Last week’s sunshine-filled days were nothing but a big tease. Each day got warmer than the day before; reaching temperatures in the 70’s and 80’s.
Like I do every spring, I fell sick with spring fever, and prematurely assumed the snow was behind us. I started storing away winter coats, boots, snow pants, and coveralls, and put my sweaters, long handles and flannel shirts in the “out of season†storage totes for the summer.
Every day I looked for as many excuses as possible in order to stay outside more. I washed all the clothes I could find just so I could hang them on my beloved clothesline. I spent one morning washing blankets and pillows to hang outside also, so my family could fall asleep to the smell of sunshine and fresh, spring air again.
All week, the kids stayed outside after they got off the bus until supper time, but as the weekend approached, so did a “slight†chance of rain and snow. I foolishly put too much faith in that slight chance due to the warm temperatures. I’ve lived my whole life in the Black Hills and I still fall for the teaser warm spring weather right before a spring snowstorm sandbags the area.
Friday afternoon rain settled in but by bedtime, more than the 1-3 inches of snow that was predicted, had started to pile up. The weather reverted back to winter-like temperatures on Saturday, and snow progressively fell heavier as nightfall advanced. Sunday morning’s snowfall posed hazardous conditions, with thick, heavy, wet snow that weighed down tree limbs.
Fortunately, these spring snows don’t stick around, and today was soggy again with fast melting snow. While eating a pile of nachos for lunch, I watched a robin having a Calgon moment from my kitchen window. In the mud puddle in front of my car, the robin fluttered its wings in the most fascinating display, and kept it up long after I had my nachos and piece of pina colada cake slicked up. Just as I was about to get back to work, I noticed a whole slew of robins in our driveway—no other types of birds. They were all pecking at the ground in what I assumed was a feeding frenzy after the storm. The best count I could get was nineteen! It appeared as though last week’s temperatures teased them as well and I wasn’t the only one who underestimated the spring snowstorm. I’m not sure how the robins feel about it, but I’ve never taken teasing very well
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