Groundhog

I like to think I am fond of animals. I am actually pretty tolerant of all animals. I can co-exist with rattlesnake, providing they don’t want to live on our property. Until rattlesnakes want to start making the mortgage payments they need to find another place to live.

Working outside of Tucson , I encountered a Gila monster living on my construction site. We got along just fine.

I’m finding myself starting to dislike an animal. I think I have developed a problem with a groundhog. Not all groundhogs, just the one from Pennsylvania . The one that controls winter.

I’m not sure it is the groundhogs fault. Who put the darn thing in charge of winter, anyway. Hell, given the choice between getting up and looking for food or taking another nap, I might choose the nap myself.

I don’t understand why someone would put a groundhog in charge of winter. I would have put a deer in charge. I know that deer are sick of looking for food, eating dried grass and whatever they can find.

Believe me, deer want springtime today.

Winter came early this year. We had significant snow in October. We had snow on the ground until almost Christmas. We have had strong winds since early December. The winds melt the snow. Snow that is not melted is blown somewhere east of here. I think it is blown to Nebraska . I don’t understand why the Nebraskans never thank me for it.

Wintertime in northern Colorado means wind. Thirty to forty mph winds every day, with gusts to sixty mph. Throw in some 70 mph windy days with gusts to 90+ mph, with a couple of snowstorms you have a northern Colorado winter. Yes, we have hurricane force winds several times each winter.

When a lazy, fat Pennsylvanian groundhog decides we need more winter, it makes me angry. Don’t tell me the groundhog is a myth. January 31st we had wind. February 1st was a nice day. February 2nd the groundhog decides to go back to bed, February 3rd is the beginning of what the weatherman is calling a hundred year storm.

Turns out, the snowstorm is not as bad as predicted. However, it proves winter is still here. Even the deer are angry.

I believe if the election were held today, that groundhog would not be in charge of winter.

Our crazy lives!

Monner

PS It was snowing quite hard today. One of our customers suggested to Ivy we close the store and go home early.

Ivy: It won't be bad. I'm riding home with my dad. I knit while he drives.

Customer: Oh good, you can knit while he tries to get out of a ditch!

Ivy: I see you have ridden with him before!