated to the fowl jokes. http://www.whydidthechickencrosstheroad.com/

Back to my point. Spring in New England may mean daffodils and tulips to some, but for many of us, it means "Mud Season." I am not sure why they call it a season, you can't shoot mud-- or tourists for that matter. There is something about Spring that is different from Winter (the same kind that killed most of the Pilgrims) and that is the cruel April Fools joke of having a day where temperatures soar into the 70's followed by a week's worth of sub-freezing days, followed by a 33 degree day with torrential down pours causing more damage then the Blizzard of '78!

Lots of folks laugh about the changing New England weather by saying, "if you don't like it, wait a minute it will change." If that's really true, then why is Florida full? I mean no one down there talks with a southern accent!

And one last thought, where the hell is global warming when you need it? We had over 100" of snow starting December 14th.

Happy Spring, OK.

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Anonymous said…
Yep, we are having snow flurries her in Cincinnati ! So, this crazy weather knows no boundaries.
Cold In Cincinnati,
Carol Adams
April 7, 2009 at 1:20 PM
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