Half Quarter

I keep getting these little signs and signals and hints of Spring. My friends are saying "I'm ready for Spring". But isn't it too soon to start counting the days and wishing our short lives away as we wait for something in the future which will be better than "the now" that we have? I am wishing for Spring, but by God, I'm enjoying the "now". I've got patches of green in the grass. And coming up though my cheap asphalt. Our cold house crisis we have every year has eased off. Temps are seasonal finally. I guess we could say that the worst of the winter is over. I suspect we'll get a big storm or two before it's all over. During the below average temperatures I worked on tightening up our leaky old farmhouse. I put bales of straw against the north wall. I blocked off two rooms for the winter. We had the electrician come last week and install two new 220 volt heaters. I'm building a door for the pantry. Wife sleeps with a GreatDane that weighs more than her. The dog is a bed hog and likes to cozy up, so at least wife is warm at night. But if I go in to kiss wife goodnight, the Dane puts her big head between us and gives me a little growl. It's OK, I can catch a kiss and hug passing in the hall later. My airstrip got kind of soggy and is slowly getting firmer. It needs no rain and warmer temps to really dry out. I have some nice plans for our garden this season and I plan to start early. I plan to celebrate Groundhog day. This is a serious holiday for a calender worshiper like me. It's what's called a "half quarter". It falls between the Winter Solstice and the March 21st equinox. This is a holiday as old as the rest of the seasonal feasts. A few years back I actually went to Punxutawney in PA for the celebration. It was damned cold. After being out in the snow and cold out at Gobbler's Nob or whatever they call it for a few hours, I really didn't give a s___ what the Groundhog did. While the tourists are freezing their asses off on the hill waiting for "Phil" the Hog, the locals are celebrating in the town, which is a few miles away. In town there are old hotels, and a bookshop, and cafes, and booths outdoors with ice sculpture, and music and ice skating. It's pretty small, and some of the locals kind of protest your being there, and some want to get your money one way or another, and some love to see you and are proud of their town's fame. I have a plan for my Groundhog Day. I will get up just before dawn. I will have a nice big pot of coffee. I will add some whiskey. I will bundle up and smile. I will take my dog Jake (he looks and acts a bit like a large groundhog) and I will go out and watch the sunrise. A large fire will already be laid in my fire pit. So if it's not raining I'll have a nice fire. We'll see whether Jake sees his shadow. After a few hours of winter fun, I shall go back to bed. Wake up for the lovely sunset and write here and tell you about it. Of course you are invited. Drive way out here on a Tuesday to be up half the night in the cold. But that's exactly what I did when I went to Punxutawney. It's kind of like Times Square. Everybody should do it once.
LLITTY :::::+:::::