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March Is Full of Surprises
By Susan Nye
March is full of surprises. One of them is daylight savings time. If you were
paying attention, you sprung forward on Saturday night and lost an hour. If
you are patient and wait a bit you will get it back in the fall.
Daylight savings time is not without its controversy. The farmers, their cows
and early risers don’t like it. In the whole scheme of things, one little hour
doesn’t seem like much. Hardly important really, especially when you
compare it to all the time and money, billions actually, lost by banks and
automobile manufacturers in the past six months or so.
If you forgot to change your clocks, as I’ve been known to do, you’re
probably running late and wonder when you will ever catch up. Over the
years, I’ve missed trains and been late for a few appointments. Nothing too
dramatic, although I once had an interesting conversation with a very nice
lady who sold movie tickets. It took several minutes of back and forth, she in
perfect German and I in broken French, before I figured out why she was
refusing to sell me a ticket. If you are feeling a bit at odds, not to worry, you
will eventually get back on track. If not, well then the time change probably
has very little to do with your befuddlement.
Yes, March is full of surprises.
There is that whole in-like-a-lion-and-out-like-a-lamb thing.
I was born in March. I arrived two weeks early, in-like-a-lion. My brother is
also a March baby, also early. My sister, Brenda, who was born in October, is
looking forward to the out-like-a-lamb part of the month. Brenda has had
enough of the cold and snow. Mostly she’s had more than enough of
shoveling and big boots and heavy coats. She doesn’t ski any more so all the
cold and snow doesn’t have much of a bright side. Only wet dogs and cold
feet.
I spoke with Brenda just the other night. She called me to wish me a happy
birthday and complain about the latest blizzard. I like it when it snows on my
birthday; I consider it a gift from Mother Nature.
This year Mother Nature’s aim was off. The big snow missed the mountains
and buried the coast as well as Boston, New York and even Georgia. It wasn’t
Brenda’s birthday and yet she was inundated with more than a foot of snow,
a lot more. It hardly seems fair and may be just another ploy to keep the last
vestiges of our sibling rivalry alive.
Thank goodness, it wasn’t rain. Like it or not we have reached that point
when winter is on the way out, not in. I suppose only the skiers fall into the
“like it not” category. Every time one of those weather people comes on the
air, we hold our breath. Snow or rain? And if it is rain, will Mother Nature
take pity on us and keep it well to the south.
New England skiers are an optimistic bunch.
We have no choice. Who else can skis on ice and shrug it off as hard packed
powder. Or should I say hahd packed powdah. We rejoice and celebrate every
snowfall, large and small. We endure hours in the biting cold and still smile.
Although, it is possible that it’s not truly a smile just some strange, frozen
facial contortion brought on by the wind.
Now that March has arrived we wait, somewhat impatiently, for a few days
of spring skiing.
May Saint Jude and Mother Nature take pity on and bless New England’s
skiers. No matter how much the wind batters or the cold air blasts, we are
tough and tenacious. We shrug off the cold, bundle up in wool, miracle fibers
and down and still manage to move with enthusiasm if not grace. And may
God bless whoever it was who invented hot chocolate. I think it was the
Swiss.
Enjoy the rest of the ski season, may it bring only good surprises!
Click here for Susan's recipe for warm chocolate pudding
About the author: Susan Nye lives in New London and is a freelance writer and
cook. For more recipes and to learn about her cooking classes, catering services and
Around the Table chef’s aprons visit her web site, Susan Nye.
© Susan W. Nye, 2009
By Susan Nye
March is full of surprises. One of them is daylight savings time. If you were
paying attention, you sprung forward on Saturday night and lost an hour. If
you are patient and wait a bit you will get it back in the fall.
Daylight savings time is not without its controversy. The farmers, their cows
and early risers don’t like it. In the whole scheme of things, one little hour
doesn’t seem like much. Hardly important really, especially when you
compare it to all the time and money, billions actually, lost by banks and
automobile manufacturers in the past six months or so.
If you forgot to change your clocks, as I’ve been known to do, you’re
probably running late and wonder when you will ever catch up. Over the
years, I’ve missed trains and been late for a few appointments. Nothing too
dramatic, although I once had an interesting conversation with a very nice
lady who sold movie tickets. It took several minutes of back and forth, she in
perfect German and I in broken French, before I figured out why she was
refusing to sell me a ticket. If you are feeling a bit at odds, not to worry, you
will eventually get back on track. If not, well then the time change probably
has very little to do with your befuddlement.
Yes, March is full of surprises.
There is that whole in-like-a-lion-and-out-like-a-lamb thing.
I was born in March. I arrived two weeks early, in-like-a-lion. My brother is
also a March baby, also early. My sister, Brenda, who was born in October, is
looking forward to the out-like-a-lamb part of the month. Brenda has had
enough of the cold and snow. Mostly she’s had more than enough of
shoveling and big boots and heavy coats. She doesn’t ski any more so all the
cold and snow doesn’t have much of a bright side. Only wet dogs and cold
feet.
I spoke with Brenda just the other night. She called me to wish me a happy
birthday and complain about the latest blizzard. I like it when it snows on my
birthday; I consider it a gift from Mother Nature.
This year Mother Nature’s aim was off. The big snow missed the mountains
and buried the coast as well as Boston, New York and even Georgia. It wasn’t
Brenda’s birthday and yet she was inundated with more than a foot of snow,
a lot more. It hardly seems fair and may be just another ploy to keep the last
vestiges of our sibling rivalry alive.
Thank goodness, it wasn’t rain. Like it or not we have reached that point
when winter is on the way out, not in. I suppose only the skiers fall into the
“like it not” category. Every time one of those weather people comes on the
air, we hold our breath. Snow or rain? And if it is rain, will Mother Nature
take pity on us and keep it well to the south.
New England skiers are an optimistic bunch.
We have no choice. Who else can skis on ice and shrug it off as hard packed
powder. Or should I say hahd packed powdah. We rejoice and celebrate every
snowfall, large and small. We endure hours in the biting cold and still smile.
Although, it is possible that it’s not truly a smile just some strange, frozen
facial contortion brought on by the wind.
Now that March has arrived we wait, somewhat impatiently, for a few days
of spring skiing.
May Saint Jude and Mother Nature take pity on and bless New England’s
skiers. No matter how much the wind batters or the cold air blasts, we are
tough and tenacious. We shrug off the cold, bundle up in wool, miracle fibers
and down and still manage to move with enthusiasm if not grace. And may
God bless whoever it was who invented hot chocolate. I think it was the
Swiss.
Enjoy the rest of the ski season, may it bring only good surprises!
Click here for Susan's recipe for warm chocolate pudding
About the author: Susan Nye lives in New London and is a freelance writer and
cook. For more recipes and to learn about her cooking classes, catering services and
Around the Table chef’s aprons visit her web site, Susan Nye.
© Susan W. Nye, 2009
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