We are having a very early spring and it is causing problems. My bees are confused and think this is summer, the weeds in my yard are appreciative of the summer weather and have not waited to get a head start on the grass and the buds on the pear tree are going to be zapped if it ever does turn winter. Our blue bird family visited their box a few times on warm days and now, I think, have abandoned the whole project. They are probably in Minnesota now where the temperature is more like spring than the early summer we are having. And before you people who really believe the conspiracy theory of global warming, this is just normal weather and heat. Just because we have had a couple or three days above 80F and several days above 70F doesn’t mean anything. YES, I know that those are summer temps for people north of here but we are expecting another summer of 110F temps most days so those are baby temps for us. As you know, I am older than dirt and I can’t remember any February with 80+ degree heat but that doesn’t mean anything as my memory may not be working correctly. So far I haven’t found anyone else who can remember a February this hot but that still doesn’t mean anything. If you want to start a conversation about blizzards and snow storms and very cold weather, just mention how hot it has been. One of the pleasures of my volunteer job at the Salvation Army is getting to talk to a wide variety of people. There are a great many people who read a great deal so they have a mind that is (usually) open and inquisitive. By asking what they are looking for and “have you tried this author” usually opens up a wide ranging conversation. By mentioning the hot winter brings up horror stories of “when I was a kid.” Now you young people reading this, remember the winter a cupla years ago and you can tell your grandchildren, “Why, when I was your age we had actual snow in Oklahoma. Our Senator took a snowball into the Senate Chambers and threw it at another person.” They won’t believe you but it will be fun anyway.
The Canary Islands have been bragged about as having the best climate in the world. They have average January temperature of 65F (18C) and August temperature average of 80.5F (27C). Now I know some people would say that was boring to have so little variation in temperature from month to month. Personally, most people I talk with would think they had reached paradise. We here in Okieland have extreme swings in temperature from over 112F (45C) to -5F (-20.5C) so many times it is not fun to live in Oklahoma and try to have an outdoor life. Even I think 114F is too hot to play tennis. Just now it is cold with a winter rain depressing everything but in just two short days it will be over 75F. To repeat, I think my bees will be so confused they may run away from home.
But recently, we gained much attention by outdoing California. All us Okies used to say that we would rather have tornadoes than earthquakes. One usually has warnings of tornadoes and our weather people are getting better. Plus, we have the national tornado weather people right here in Oklahoma so they want to get it right and not get blown away. OK, OK, you are correct, there are some tornadoes one would have to be underground to be really safe. Many people here in Oklahoma have cellars just for that purpose. However, with all our bragging about tornadoes and earthquakes, Oklahoma is now the national leader in earthquakes. We have had more earthquakes than most of the rest of the country combined. Just makes one proud to know we are leading the nation.
We used to have the nation’s best early childhood educational program but when the current State Legislature finishes this term that will no longer be true and we will no longer have the pressure of being the best for small children. Man, I am glad we got out from under that and will soon regain our place of mediocrity. One of our local state legislators said it was a waste of time and resources to try to teach four year old children. With leadership like that, you know we are headed in the right direction. We silly teachers always thought the sooner a child started learning, the better student he/she would be. It is so gratifying to know a state senator knows more about small children than 99.99% of the people who deal with them daily. Gosh, he is in the district one over from mine or I could remember his name come election day.
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