Thursday dawned bright and warm but the forecast still called for rain and lots of snow. But the sun kept shining. When I left work it was still shining and much too warm for my winter coat but I had to wear it anyway because it is too bulky to carry. The wind had picked up though and it was gusting hard. On the horizon were dark clouds. Well then, I thought, I guess we will just get all snow. When I went to bed at 9:30 Thursday night it was windy but still no snow.
I expected when my alarm went off Friday to look out the window and see a thick blanket of snow with more coming down. I peered out into the darkness. Nothing, not even a light dusting. On the radio the forecasters were still saying snow, though now they had scaled backed from a few feet to a few inches.
Transit and downtown were empty, people had taken off work expecting a big storm. The day was gusting cold wind but the sun rose to a partly cloudy sky of scuttling clouds that had no time to stop and snow. We got not a single raindrop or flurry. An hour to the south of me took the brunt of it.
I was sad. Not because I was looking forward to shoveling, though I kind of was, but because with all the warm weather and the snow and ice having melted away completely, my allergies woke up. All week I felt vaguely ill with a general fatigue and I worried I was coming down with something. When I woke up Wednesday morning and my eyes were itching and my skin crawling, it dawned on me it was allergies. Nnnnoooooo! It’s too early! This should not be happening for another month.
Nothing is blooming, it is the mold and dust particles that have been sitting under the snow and locked in ice. I, and several other allergy sufferers I know, were desperately hoping for that foot of snow. I began taking my allergy medication Wednesday and hoped that it would be for just two days. But without the big storm it appears I am going to have to resign myself to a daily dose until who knows when. Every year the time I can stop taking medication gets later and later and the time I have to begin taking it gets earlier and earlier. Pretty soon my poor immune system won’t get a break at all. If someone out there wants to become rich and famous, find a cure for seasonal allergies.
The peppers I seeded indoors last weekend have not sprouted yet. They generally take about 10-14 days but I was hoping the spiffy heating mat would somehow cause a miracle to happen and make them sprout up in record time. Ha! Next weekend the tomato seeds get planted so today I made a bunch more paper pots with an assist from Bookman.
It is a beautiful sunny 38F/3C day today. The Dashwoods have been out in the garden since sunup. Since we didn’t get all that snow, they have been having a grand time scratching around in the garden wherever their desire takes them. They have turned up some more sunchokes and have been enjoying those. And all the fall leaves we mulch the garden beds with are a great source of pleasure for scratching in too.
Nonetheless, Mrs. Dashwood decided it wasn’t good enough. We had a frantic knocking on our front door and opened it to our neighbor who informed us one of our chickens was in her yard! Bookman rushed out and next door to find Mrs. Dashwood scratching away in their flowerbed next to the retaining wall and fence that separates our yards. I looked out the back door and the other Dashwoods were clustered against the fence looking down on Mrs. Dashwood on the other side. Bookman scooped up the Mrs. and plopped her back over the fence, much to everyone’s relief.
We never did clip their wings last summer because after the one incident of Mrs. Dashwood flapping up to the top of the chainlink fence on the alley, it never happened again. I suspect Mrs. Dashwood was rather surprised to find herself in the neighbor’s yard this morning. Judging by the behavior of the other three, they too were surprised and not quite sure how Mrs. Dashwood got over there.
This, of course, has made us a bit paranoid and we frequently look out in the garden to count chickens. They seem to be content with their own garden and have exhibited no desire for further adventures, for now at least. Ah my silly girls and their silly humans!
We got snow “showers” and episodes of sleet on Saturday, one of the sleet episodes blowing into my face as I stood outside for our weekly half-hour demonstration on the public square at noon.
I’m glad to hear it’s been good weather for chickens, and that you have to count them!
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Jeanne, ugh, sleet in the face is not pleasant! Good for you for turning up at the demonstration anyway though! The nice weather has allowed the Dashwoods to be out of their run more often which was obviously when we were cleaning Sunday afternoon because there wasn’t much cleaning work to be done, which was nice.
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We got the snow on Thursday! It melted next day though and it didn’t damage any of the spring flowers. I’m not surprised that you’re worried about your girls, it could have been very nasty if there was a dog or cat on the other side of the fence!
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I’m glad – and I’m sure the Dashwoods even more so – that you didn’t get the huge winter storm. Hope Mrs Dashwood can be reigned in a little!
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Ian, that Mrs. Dashwood is a bold one! They are all rather pleased to get to be out and about so much these days though. Pretty soon I think we will be able to take the plastic down from around the run and give them a view again.
