To Everything

I am not a believer in climate change in the sense where it's an impending catastastroke, to use one of me Grandpa Joe's coined terms. But I do believe the climate changes over time. Greenland had a growing season a thousand years ago; that's part of how and why the Norse were able to settle there, at least for a while. The glaciers covered Texas a few thousand years before that. The climate changes. I'm not sure we can do much about that or how much we even actually affect it. Nature, too, is resilient. She'll fight back and win her share of battles.

So in that light, I do wonder if the seasons are slowly shifting. My furnace kicked on this morning and I had to layer in order to be warm for my morning walk today. It's May 17th, if you hadn't noticed. We're nearly two months into Spring here in Michigan. It seems rather late for such necessities.

I don't recall May being so cold so late when I was in my teens, yet the last several have been chilly. The leaves have been slow to show up on the trees and the flowers aren't blooming. I only just mowed the lawn for the first time last Saturday; the grass just wasn't growing. Conversely, October and November seem to me to stay warmer later than way back then too. As such, I can't help wonder if the seasonal calendar is becoming off a bit. It's something I'm merely curious about, because even if it's true I see no need to worry. It's just how the climate has gone about its business for all of history.

Friday Snow Special

Last Friday in the D, we got snow, around 5 inches depending on exactly where you were in the region. Today for the second straight Friday, the forecast calls for snow again, anywhere from 4 to 8 inches.

The winter has been mild so far. I suppose it only figures that we couldn't get away with too little snow. Maybe winter is saying, "Michigan, hold my Vernors."

But another thought hit me: are our winters becoming back loaded, so to speak? Growing up, I seem to recall that by about mid November we would see our first significant snow. By March, we'd be happily sliding into spring. Yet the last several years it feels as though Novembers and even Decembers have been relatively warm. Cold and snow have been holding on well into March and April. A couple of years ago, not once but twice, I had snow flurries dancing around me on my morning walks. In May.

Is that just me? Or is there something to that theory? Are winters skewed from what they once were?

Oh the snow again

I heard that we might get measurable snow this Friday in Detroit. If we do, it will only be the ninth time that's happened here since they began keeping records.

How about that? I don't believe I've ever seen snow around these parts in May. But my brother Patrick assures me that we have had flurries. If he says so, it's true. His memory is good for things like that. And I would almost - almost - like to get a half inch of snow simply for the sake of it.

Speaking of cold, I know it's none of my business yet I can't help being curious, there's a home nearby where they have the air conditioning going virtually year round. It was on this morning as I passed, and I notice the low humming of the window AC unit almost every time I walk by. I suppose some folks just like it cold.

Actually, I remember my buddy in Saskatchewan getting hit with a foot of snow on May 20 a few years back. Oh, it wasn't just him. It was the whole area where he lived.

Go on, you're at least smiling at that. Until next time...