About the February-March time frame I am tired of winter. I don't want to see snow any more. I'm ready for breakup. Part of the problem ice and my fear of falling. As the days get longer the surface snow melts during the day and refreezes at night, leaving nice shiny icy spots. I'm not the most graceful person on dry pavement, let alone on ice. Add to that my bad back, and I prefer not to do a lot of walking.
The last week of March was pretty eventful. My friend Cindy had not been feeling well. When she saw the doctor for a routine checkup, she ended up having surgery the same day. She went home that night and is doing well now. I had to work that evening, but met our friend Mae at the hospital to check on Cindy. When I got home I had a message from my sister informing me our sister Lora had lost her long battle with cancer.
Lora was 11 months younger than I am. We played together, fought together, shared a bedroom and bed for a number of years. We shared secrets and dreams. She was a tomboy, afraid of nothing. I was a bookworm, terrified of spiders and loathing bugs in general. She was athletic, I was a klutz (still am - see second paragraph). She was a majorette in the band. I can still see her in her blue and gold uniform with knee-length pleated skirt and long-sleeved, high-neck jacket, twirling her baton, throwing it into the air and catching it easily, resuming the twirling. Her fight with cancer lasted 4 or 5 years, and was a tough battle for her. The last few months, she was either in pain or heavily drugged to mask the pain. I will be forever grateful that I was able to spend a little time with her last June. Two other sisters, Luci and Leah, and I met in Phoenix and drove to Yuma to visit Lora and her husband Howard. We were there after the effects of chemo had worn off and before she started radiation, so she was able to go out with us, show her favorite spots in Yuma and talk and laugh. I miss our weekly phone calls and our laughs together. Rest in peace Lora, I love you and will miss you.
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March gave us a week or so of really nice temperatures in the 30s and 40s. Then it snowed. Then it got cold again. Our daylight hours are increasing daily and I'm so ready for winter to end. I took a couple of days off this week to relax and use up some time I will lose if I don't take it. Yesterday and today, with temperatures close to 14-15 below, I took my camera out to play early in the morning. I went to Creamer's Field where the waterfowl stop off on their northern migration. They seeded the field April 5, but it snowed on the 6th, so the grain is all covered again. The newspaper reported that 3 Canada geese were here, but they must have left, as no one has reported them since the April 6 (and 7 and 8) snowfalls. However, I love Creamer's even when the birds aren't there. I had the place to myself, it was quiet and peaceful. I took several shots of the scenery and relished the serenity and scenery.
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| This icicle was standing up in the snow. I guess as snow melted from the trees, it created this. I was fascinated by it. |
The mammoths and the giant jaguar were in front of the farmhouse at Creamer's Field. It looks as though mama mammoth had a pretty rough winter.
I always love sunrise at Creamer's Field, no matter what time of year it is. Breakup will be here soon, I'm sure. Happy spring everyone.
