The color palette of this month is dreary to say the least: red brick, dull sodden green, muddy brown, slate gray, murky silver, monochrome beige. The snow has pretty much receded, leaving muddy dregs and resurfaced ancient trash mixed with sodden leaf-pulp. The widened streets and sidewalks are bleak, especially during the recent cold rain. It felt more like November than March.
The old saying, “March comes in like a lion and leaves like a lamb” has no meaning in Maine, where it’s more like the lion is in mortal battle with other lions. This morning, for example, my dog and I (see I Have a Dog) were assaulted by gale winds that plastered our faces and eyes with grit and sand. During our walk a brief snow squall erupted, sending cascades of thick white flakes whirling about in an unsettling reminder that WINTER is not over YET.
There was a wind advisory today, with a maximum gusts of 45 mph recorded in this area. During a blustery trip to the grocery store I saw a huge telephone pole swaying. The danger this time of year comes from flying objects — anything from tree branches to roof flashing might come crashing down. It also happened to be the neighborhood’s trash/recycling day. For some reason the City requires open recycling containers; thus the streets were awash with cereal boxes, food items, cardboard, newspapers, and other detritus.
The immediate future does not look bright, with Arctic air returning, according to the National Weather Service: “A light snowfall will pass just south of the area Friday. On its heels an Arctic air mass will move across the region Friday night with bitter cold temperatures.” Saturday shows a high of 13 degrees with a low of 4. Then there’s the wind chill and the “real feel” to factor in. I also heard a rumor in the streets today of a snowstorm arriving next week. Back to soup (see Soup, Soup, and More Soup), origami (see Darned Socks and Origami) and Netflix. . .
50 Shades of Winter 