April Wamhoff

I would not want to be a weather forecaster. Nope. They get blamed for bad weather, even when they are right about the forecast. And they never get credit when there is good weather, and they do predict it right. I’d rather watch for the signs. “The caterpillars are almost all black this year, Joe, it’s gonna be a bad one for sure.” Or “did you see Dave’s wood pile, we’re really in for it this year!” Well, I just looked at the weather forecast for the next 10 days. The professionals are predicting mild weather and I surely do want to believe them.
Let me be blunt. I am tired of snow and bitterly cold weather. February is always a tough month for me. I’m glad it’s a short one. The holidays are done and the extra pounds have returned. I need to get outside for both mental and physical health. And while it’s good exercise, I don’t want to shovel snow anymore. I just want to take a nice walk in the woods without looking like the Michelin man because I am wearing so much cold weather clothes.
Enter the weather forecast. As an islander, but not a forecaster, I look at three aspects of the weather. In the summer, I really need to pay attention to the wind and its direction. A strong east wind is gonna make it rough for me to get off the island and out to my job. A really nasty one will keep me stranded in one place or the other. Rain is inconvenient, but usually doesn’t prevent travel on its own. The boys and I have good raincoats, though it seems they are always on the wrong side. It’s been proven on many occasions that none of us are sweet enough to melt!
In the winter, I need to make snowfall on the top of my list of weather concerns. Snowfall, with or without the wind, can obliterate the trail or road and make travel impossible. And wind from any direction will most certainly blow the road in. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to be snowed in at home but there are obligations...
And temperature, always temperature. Egads, I don’t love the days and days below zero temperatures. Michelin man or not, it just gets cold.
So back to the forecast. The Weatherman says we’re in for a stretch of sunnier weather, with highs in the 20s this weekend.
I am doing the dance of joy! Add a little more warmth to that and I will be in forecasted weather euphoria! I do hope they’re right.
I’ve tried to consult the other forecasters on next week’s weather. I just can’t find a caterpillar of any color but Dave’s wood pile is starting to look sickly. A strong indication of better weather and that spring is on the way!