Jan. 06, 2002 - 22:41 MST

THE WONDERING JEW

Strange Events

I read the newspaper to the barfing point and then the comics to clear my palate. The usual things are happening, the fighters are fighting, the politicians are politicking, and so on and on. The only real things that are different are the dates and names. Once in a while a bit of good news falls through the cracks and hits the front page, but not often. If I try real hard and understand what I read, occasionally a bit of good news can be sorted out by detective work but not often.

This year the season seems to be overdoing the seasonal a bit. Here in the states Boreas is doing the nasty and intensfies his efforts pushing into our southland and putting snow where there is not enough snow handling equipment. Sort of saying, "So there, take that!" The novelty wears off soon and the realization that it is cold, messy and dangerous to be out dawns on people. Then they hunker down and do the best they can, praying the food, candles and fuel last till it is possible to get around. The first day relishing the inability to go out and do is fine but begins to pall soon.

So, in the normal run of conversation maybe I say, "So, how's the wife and kids, or, how was the fishing at the lake the other day? However, snow clogs the conversational tubes and about all that is said is, "Snow deep enough for you ? Cold enough for you? Ya' reckon spring will ever come?" With the offhand muttered, conventional replies. And then the regular comment, "Well, I better get going before its too late, bye."

So I live in Denver and our weather can yo and then yo and sometimes yo-yo going from shirt sleeve weather to earmuff conditions sometimes in just one hour. It usually never gets too deep, just annoying and slows traffic down. There is an old Denver saying, probably common to other locations, "If you don't like the weather here, wait just a minute. I once experienced a temperature drop in broad daylight of 60 degrees in 60 minutes. And then sometimes in the midst of snow and cold, a Chinook flows down from the mountains and suddenly bare ground appears, muddy a bit though.

But like a dog lying in front of a warm fireplace, my ears swivel toward an unusual sound, eyes switch to focus on a strange movement. I went on full alert this morning when I saw a picture of southern Mediterranean climes. I thought, "Snow far into our Southland, now that must be in Georgia where that picture was taken. Wait a minute, thats the Parthenon on the Acropolis and there is enough snow for snowballing on the ground in Athens, Greece."

Today, I saw a picture showing Strange Events . . . . .

Blog