Woes of Wind and Wet

Wind-Stretched Clouds Over Elmira

Imploding Snow

Melt on the Pond

Cornice of Roof Snow

Water Like Pearls

Flashing blue lights taunt me. I'm resetting the HughesNet Satellite Internet with no such luck of service. Already I've trudged to the satellite dish twice, but see nothing amiss. Cables are all connected. Wireless system is a-okay. Computers rebooted. Third reset and the lights blink. I'm woefully disconnected.

It must be the wind and the tremendous melt it rushed across the northern Rockies. Water pours off the roof from beneath mounds of squishy snow. Elongated clouds stretched to almost breaking by western winds cast a kaleidoscope of light and shadow across puckered snow. It's melting so fast the snow is imploding where tracks create hollows.

Giving up on the electronics, I march across the southern pasture to Elmira Pond. Already I can see water pooling along the far edge. The ice is flexing, no longer solid.

My trouble is with the snow. It's still deep, but like walking in soft ice cream. My heavy boots clunk and my legs protest against the gait. Halfway back to the house a cramp seizes my hamstring from the back of my knee up to my left periformis muscle.

Stretching relieves the cramp until I try to step with my left leg again. After three spasms, I'm dragging my left leg walking sideways to the house. The wind blasts at my back and spray from melting snow splatters the lenses of my glasses. I think this is what it means to be on one's "last leg."

Side-stepping is easier across the driveway and I'm so relieved to make it up the wet steps beneath the mounding cornice of roof snow. Water drops like strings of crystal pearls and it sounds like summer rain.

Once inside I check the blue lights. Still flashing. So I watch the wind contort clouds and I gently stretch my leg.

Woes will pass.