Snow brings thoughts of spring and yard work

Local columnist

link Grant McGee

Last weekend’s snow was pretty decent-sized, wasn’t it?

Last Saturday morning I spent time looking at the snow-covered neighborhood from various windows of The Stucco Hacienda.

Out the back window the back yard was all white and pristine. Crystals of settled snow glistened in the bright January light. Clean and bright were words that came to mind.

I looked out the front window. There was a neighbor who got stuck just pulling out of his driveway.

I decided to lend a hand. I’m motivated by my inner Boy Scout and a bit of little ol’ fashioned karma … what goes around comes around. I opened the door to discover some folks, maybe the neighbors’ friends, had arrived on the scene and got him unstuck. It was just as well; if I helped, it would only be a matter of time before he’d be over wanting to borrow tools.

My own vehicles are buried under snow. I’m glad I don’t have to go to work until Monday. But I know sometime I’m going to have to go out there and dig them out. I’ll wait until Sunday afternoon, let the sun do some of that work for me by melting it away.

What I enjoy most about the snow is thinking about the spring. Last time we had a good snow like this, one that was deep and lay around letting water soak into the High Plains soil slowly, we had a full spring with a riot of wildflowers over the land.

“I like this snow because it’s going to soften up the ground,” says The Lady of the House as she comes and stands beside me at the window. “It’ll be just right for pounding in the stakes for that fence for the dogs’ yard and for you to dig that hole to plant that pine tree we have.”

I turn to look at her and smile.

The Lady of the House smiles back.

I can always count on her to jolt me back into reality.

Grant McGee is a long-time broadcaster and former truck driver who rides bicycles and likes to talk about his many adventures on the road of life. Contact him at his blog:

grantmcgeewrites.com