GPS Geese…

I’ve heard it said Minnesotans are obsessed with the weather far more than other parts of the USA. Maybe we are. I would argue that when you have to make a one hundred mile round trip drive to class, and the roads are unplowed, and the snow falling is so thick that the windshield wipers clog up and look like the Great Wall of China moving back and forth, paying attention to the weather matters. We Minnesotans start fretting about winter when the leaves start to change color in the fall, and we mutter about the validity of forecasters who claim the worst winter ever is about to unfurl its arsenal at us. We winterize homes, cars, and wardrobes. We even winterize our senses. Suddenly wood smoke smells divine wafting up chimneys, and macaroni and cheese tastes like manna. Ten degrees doesn’t feel “too bad” when you’ve walked the dog in worse. Heck, if a frozen finger or two doesn’t fall off, how bad can it be?
With all our customary preparedness and winter hardiness comes the winter of 2011-2012. It’s been a dream for me and a nightmare for industries that depend on winter activities to survive. I’m truly sorry that events have had to be cancelled due to a lack of snow or safely frozen lakes. But I’m not sorry I have forgotten what it is like to have white-knuckled drives, or to worry about my husband schlepping around behind the heavy snarling snowblower.
This morning as Booker and I were traipsing down the road I noticed a flock of geese flying north. It seems waaaaaay too early for the geese to be coming back. I rationalized that maybe they were a bunch that stayed to enjoy the unfrozen water spattered around the area. I wondered if they were lost and a male goose was refusing to stop and ask directions… “I’m sure Louisiana is just over the next rise…let’s just keep going.” I snickered at the idea that maybe one of the geese was playing a practical joke on the others by flying in circles. Or, as I got really silly, questioned if any of them had a bumper sticker on their butt saying, “Flock you!” Geese flying north in February…weird, but the best part of my day.