Where is Winter?
Living in a state where winter is a dominant season, you learn to prepare for long stretches when the roads are not drivable and are dangerous. I have learned to shop in bulk at Costco and Winco, and make those trips happen on airport day. Fall this season has become long, drawn out. We are almost through January and have not had a winter storm, just a dusting of snowfall. Winter 2025-2026 has become the longest Indian summer I have experienced.
The prolonged warm weather has been fantastic for travel, the heating bill, and getting outdoors! Getting to the grocery store, appointments, and airport has been wonderful running around in t-shirts in January. So, what will the cost be this summer?
Summer here relies on snowfall, so the countryside is not dry. A dry countryside here equals a fiery summer season. I have had one summer season here where you could not see any of the mountains around you. The air was thick, heavy, and lacked any oxygen. Some days, you could taste the ash in the air. It was not a fun summer, trips were canceled, and it was hard to breathe. The animals struggled physically while people suffered the physical and mental effects of the destructive fires, and an environment that was suffocating.
The short and sweet is that, while the easy route may seem better at the time, there are consequences down the road. Yep, we do not have control over the weather, but we do have control over ourselves. Skip the easy route, put in the hard work, and work diligently for what you want. The reward will be worth it. No one can take that from you. There is a lesson to be learned in everything, even the winter that is playing hide and seek with us.