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pining, you have flowers already? Even the crazy warmth we’ve had hasn’t convinced flowers it is time to sprout yet though I suspect they are thinking about it! Glad you snow didn’t cause any damage and has melted away already. Yes, thank goodness there was no dog or cat on the other side of the fence! That would not have ended well for Mrs. Dashwood.
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We had a similar forecast frenzy Saturday. Wild and heavy rainstorms were predicted, but they kept moving the time back. We went to the theater that afternoon and hoped we’d be able to walk home before the deluge. Well, we finally had about 15 minutes of heavy rain and that was it.
Mrs. Dashwood seems to be an explorer. I’d definitely keep an eye on her!
From the time I was about 20 until I was forty, I had some sort of allergies. The episodes were fairly brief and didn’t seem seasonal or related to perfume or wine or anything that I could pinpoint. I would just suddenly become congested. After I became a vegetarian 25 years ago, they stopped. I know you’re already a vegan (as I am now, too), so that won’t help you. But I sympathize with you and your allergies. It’s an awful feeling. Yes, why can’t science cure all the common maladies like allergies and colds and digestive upsets?!
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Joan, wow, you got more rain than we did! I think the weather forecasters must have been bored or they have a big glitch in their models. Nice that you got to walk home after the theater and not get rained on though.
Yes, Mrs. Dashwood isn’t satisfied with her own garden so she has to invade someone else’s to see whether or not it’s better. I think she was disappointed because they have one flower bed running along the wall/fence and the rest of their yard is grass. So boring! 🙂
I used to get sinus infections once or twice a year and since I became vegan I haven’t had one so that was an improvement! Sadly, It has made no difference with my allergies. Though I suspect they would be worse if I weren’t vegan. In the spring it is mold and dust followed by tree pollen then grass then lilacs more grass and finally the friendly ragweed. Sigh.
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Things are blooming early here in Tennessee, which worries me greatly, as I think we’ll get at least one cold blast before it’s all said and done. I’ve even seen some forsythia starting to bloom! I do not like this at all. My daffodils have bloomed and some of my other bulbs are starting to come out of the ground.
I’m sorry about your allergies! I’m glad that Mrs. Dashwood is safe and sound after her adventure!
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Laila, It seems spring is coming early over most of the US this year. But you are right, you can’t count out at least one more cold blast before it is all over.
And thanks! I feel like a baby whining about allergies but I wouldn’t wish them on anyone they are so miserable. I’m afraid with climate change I will eventually have to take medication all year which is not a happy thought.
Mrs. Dashwood is not the one I ever would expect to be the adventurer. She is full of surprises, that one!
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Sounds like your weather was pretty underwhelming. Ours was not as bad as it could have been but ice is always an icky nuisance! I am all ready for a little warmth (just warmth mind you, not heat), but then I don’t have allergies–but I sympathize–I know growing season can be really miserable. Mrs Dashwood is the errant one of the group, isn’t she? She always seems to be getting into trouble. What a bad role model for the other girls! 😉
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Danielle, it was indeed! I am glad yours wasn’t as bad as it could have been. Warmth is n ice, my idea of warm is 60 🙂 Now that I have been taking allergy medicine for several days I am feeling almost normal which will be the new normal until who knows when — November? Mrs. Dashwood has turned out to be a surprise. I thought it would be Marianne who got into all the trouble since she tends to fly low across the garden and made the most fuss about things. It’s the quiet ones you have to look out for! 😉
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I think we broke a warm weather record last week… We were up to 90! That is insane. I would love to have a bit more winter before the heat takes hold of us. Hope you won’t suffer too much with allergies this coming Spring!
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Iliana, oh wow! that’s crazy! Does not bode well for summer, does it? And thanks! When spring does actually burst out and the trees begin blooming at least I will already be full of allergy medicine so hopefully it won’t be too bad. Bright side 🙂
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Oh my. I would constantly be counting my chickens. Indeed! So glad to hear this had a happy ending; I “saved” the post for awhile, unsure just how adventurous Mrs. Dashwood had been!
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buried, there is a joke in there somewhere about counting chickens, I’m sure of it! I’ve been keeping a close eye on Mrs. Dashwood these last days. She’s a tricksy one!
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What? “a beautiful sunny 38F/3C”. I don’t believe it – I mean, I believe the temps, but not the adjectives that you put with them.
Love the Mrs Dashwood story.
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Oh, and so sorry about your allergies. Hope the snow comes soon.
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whisperinggums, ha! It’s all relative, isn’t it? In autumn I would say it was cold but in spring, where are my sandals? 🙂
It seems the snow will not be coming and even if it does it will not be staying around.
Glad you enjoyed Mrs.Dashwood’s great adventure!
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Yes exactly… There’s a chill in our autumn morning today but in a couple of months I’ll be wishing for it!
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