Mild Weather

Friday, February 28, 2025

Tomorrow will pop us into March. The weather here in Central Oregon feels summery, a relief and a pleasure, but that won’t last, as March may come roaring in like a lion. The current warm spell will make the return of cold weather feel even harsher. These are “transitional months” when the weather tends to assume back-and-forth patterns.

Later, long after every wintertime, although “it ain’t necessarily so,” I usually recall these months as the most freezing period.

Yes, instead of recalling good weather days like yesterday, when at midday I worked outside in shirt sleeves, I remember the coldest days, with episodes of frozen watering troughs, snow-blown paths to and from the barn, and hoping my four-wheel-drive vehicle won’t slide in braking for stops.

Usually, spring officially starts in March, but not necessarily in Central Oregon. While many areas receive warmth in April or May, the waiting for steady warmth here can continue until sometime in June. A psychological notion is that if you feel surprised by an unseasonal warm or cold day, it’s a sign you’ve adjusted to the current season. Maybe I’m thinking about that now.

There’s more: I am having an unexpected mood change. Lately, I’m feeling slightly more sluggish and am wondering why. I’m also mindful that there are “seasonal mood changes” (Seasonal Affective Disorder [SAD]). Maybe winter is making me feel sluggish; if so, it’s a coin with another side that might re-energize me. But spring’s a long wait from now.

Dear Friends: Ahead a beautiful morning, before I must leave for work. Diana