Between the Waters

Spring! (he exclaimed)

Posted by: EarlB, 10:27 PM GMT on February 15, 2011

The news is out: 2010 tied the record (with 2005) as the warmest year
on record! The news is also out that December 2010 was the coldest
month ever for Great Britain!

Global Warming, El Niño (Southern Ocean), La Niña, Persistent Oak Leaf
Syndrome (POLS), Wooly Bear Wasting (WBW), Groundhog's Day; as the final
shaded and hidden patches of the December 25 snow storm are just about
to disappear, we are just looking for a clue!

I know that it was heartbreaking for some to learn that Punxatawney
Phil doesn't actually forecast the weather in upstate Pennsylvania (or
wherever Punxatawney is), "his" forecast is the result of a human,
committee! It sort of makes the "flash of light" that Octoraro Orphie
saw on this year's otherwise rainy Feb. 2 in Quarryville more believable,
doesn't it?

Metompkin Max still holds to his "winter is over" forecast, and we have
all been enjoying at least normal temperatures, many days have had
temperatures above the mean, (he said looking over his shoulder, remembering
last year's February!).

Yesterday, I saw my first robin for the year, and while that sounds like
fairly weak testimony to Spring's early arrival, I have to tell you
that my seeing a robin should be punctuated with an Exclamation Mark
because my first robin was traveling with his "pack" of 50 or more buddies.
They were guiding me down my farm lane yesterday, leading me toward Spring,
no doubt.

When you say "Spring is just around the corner", make sure that there's an
! in the same neighborhood as the 50 robins!!

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Metompkin Max's Forecast, 2011 It's Over!

Posted by: EarlB, 12:28 PM GMT on February 02, 2011

Dateline: 7:06 EGT (Eastern Groundhog Time) February 2, 2011
Metompkin, VA

Once again, as Spring follows Winter, as day follows night, as...
oh, you get the picture, in the orderly progression of the ages,
one generation to another, father to son, parent to... OKAY,
knock it off already! Just gimme the facts!

Metompkin Max (Jr.), resident of the Amos Stoltzfus farm out on
"The Neck" is happy to announce that he didn't see his shadow and
that Winter is Over! He added, "Are you sure that I have to stay
up now? This weather is terrible!"

With the retirement of Max Sr. last year, Max Jr. takes over the
reins of prognostication (as Max Sr. said as he drove out of sight,
snowbirding his way to points south last fall, "I only hope the boy
can keep the sleigh on the road!).

Max Jr., grandnephew to the grand master of all prognosticators,
Octoraro Orphie of Lancaster County, Pa. makes his prediction yearly,
rain or shine, sun or sleet, snow or... no, wait, that's the postman!
Well, Max Jr.has been pretty punctual too, bringing the Eastern Shore
of Virginia it's Candlemas forecast for 1 groundhog year (okay, it's
not a long track record, but you've got to start somewhere!). Fingers
are crossed for his forecast.

Happy Candlemas Day, y'all!