Monday, March 10, 2008

Winter, still

It would sit on the ice in the middle of the river for months. People would buy tickets to guess when the ice below it would eventually give way and as the weather began to warm, each time we crossed the bridge -- which we did several times a day -- I would look to see if it was still there. 
I don't remember that my parents ever bought a ticket. I would guess they didn't. But watching the old junked car there was part of my childhood, pondering when the weather would warm enough and the river would run fast enough to break the ice free. 
I don't know how it got there, or how it was retrieved from the water after it went down, but it's one of those images imprinted on my mind. 
Today, I'm not above pondering just when the weather will warm enough to make it feel like spring is pending. Folks at church yesterday said, "By Wednesday, maybe Thursday," and I desperately want to believe them. I'd be thrilled with simply some sunshine, but I certainly won't turn down warmer weather. 
It's been a long winter, and I'm tired. 

7 comments:

LoieJ said...

I drove past a car on a tiny pond on the major hwy going south Sunday. Maybe you know of that one as well.

I had the same ponderings. I also wondered about the gas and oil and other stuff that could leak into the water.

BTW, we've had lots and lots of sunshine, but only dustings of snow since December. Thank goodness we had a lot of snow in December because otherwise the sewer and water systems would have frozen like last winter.

Amy said...

Did you (by any chance) grow up in a northern suburb of the Twin Cities in MN? 'Cause I would drive by a similar scene coming home from piano lessons.

I'm definitely ready for winter to be over - and I love winter. Bleh.

Pink Shoes said...

Amy -- nope.... Funny, and good to know we weren't the only ones!

Sue said...

Yup. Winter has definitely lost its charm.

Backwoods Rev said...

it's still there... and snowing today!

Dr.John said...

In the town where I was Pastor the Masons built a big snowman every yea and put a fence around it. You could then buy tickets indicating when you thought it would melt. Your car story reminded me of that. I never bought a ticket.
I too am tired of winter.

bettygram said...

Waiting for spring,may it come soon.