What Happened to Winter?

This unusually warm March hadn't really captured my attention so much until yesterday when I learned that Chicago and other spots north were warmer than Phoenix for the day. Now just wait a minute! What's going on here?

As we drive around northeastern PA, we see blooming daffodils, grass turning green, geese flying north noisily, and forsythia and lilac nearly blooming in our own yard. The cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C. are way ahead of schedule as well. We all wonder whether it will suddenly turn cold and snow, or is this it for the winter that never really happened?

The downside, I hear, is that allergy season will be unusually long and miserable, but I do hope the cold doesn't return until late next fall. Spring is good for the soul. As flowers bloom and grass grows, we unwrap ourselves from heavy coats and gloves and open ourselves up to the outdoors. We turn off the heat and open the house to bring in fresh air, and we (most of us anyhow) clean the house top to bottom which I suppose is also good for the soul although bad for the knees.

A good thing for where I live is that the natural gas industry was able to work all through the mild winter and things are happening fast. Their trucks and equipment tore up our road, but they paid to have it repaved so now it's better than it has been in a long time. Well pads and pipelines are popping up faster than the daffodils. When I see all the people working in this industry, I think how many more would be unemployed if we didn't have the Marcellus Shale. Not only that, the gas companies pay well. It's hard work but worth it. We're looking forward to royalty checks of course to take care of us in the future, but I've seen a lot of good come from the natural gas industry presence in our county.

When we moved here 17 years ago, this was a quiet place with many summer cottages. Now it's the site of a booming industry and the quiet is gone for the duration. I miss the peacefulness but it's good to see the benefit to the people. Next will be contractors remodeling and building, landscapers making everyone's yard look great, and the elderly people around here having a more secure and happy life. Not everyone agrees with me of course; this is just my take on what happening.

I'm in a very optimistic mood. Please, Mother Nature, don't snow on my hope and happiness.