January Blue

There's a part in Barbara Kingsolver's book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle where she talks about people seeming to bring about a change in the weather simply by willing it. As if via our collective unconsciousness we are able to swing weeks upon weeks of dry, warm weather. Even when it's not the best thing for the world.

I've been thinking about that idea for the past month or so, as the calendar has rolled into winter---but the weather has decidedly not. Take today. Right now, it's 45 degrees outside. Sunny. And the slight breeze has a hopeful feel to it, like spring is coming soon.

Spring.

On January 4th.

And it's not like it's just a little break in the winter weather. Winter has never arrived. Even the mountains are barely white. Actually, they're mostly brown. If I look up the ten day forecast, it looks like this:

And seriously: don't let Saturday the 7th fool you. The chance for snow on that day? Thirty percent. Why even bother with the stormy icon when there's a 70% chance of no water falling from the sky?

But what's making me cranky are all the people wandering around enjoying the weather. If one more person says something like "isn't this weather gorgeous?" I might just lose my mind. Because, yeah, OK, it is gorgeous. If this were March I'd be singing a happy song. But it's January! Weather like this in January isn't gorgeous. It's unnatural. It's wrong and messed up and deeply disturbing.

In Utah, we always have a handful of days like this scattered throughout our winters. But six weeks of spring-like weather is not a good thing. The trees will start budding if it doesn't change soon. And then, one of two things will happen. It will continue on, and spring will be hot, and summer will be hotter, and people will want to do things like, you know, water their grass and their trees and their vegetable gardens. Problematic without any snow in the winter. Or, it won't continue on. It will just start late. And spring snows---the ones that persist into May---are just as unnatural as a snow-less January. The trees will get damaged, the fruit blossoms will be destroyed.

But the optimists---and even the normally-grouchies---just keep wandering around, praising the weather. Can't anyone see that this is wrong? is not how it's supposed to be? and it is proof for all the global-warming-is-a-myth doubters? Evidence that our world is seriously screwed up and that we're all going to hell in a hand basket. And sure, I suppose, in theory, the weather-lovers have a point: it's not like my lack-of-snow-induced anxiety is going to make it snow. I just don't know how they manage to enjoy it. 

I'm starting to think that Barbara Kingsolver was right. I'm thinking that the power of all that bright-sunny-weather-induced happiness and goodwill is working to keep the snow away. To which I say: enough of the cheeriness! Enough with the gorgeous-weather appreciation! Maybe if we all start grumbling and complaining, the world will return to its rightful January state: snowy, windy, and bleak.

Just exactly how it's supposed to be.

Comments

[Shaunte]

You can blame me for it allllll!
I despise Winter, and finally I am getting a say in weather I want, without relocating to Mexico.
(It is a little weird.)

[wendy]

I'm with you about it being wrong. I'm trying to not worry about a summer drought. I was grateful for clear skies when my roof wasn't finished, but now that it is, I'd love some storms. Even if I AM enjoying this beautiful weather, it's unnatural and unnerving.

[Vickie]

I'll grumble and complain with you. I want some nasty, cold weather.

[Bridget]

It was 88 degrees as I sat at my daughter's soccer game yesterday afternoon. Even for California that is just so wrong. Yet, people around me kept talking about how great it was. NOT!