January thaw

Have you ever heard of the "Pay It Forward" philosophy? Years ago, when I used to drive a full size half ton four wheel drive pickup truck, I pulled more than one stranded motorist out of a ditch. Today it was my turn to be the pullee. While driving a poorly plowed residential street not too far from home, I allowed more room than was absolutely necessary for an oncoming vehicle to pass. My right front tire caught in the snowbank at the edge of the ditch and we got sucked in as if the ditch's edge were the event horizon of a black hole. Subaru's all wheel drive was insufficient to back us out or pull us forward. Fortunately, the owner of the property in whose ditch we got stuck owned a full size half ton four wheel drive pickup truck. He very kindly volunteered to help us out. (Thanks again!) Between his pulling and our backing, we were out of the ditch before my long-suffering wife could get through to AAA (not because we were got out in a hurry, she was on the phone about 10 minutes before she got to speak to a real person). Anyhow that was today's adventure, no photos to share, sorry.

frost-covered window    © harrington

Today's warmer temperatures (35 to 40 or so) are melting and compacting the snow cover which will then refreeze tonight and become even more slickery. The frost is gone from the windows, but I expect it to return as temperatures drop into a more seasonal range. The trees have lost most of their snow cover. I don't expect that to return before the next snow storm. All in all a kind of quiet Winter's day around here with the exception of a certain blogger's inability to "keep his britches between the ditches." Mr. Updike has nicely captured the essence of this month.

trees losing snow cover      © harrington

 January

The days are short,
The sun a spark,
Hung thin between
The dark and dark.

Fat snowy footsteps
Track the floor.
Milk bottles burst
Outside the door.

The river is
A frozen place
Held still beneath
The trees of lace.

The sky is low.
The wind is gray.
The radiator
Purrs all day.

--John Updike

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