Our Curious Winter

Just a note on the winter season up here in Minnesota. While we are not necessarily breaking records for warm temperatures and low snowfall totals I have to say this is one of the most unusual winters I can remember. We've had just under 15 in. of snow - that's 15 one inch snowfalls.

The city's snowplows have been idle. Tens of thousands of dollars are being saved all over the upper midwest by cash strapped municipalities. Heating bills are down. Weather related traffic jams non-existed. I personally have not re-filled the blue juice in my car yet. I haven't had to re-fill the bird feeders even once. Almost no one is weather depressed or even complaining - this is a birthright up in these parts. There are probably countless ways to quantify this most unusual blessing. Honestly it's really hard to find a downside.

Sure the guys that supplement their income with the overtime by plowing the roads or the pickup owners who plow alleys and parking lots are bummed, but the rest of us are just not crying for them. They maybe should've saved a little from last year when we had 90+ in. of snow and a winter that would not quit. In fact last winter lasted until early June when we woke up one morning and it was summer.

It's really interesting too that we are not seeing "Global Warming" stories in the local media. Has it finally set in that so-called man-caused climate change is the hoax some of us believe, or is it just that it doesn't make a good story anymore. Possibly a - we're bored with that - attitude in the news room. Most of us joke, "if this is global warming I'm all for it!" Only most of us aren't really joking.

Just so you people out there who are in favor of this winter know, y'all have me to thank for it. Yeah, that's right - you can thank me. You see I went out in early December and bought a brand new big 'ol snow blower. It's February 4th I have yet to fire it up. I'm OK with that. But next year you guys need to step up...



CW