Nature in Its Natural State: 'So, How Bout This Weather!'

"So, How Bout This Weather!"

Now there's an expression you get tired of hearing, or at least you're supposed to get tired of hearing.  Since you are old enough to know 2 of the 20 words we use for snow in these parts, you realize that talking about weather is considered boring. Weather is what old guys talk about at the mall food court.  It's a joke told again and again by comedians and sitcoms, and is as old as its content.  "Sports" and "Weather", the only two conversation topics that exist.  Or the only two we care to talk about at least.

Why sports?  Who knows, I have my theories on that topic, but that's for a whole other set of posts.  I do know that sports as a conversation topic is a bit different than weather.  The former is something that has very little impact on our psyche other than what we allow.  Maybe there's a bit of impact based on economics if your team performs well or performs cruddy. But you always have the ability to minimalize how deep your teams affect you.  Weather, however, impacts our lives with every decision we make, because it bears down with no prejudice, and is uncontrollable.  When do ya cut the grass, when do ya go on vacation, what route do ya walk in the woods?  You have to think about weather more than almost anything else.  Heck, as a bike rider and hiker, I've spent nearly every day this year trying to figure out stuff like what windbreaker to pick, or which gloves are better for a day that starts 25 degrees F and ends 33.

For that reason, I don't feel bad when I mention the weather to someone.  Even when they scoff at you for it, they still end up talking about the weather too.  Why is that?  It is simple, we are made up of nature, so changes in natural elements around us are going to affect us.  When the weather is notably cold, or hot, or rainy, or perfect, people are going to wanna relate to others about it.  I was hiking the Appalachian Trail in January and this particular type of mist would roll through, and it was different than other previous precipitations.  It felt like it went right through me instead of around me.  When I mentioned to my crew that the fog feels different, my buddy Turbo suggested that maybe it wasn't the fog that was different at all. Maybe it was us.  We had been submerged in nature for a few days at that point and it was true.  We were feeling nature even more deeply than before.  I actually brought that sensitivity to the changing elements back with me. 

Mentioning the conditions of the day should be considered a way to bring information to each other about how to cope with the days challenges, and never be thought of as being a conversational cop-out.  It's the first chance to connect with new folks in your community.

"So, How Bout This Nature!"  That phrase makes a fine icebreaker, I think.

And speaking of ice and this crazy weather, the real topic of this post is not some sociological thesis on interpersonal communication.  It's actually about the crazy weather we have had this year.  My favorite season to photograph is the winter.  There are less people, which makes for more wildlife, and that is nice.  I feel like the shots I get are more unique because I can see where there have been no footprints in the snow.  But my love of winter time is mostly based on water, and the crazy antics it does when cold is applied. 

I'm talking about ice, baby.  And in previous years, I shot to my hearts content.  In 2009, I dubbed January "ice month" because that winter had the best ice formations, and January had the best of all of them. 

Check out this gallery to see Winter 2008-2009's Ice Formations.

This year is very different.  I don't think Lake Erie froze at all.  I wore shorts while hiking on February 1st.  Every time it snowed, it was over 32 degrees F, which meant that the snow and ice would be melted before the snow would even be done falling for the day.  I actually was hiking one Tuesday evening, and it was 57 degrees F at 8 o'clock at night. And it was snowing.  So, how bout that crazy weather!

Despite it being fairly warm this winter, I did manage to capture a few ice shots.  And I mean like ten.  Check these out.

I guess it is time to let go of the quest for ice and start looking forward to what's next.  And that's a long, beautiful summer!

Peace out C Falls!  I will hit you all up when I think of something else to chat about.