They say if you don’t like the weather in Maine, just wait a minute. And ain’t that the truth! This week, we had that arctic blast for a couple of days, then our January thaw, which is good for the all the plants and wildlife. Us people, too. It actually got up to 40 plus degrees, if you can believe it, with flood warnings because of rain and melting snow. Then, back to the usual twenties and thirties. They call the super cold or strangely high temperatures “unseasonable,” but I say they’re just par for the course.
Charlie and me walk Scamp every morning, and we always do the same thing. We get up, put on our walking clothes, and skedaddle before our bodies have time to question whether this is a good idea or not. Before we put on our outer layers, though, we check our phones to see what the temperature is. It’s one thing when the phone says 3 degrees, but then you gotta look at the “real feel.” Charlie’s phone doesn’t have that. We’ve both got smart phones, but my phone’s smarter! So you look at the real feel and it says minus 21. No! Just no!
That’s when Charlie takes one for the team. He puts on his snowmobile suit, his bomber hat with the ear flaps, Sorrels with liners and his industrial strength gloves while I dress Scamp in his coat. Our little guy is a bichon/poodle mix, so he’s a hybrid. He’s small, cute, and low to the ground, but he’s also extra long. Even though his coat is a fashion statement, Scamp doesn’t really like wearing it, so we only dress him up when the temperatures drop to the instant iceberg level. Charlie and Scamp don’t stay out long. Just a quickie. Enough time for him to do his business. (Scamp, not Charlie.)
I miss walking in the morning with my guys, and was glad when the temp’s finally popped back up. I don’t even mind walking in the rain, so as long as it’s not a downpour.
So, here we are at the end of January, which I think of as the longest, coldest month. We’re pretty much over the hump. Oh, February can be wicked snowy, but it’s mercifully short, and the days start getting noticeably longer. Once we hit March, I feel like we’re home free.
And yes, I know. It’s winter in Maine and we can have snow all through March and sometimes get an April surprise. But in March, the temperatures rise a little and so do my spirits because let’s face it, the finish line is in sight.
So pat yourself on the back, folks. We’re almost halfway through. We can do this!
That’s it for now. Catch you on the flip side!
Hear Ida Tell It: Winter in Maine
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February 19: A Visit With Ida, The Park Danforth, 7:00pm, Portland, ME
March 29 & 30: Ida: Woman Who Runs With the Moose, The Footlights Theatre, 7:30, Falmouth, ME
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