Well, folks, I’m going to go right on out on this fresh green limb and tell you that I think maybe winter is over, finally.

It’s not just the foot-high grass in the lower lawn that was too wet to mow last week. It’s not just the fact that the dandelions are blooming faster and thicker than politicians re-formulating their positions based on the latest poll. It’s not just that the apple trees are blooming profusely and even the oak trees are showing signs of color on the hills.

Now, I don’t want to downplay all of those indicators because they definitely play a key role in this optimistic prediction of mine. But there is another reason why I believe we have seen the last of winter in these parts for a while: the National Weather Service has forecast an expected high of ninety degrees here on Wednesday.

That’s right, ninety. We’re getting a bit of a transition, though. We had a high of 76 on Saturday and peaked at 79 yesterday. We’re predicted to have a high of 80 today and 85 tomorrow. So we have a little while to get ready for that taste of summer on Hump Day.

On the back side of the hump, Thursday’s high will be about fifteen degrees lower as we’re expecting a possibility of thunderstorms and a return to more seasonal temperatures. For those hot-weather lovers among us, I guess that’ll be a bit of a disappointment. But I think all of us winter haters will be able to handle it just fine.

In greater seriousness, I’d have to admit that anyone whose joy and fulfillment in life depend upon the weather is likely to find a great deal of frustration on this planet. Even in its finest places, some days are cooler than others. And even in its worst places, some days are better than others.

Most days are whatever we make of them and the deliberate habit of finding good in all of them is a pretty good habit to cultivate.

H. Arnett
5/5/14