Thursday, March 1, 2012

March: A Lion in Winter

Judging by what's on the cars outside, I'd say we have about 5 inches of beautiful fresh snow. And it's still falling. This morning the weatherbees say we'll get close to a foot before it ends tonight. Then the temp will rise and we'll have thunderstorms on Saturday. We'll see.

Snow in March isn't unusual around here. But it being the first big snow since October is. The ski resorts are celebrating, I'm sure. The groundskeepers here are going around shoveling the stoops and ramps. They haven't plowed the street yet but I just saw the sidewalk snowblower come round the bend.

The midwest is devastated by a string of big tornadoes that ripped through seven states. 12 people have died. You can't even fully describe what you see on the news. Homes and businesses torn to bits and thrown around in towns and cities. Lives lost and changed forever. We can bitch about the snow (though it isn't warranted with how easy this winter's been) but the destruction they have out west of us should shut everyone up. Those poor people will be recovering from this for years. I just saw a shot of a brick church, all gone but the front door and bell tower.

And the west coast will be seeing the floating mass of wreckage from last March's tsunami in Japan:
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Latest-News-Wires/2012/0229/Debris-from-tsunami-to-reach-West-Coast-join-Great-Pacific-Garbage-Patch

Well, March is coming in like a lion. I hope it goes out like a lamb. As Marvin sang, "Things ain't what they used to be."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WxgeYXCjM8

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Saw that devastation on the news last night..horrific. There just isn't any good news anymore.

CarrieBoo said...

I've taken a news break for sanity purposes... I had no idea the west coast had been hit.

I was feeling good about March 1st arriving, too, hoping my robins come back later this month. I really need that stuff.

Lisa said...

Just read a news report from Evansville where people were finding bank statements and such from Illinois- over 90 miles away. We are on a moderate risk level for tomorrow. Let's hope it doesn't get that bad.

SarcasticTestGuy said...

My lunch time tromping through the woods has brought be in touch with a lot of returning birds and chipmunks the past two weeks; regardless of this lovely snow, spring is nigh.

Elephant's Child said...

Thank you for the reminder that a reality check is needed before indulging in industrial strength whinging. We had our usual monthly total of rain yesterday morning, but no lives were lost. Things are just that.

Austan said...

Lawless- I'm on a reckless campaign for good news. It's damn hard to find.

Boo- All things come in time. I've developed a resigned yet wide-eyed look for all occasions.

STG- "Spring is nigh". Ah, words like balm.

EC- Yep, things are just that. Thanks for that reminder.