Striptease

This year instead of the usual layer upon layer of ice and snow, the weather has been doing a striptease show. First, a cold, blustery wind will push the snow and ice clad storm dancer into the area to deposit a load of frozen precipitation. Then the snow plows would come to curl back the drifting snow and spread layers of anti-skid material and salt on the road runways. Home owners have had to bundle up and attack the snow-laden walkways and drives with brooms and shovels. The fortunate ones are identified by the revving of their snow blowers, the engines of their four wheelers or their riding lawnmowers with snowplows attached. A few have plows affixed to the front of trucks. I do have neighbors that have a backhoe with a bucket on one end and a scoop shovel on the other. In past years they have stopped to move piles of snow from my drive when it reaches the point that I can no longer see to exit my drive.

Now, I come back to the striptease. This year that is exactly what “Mother Nature” has done. Winter’s dancer deposits a quick load of ice and snow, before retreating back to Canada. Slowly, the temperature warms and the layer of white precipitation becomes slush. Areas of lawn and earth teasingly appear. The discolored snow melts and the shoulders of the road are exposed. More of the grass becomes bare. The repeat performances tease that spring will soon be here. I don’t cry for an “Encore,” but these dancers return and cover everything up again. I don’t have long to wait for the next show. Rain has come to prepare the stage for the next winter clad dancer. The weatherman has predicted snow accumulation for the next storm. I pray that it will be a tiny dancer, lightly clad, and beautiful. I don’t look forward to removing thick layers of her clothing from my walks and drives.