This time of year is mentally draining for many.
The long cold winter is largely over, but spring and the green grass is still a few weeks off. Hunting seasons are closed. Game fishing is closed. Although panfishing is open, ice conditions deteriorate every day the temperature rises above 32 degrees.
There are not even many scenic pictures taken at this time of year. Maybe a drop of water hanging off a piece of ice.
I love the seasons, but I have to admit this time of year is too long for me also. Nature seems tired and ugly now. Brown grass matted flat by the melting snow piles. Shrubs bent from their recently lifted weight. Rocks, sand and sticks from plowing and winter wind storms, previously out of sight, that will need to be picked up or washed away by spring rains.
When I was younger melting snow meant running water and something fun to do. Running water could be made to flow faster by removing debris and making a natrual race course for marker colored pieces of wood toothpicks or popcicle sticks. Just for peer group bragging rights of course. I would also spend time walking along the road looking for "treasure" uncovered by the thaw. I never found anything great but like I said in an earlier blog, I was outside. It was all good.
Over the next few weeks, some will be walking the muddy woods, looking for shed whitetail deer antlers. Signs of the bucks that have survived the hunters and the winter.
Turkey hunters will be preparing for the spring hunting season.
Still others will begin planning this seasons landscaping, flower beds or wildflower gardens by visiting lawn and garden shows or just paging through the nursery catalogs delivered by the USPS.
Maybe I'll take a walk around the block. With a few marker colored wooden toothpicks.
See you 'round the campfire