People who live in the South are not opposed to snow. We even wish for it sometimes. The delicate flakes are beautiful and the silence that accompanies them is so peaceful. We don’t even mind if it piles up a bit, even though frozen roads bring travel to a standstill.
But, understand, we have very little tolerance for extended winter weather. One day is enough, two is tolerable, but more than that is just un-called for.
Every year, we plan for what has become known as the frozen daffodil and snow-tire festival. Winter is not really over until we polish up our white shoes and pull out the Easter bonnets. But, this year, the cold weather came earlier, and settled in to stay. We grew weary of setting records each day for the coldest temperatures and the most snowfall. Enough was more than enough!
Then, as if someone waved a magic wand, the snow was gone. The difference in temperatures from one week to the next was 74 degrees in our little town! With crossed fingers, and the knowledge that Easter Sunday is still several weeks off, we see signs that spring may be coming.
As the melting continues, we have little spots of green grass in our yards. The bulbs we transplanted in the fall are sending up green shoots, and we look forward to the blooms that should happen as temperatures get warmer. Our neighbors are trimming up their crepe myrtles, hoping their colorful blossoms will be ready to emerge at the proper time.
Even the sporting events we are watching on television are beginning to show signs that a new season is coming. The last football games have been marked down in the history books, with an asterisk that says * “limited fans attended due to the Covid 19 virus.” Everyone hopes that next season, more fans will be in the stands, buying hot dogs and popcorn, cheering for their favorite players. We have even taken a leap of faith and reserved some seats in our favorite stadium in Northwest Arkansas. We’ve been disappointed before, so we are not holding our breath, but at least a glimmer of normal has appeared on the horizon.
The calendar says it’s time for basketball tournaments and the first games of the baseball season, and surprisingly, those sports seem to be relatively close to the normal schedule so far. Last year, everything came to a screeching halt just before the “big dance”. This year, we are cautiously optimistic. College baseball is resuming, and we look forward to seeing what this year’s professional games look like. After last spring’s golf tournaments were delayed until autumn, indications are that they may be back to a normal schedule again in 2021. It is amazing how much comfort this brings. We have gotten used to a “new normal”, but we much prefer the old normal, and eagerly anticipate its return.
Those never-ending charts that track the terrible numbers related to the Corona virus are starting to look a little better. It is hard to believe that at this time last year, the major debate was whether or not the news of a dangerous virus was actually true. By now, we believe it. Most of us know at least one person who has suffered, and many of us have friends or relatives who have died. Charts with increasing numbers of vaccines administered are encouraging, and not nearly as hard to look at.
On the topic of hopeful news, I have added the title of “multi-published author” to my resume. That is, if having two books available qualifies. My second collection of musings has appeared in paperback and e-book versions on Amazon. This latest book entitled “To Everything a Season” is intended to help you look back on lessons learned during the most monumental year in recent memory. My journey was nothing like yours to be sure, but I hope this little book will help you realize how strong you are and prepare you for a hopeful future.
Sunshine has returned, the birds are chirping around the feeders, and life goes on. Please feel free to share your own stories with me by sending a letter to Ouachita Life, or by commenting on Facebook or my website, jennycarlisle.com. By subscribing to my newsletter there, you will hear the latest news about my writing journey. I can’t wait to see what is around the next bend in the road! Stay safe and healthy, and we will talk again soon.
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