Bear Paw Meanderings

It has been an abnormally warm two weeks in Big Sky Country.

A couple of weeks ago the thermometer hit 73 one afternoon in Choteau and has been in the high 50’s and low 60’s every day for almost a fortnight in and around Havre.

So far my flowers, lilacs and trees seem to be not paying attention to the warm weather. Not much happening in my gardens thank goodness.

And, of course, there is little or no moisture of late and probably not going to be until we get into a moisture mode, then watch out, for it will probably flood!

So, what shall we do about this El Nino effect that is making us all nervous for drought is something ever present in our wonderful country?

When I was but a child, many, many years ago people used to get in small planes with, I think, dry ice when there were clouds in the sky, fly above the clouds and pepper the tops of them with dry ice which did or did not cause those clouds to lose their moisture and bring rain to parched Montana land. To my recollection, that never worked all that well.

The biggest thing for us to do right now is to not worry and instead of fretting about the weather, get out and enjoy it. We have had some very beautiful days.

And when I think of years that January and early February were just simply horrible, well we deserve this one in spades.

I remember one year that the mercury did not go about zero for five weeks in January and February and when it finally did reach ten above, we thought we were in a heat wave. Another February there was so much snow that people went in and out of their houses in what were almost snow tunnels for what seemed like months.

So, this almost shirt sleeve weather is just simply wonderful.

And, mark my words, it will rain and when it does rain, it will probably rain too much and bridges will wash out and we will have a mess on our hands.

So, gather ye roses when ye can so to speak. Let’s just hope those roses do not get going too early!