Weathering the storm

Weathering the storm

Snow is falling on the daffodils and other early bloomers. As of now, aside of a small amount of accumulation on the rooftops and lawns, there is nothing much happening weather-wise. It is not unusual to have snow in March. The month has many moods.

In 2003 (March 24-25) we had a heavy snowstorm. Paul and I were living at our home in Brazil. He was sick at the time. I remember looking out of our living room window at our long driveway and what seemed like a mountain of snow that covered it, a weather event still in progress. I also was looking around and beyond main garage at the side of the curb pondering on my plight. Off I went to don suitable outerwear and set out to clear the long path. Thanks to the City of Brazil’s street department workers Elm Street was cleared, but the few feet of road that was our responsibility, beyond the line needed my help to gain accessibility in case of an emergency and other considerations. The path to the hen house on the edge of the woods, another sizable distance needed to be cleared. My snow shovel saw me through the chore well before gathering time and to see the last of 20 hens lay her egg. In fact, this country girl waited patiently for the precious fruit of her labors to drop into the soft straw nest, on the wall of her home. Now you may wonder why I remember all of the aforementioned events, big and small on that winter-like day during the first few days of the spring of that year. After I adjusted the heat lamp suspending from the ceiling of the chicken house and replenished the flock’s water layer crumbles and green leafy treats for good service, I picked up the wicker basket of extra large eggs. When I reached the sturdy screen door, it had become latched somehow. I had no tools to slide between the casing and the screen door frame to lift the latch. I was too far from the house to call for assistance and besides, Paul was not well. Finally I spotted the old well-honed sickle hanging above a window and escaped, sat the eggs down on the stoop and searched out a hammer and nails in the next building. With that latch reset and basket in hand I ‘headed for barn’ so to speak. On the way toward the house I slipped/tripped and fell with a thud to the ground. Eggs flew everywhere in and around that shoveled path looking like dandelion heads on a pillows of ice. Some were rescued from the deep snow. Paul Baby asked, and I recall word for word, “How was it out there honey?” the only thing that I can tell you he heard in return was — don’t ask! When I think about it that weather event was nothing compared to the flood of 2008. I wrote about during that time that year.

Since, I have no fresh country eggs to gather and I do not need to shovel snow anymore, I reckon I’ll go save the daffodils, hold my weather report and wait for the question to resurface again. It’s almost 60 years since our elopement and we have weathered many storms since. We seniors hope to have many more tomorrows, but we are very grateful for yesterday and today. Thank you for reading The Brazil Times and my column as well.

I can be reached by phone at 317–286–7352 or drop me a line at 649 South Grant Street, Brownsburg, IN., 46112.