Finally…Winter is OVER!

It’s a much needed rainy day on The Hill. Not only for the growing grass, plants and ever so slowly budding trees, but for myself. With better weather, I’m out the door before the sun even fully rises. The sound of the chirping birds in the morning and the peepers from the bog are almost as potent as my cup of black coffee. Now that the long winter is finally behind us, I don’t have time to be stuck indoors.

The other day a Warden friend of ours stopped in while patrolling the area. “Plenty of elbow room up here”, he said. Yes, for now. Soon enough the seasonal residents will be returning to their camps or campers. The ATV trails will open back up and our road will be busy with people passing through. The boat landing and dam area will be full of people from surrounding towns, cooling off in the lake and our days of not seeing a single soul or vehicle are over for a spell.

Last weekend we had our annual Plantation meeting. I was surprised how many people were present. Many, when asked, were non residents. Faces I didn’t know or recognize. Being a very small area, I do know and are friends with most of the residents. As the days get longer and the weather warms, we all begin to venture further from our homes. Anxious to socialize and enjoy the beauty that drew us all her. Weekend camp fires and cookouts will begin. We actually already have, last weekend the wind died down late afternoon and we were all able to enjoy an evening outside. And as usual, people just out riding around, stopped in to say Hello.

With a spring to-do list a mile long and projects all tying into each other, I have to plan ahead. One project I was trying to finish up needed paint. I always have paint on hand. Well, I had the paint. Unfortunately for me, the paint I bought last fall, all froze over the winter and was no good. Part water and one large solid clump. Three unopened cans and at least 3 partially used. No good. How I forgot to take them out of the shed and store inside is beyond me. So off to the nearest hardware store I go. I buy the paint (which is not cheap right now) come home and the wind is blowing. Of course. Why wouldn’t it be? At this point I should be use to it. As I’m stirring the contents of the can I literally have white caps. Actual waves from the wind. With every dip of the brush, paint flew thru the air. I refuse to sit inside doing nothing. So I continue. There was no issue of the paint drying. Four hours later, paint splattered and dirty, I was frozen to the bone, despite the thermometer saying 62 degrees. I cleaned up the mess outside and headed for the door. I came in and cranked the propane heater up and sat in the rocking chair, where I remained for the next 45 minutes, until I was warm again. I returned to the project 2 days later with much more favorable conditions. One thing I can say, ladders are not fun when the wind is blowing 40-45 mph and your already scared of heights.

With all the yard work done, until the temperatures rise, I went to my parents, who live an hour away, mid week. My father was always a gardener and had flowerbeds galore. Every nook and cranny had flowerbeds and shrubs. He put a lot of time and heart into his yard. 23 years ago, Mum and Dad started camping every weekend, which over the years turned into having a seasonal site. They were never home. My fathers beautiful yard eventually became over grown. When they made the decision to start staying home, I told Dad we’d do an over haul. Make it pretty, enjoyable and manageable. My mother and I cut trees and moved brush for six hours. We were hoping we could get all the cutting done in one day. No such luck. By the end of the afternoon, every fiber of my body ached from running a chainsaw steady. I thought for sure I was going to pay for it the next day. That night I slept like a rock. The next morning, I was up and outside before 5am and ready to get the day going. All this fresh air does wonders! Not only for the mind, but the body!

We take whatever decent weather is handed to us. Days like today, rainy and cold, are a blessing. I’m able to get small things done that get put on the back burner any other day. It’s basically a putter day. I don’t feel (as) guilty for sitting down writing, reading or knitting. I don’t feel the pressure of that mile long to-do list. I can just sit, in my comfy clothes, and enjoy the sound of the rain coming down on the roof with a hot cup of coffee.