Thursday, May 5, 2011

Squalls and Hail...in May? Week 34

I have awaken, yet have not opened my eyes to acknowledge the day. I twist and stretch cracking bones in back, shoulders and neck (I can't imagine what this will sound like in 20 years, scary!) Lazily I view the morning. Different shades of green are highlighted as rays of sun penetrate through the thick foliage. From my angle I can see a small patch of clear blue sky. Anticipation of a morning sitting out on the back deck, coffee and book in hand propells me out of bed. The cats will soon appear, instinctively knowing it's a day to be out. They'll sit close enough so I can reach down and give them a scratch. We all take in the warmth. This is absolutely my favourite way to start the day.

It was but a dream, from which I woke to the sound of rain.... ceaselessly beating upon the metal rain gutters.




Had you told me it was February, I would not have batted an eye. This past week has delivered winds of 40km, squalls of rain and hail act as a curtain being pulled across our bay. A succession of days dawn bleak, a monochromatic pallet of grey, till evening fall. This picture was taken Thursday morning 10 am.





The temperature has been hovering at a balmy 8c, maybe it was just in my head but it felt colder than 46 F. We should be out hiking through the awakening spring forest or kayaking to a distance beach to discover what winter storms had washed up and left behind... not in the basement chopping kindling for a fire. It was Sunday and for some reason this seems to be the day we have visitors so a fire would be nice should anyone show up and it would take the chill off the fine May day.





I've gotten into the habit of keeping track of the weather. In a small 2 year planner I'll fill in the spaces with a sun, clouds or rain. Since being here I've even started to distinguish between showers, drizzle or downpour. Looking back to this time last year it was as the month of May should be, a solid line of sunny skies. Notations mark the arrival of the first hummingbirds and spring flowers. It was certainly warmer but than again we were 260 km south of here.








We did have a day in the last 7 where the sun made an appearance, sort of.
A fine layer of cloud diffused the light therefore not much heat but the sky wasn't grey and the air wasn't wet. It was recorded as a sunny day!

Finally an opportunity to work on taking up the old carpet on the floats, making it ready for the new one which the summer crew will lay. Armed with tools and 4 layers of clothes I spent a wonderful afternoon outside. Yes I'm still ensconced in multiple layers and really can no longer fathom what is must be feel like to walk around wearing only one shirt. There was a time, in fact a number of years where a gauzy sundress and sandles were my everyday wardrobe. I miss going barefoot.

These 2 didn't waste any time leaving the basement and now wait for me.





I haven't given up hope and any day now when I wake up the sun will indeed be shining and it won't be a dream, lets just pray it happens before the end of the month when the plane arrives to fly us out.





Till next week from the Outpost,
Heather & Mike


 

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