A Change in the Weather

Working outside in your shirtsleeves in December is an uncommon thing here in our Valley.

But, it was far too warm for a jacket…yes, in December…so naturally I got to thinking about the weather.

My grandmother used to call the unseasonably warm days of winter "weather breeders".  Meaning that real change was imminent. While the reason escapes me, she may have been on to something.   The weather forecasters were calling for a winter weather event over the weekend. 

I find the weather by turn fascinating, irritating, amazing, frustrating, devastating and sometimes just downright annoying. As it directly affects everything we do it is in our best interest to at least attempt to understand it. That’s why I love talking to the  "old people". Read about what papaw Wally told me about the weather here.

"sundog" - indicative of changing weather

When you get an unseasonably warm day in the midst of December, every effort should be made to utilize it.  Garden clean-up, fence repair, barn organization, hoophouse work…it’s hard to choose which gets done first. We made a dump run and then the Boss did a few odd jobs and finished up his fence project.  I worked in the hoophouses and greenhouse and checked on the gardens.

the race is on

It seemed we were not the only ones taking advantage of the unseasonable weather.  All day we could hear (and see) the fellas on the other side of Mbrook racing to beat the weather and get the corn harvested.  (up ‘til now the weather hadn’t been very cooperative)  

loading corn into trucks

There was a steady stream of trucks loaded with corn and headed to the mill in town.

...and they're DONE!

…and I’m pretty sure we weren’t the only ones giving thanks for our completed preparations as we heard the rain and sleet begin a short while later.

"wintry mix" begins