It has happened. I have been dragged into the 21st Century. I have my very own Blog. I may be the only one who reads it, but that's ok. It's my personal experiment at truly using my free speech. Now, those of you that know me know that I exercise that right...frequently. While I try not to be hurtful or insulting with my words, sometimes my brain-mouth filter goes on the fritz and, well, lets just say the results can be colorful.
So, that brings us to now. Me. Writing my very first blog entry. Woohoo!!! Trumpets sound, gates fly open and the band plays appropriate music. I'll give everyone a chance to collect themselves after the intense and overwhelming need to celebrate. (Seriously, you'll look ridiculous reading this with confetti in your hair.) Ok. Done? Cool. Then lets move on.
So, I've been pondering what should my first blog be about? Something epic. Something that will make the Universe stand still, the planet stop turning and Rob Pattinson immediately ask for my phone number and address...there are so many topics that rolled through my cluttered and somewhat dusty brain. Egypt ousting their dictator and reaching for freedom? Awesome, but No. The death of a baseball great, Chuck Tanner? Tragic, but nah. What will it be, what will be? I know!!! Something of great and significant importance to us all...the weather!!!!
I know, I know, some of you are going "WHAT?!? The weather? She really has flipped her gourd!!". But allow me to illuminate you with my ramblings...
The weather and all of the craziness that has been occupying much of our time, lives and sanity, has been much on the minds of the populace of late. With snow in 49 states and conditions and meteorological terms like "snowpacolypse" and "blizzardzilla" being bandied about...it seems like a good place to start. I live in beautiful Western PA. (Pennsylvania for those not from here.) Stop laughing. It really is a great place to live. Yes, we have our hard times, but who doesn't?
We have vibrant autumns where the days are still warm and sunny, and the evenings have a crispness to them, without having a bite. The leaves are magnificent in their splendors of gold, red, orange and all the ranges of warm colors. The air smells like freshly baked apple pie and the tang of leaves burning. It makes you want to walk outside and shoof through the leaves lying on the ground. It means back to school, football, sweaters and jeans. Outdoor apple fests, pumpkin and harvest fests, Halloween, Thanksgiving, marching bands and parades. The sun in the evenings has a beautiful, rich gold color to it. When it rains, it's a little harder and meaner than the storms of summer. All of this combines to the wonder of autumn. Western PA's last glory before nature rests for the winter. You feel cool on the outside because you know winter is coming, but you are warm and glowy on the inside.
And what is Autumn weather without her counterpart, Spring? When the air is being to warm but still clinging to winter's chill grip. When the dead and brown suddenly becomes light green. The buds on trees slowly unfurl to reveal the young leaves inside. Nature stretches her arms and slowly begins to wake as the flowers spear up from the ground in pale yellows, purples, pinks and reds. The air smells fresh and clean. When the sun shines, it brings with it the promise of warmer temperatures, sunny days, green grass, and no more shoveling!! You still need a sweater, but the days beckon you to open your windows and let some of the freshness seep inside. The rain can be driving and brutal, but you don't mind because you know its feeding the earth and will help make everything beautiful again. You put on light jackets and go looking for Easter eggs, 4 leaf clovers and enjoy the longer days as the sun slowly regains her power...and brings with it the promise of summer.
Summer...ah, what can be said about summer? Incredible, perfect sunshine abounds. Everything is green and ripe and growing. The leaves on the trees sing softly in the breeze and all the Earth is happy and alive. Yes, there are brutally hot days - meant to be spent in the pool or playing in sprinklers!! Storms are quick and fierce, but we sit by the windows and watch them roar and thunder and boom. and make the occasional dash to the basement with flashlights and radio close in hand. The windows and doors are wide open allowing nature into homes and lives. We revel in wearing shorts, t shirts, and sandals. We spend as much time as we can outside soaking in the warmth and the happiness. Picnics, parties, swimming, walks, fireworks and heat. The culmination of all the other seasons to get here.
And summer's evil counterpart...winter. We all know what that means. Cold, cold and more cold. Snow, snow and more snow. Everything is cold and dead and after the color of Christmas...dull and ugly. The wind bites as it carries in buckets of snow and ice and misery. We complain as we huddle inside in sweaters and boots. We try to attend winter fests and hockey games...when the weather allows. But when it doesn't...we stay inside. We have pajama days with the kids. We spread out blankets on the floor, pop some popcorn, make some hot chocolate and snuggle on the floor while watching our favorite movies and playing games. We come together for parties, games and celebrations. All the while complaining about the weather...but (no pun intended) weathering it. It's horrible. We moan, complain, whine and carry on cranky...dreaming of warmer climates and wondering for the hundredth time why we haven't moved to Hawaii?!?
So, what does all this mean? It means...weather is as weather does. Mother Nature does what she wants, when she wants and we can do nothing about it. Yes, we could move south - hurricanes. West - earthquakes - BIG ones, midwest - much tornadoes, north - colder than here. So, basically, in my humble opinion, we just have to own our own weather. We hate the winter and love the summer. But through it all, this is home. We tolerate the bad to get to the good. But in reality, it's all good. Because, like everything else, its what we make it. Snow sucks. No bones about it. But it brings us together. Dealing with our own weather helps us deal with everything else in our lives. It defines us.
Now do you get why I chose the weather? It may be a trivial thing to some, a conversation starter to others...but it is an integral part of our lives. Sometimes more than we know. So, be careful out there...and enjoy the weather!!!!
