The Glaciers Retreat

Every March it happens. After being under snow cover for many weeks, even months, northeast Ohio finally warms up enough so that the snow goes away. And it really does feel like a glacier retreat -- what gets left behind is not all that pretty. The grass, being dormant and untouched by the sun for so long, is yellowish brown. Much of the yard is covered in mud and sticks and decaying leaves. Old bottles and cans are scattered on the tree lawn -- things that fell out of the garbage cans on a snowy morning and were immediately covered over, not to be seen again until.... now. The gardens look like they could never, ever be rehabilitated.

And then, you see this:


The daffodils and crocuses are coming up. The ability for nature to come back after a long winter always amazes me. I love the changing of the seasons.

My friends in the south scoff at the northern climate. They send me stories of short sleeves in January, of baseball in February, and they laugh at the concept of snowblowers, ice dams, and road salt. And yes, sometimes snow can be a hassle. But I wouldn't trade the changing seasons for an unending summer.

Cleveland summers are warm but not hot, sunny but not scorching. It's not the humid swamp of the southeast, or the dry baking heat of the southwest. We have thunderstorms which are dramatic but not dangerous. The windows are open, the breezes fresh, and the grass green (mostly...).

Come fall, the trees explode in color, the weather turns crisp, and the leaves crunch underfoot (and of course, football starts!).

And then the snow starts. I like the snow -- it's still magic as far as I'm concerned. Sitting inside by the fire watching snowflakes fall, and then waking up in the morning to a quiet, muffled world suddenly covered in white... It's a wonderful thing.

Finally spring comes and color returns. The sun comes out, flowers bloom, trees bud and grow leaves, and friends and neighbors step out of their houses.

Sure, each season also has its pains. Clearing snow, raking leaves, cleaning gutters -- all of that takes time. But it's a fair trade in my mind. And the great thing about the seasons is that when you are finally tired of one, it's time to change to the next.

Now, we're not really done with the snow, I understand that. Old Man Winter always has a few tricks up his sleeve, and I'm sure we're in for at least one more blast before spring rolls in for good. But spring is coming, and it's a beautiful sight to see.

Abra Plays Fur Elise

This is a bit late coming, but Abra played Fur Elise at the Fairfax Cabaret in January. Here she is, enjoy:

1980 Redskins Photos

When I was 15, I spent a lot of time on photography. We also had pretty regular tickets to Redskins games. So here is the convergence of those two activities: a set of shots I took of various Redskins games in the 1980 season (a rather awful 6-10 season that got Jack Pardee fired and ushered in the era of Joe Gibbs.) They are rather pedestrian shots, and clearly I didn't leave them in the fixer long enough when printing them, since they have gone unintentionally sepia in places. I think most of the soft focus is due to how much I had to enlarge the images when printing....

Anyway, here are a few from the Nov 16th game against Eagles, which the Redskins lost 24-0. First, Coy Bacon (79) attempting to chase down Ron Jaworski:

While Jaworski was no spring chicken by this time, neither was Coy Bacon, so I'm guessing this resulted in something like a 5 yard gain.

And then one of Carl Hairston leading the Eagle in a massive gang tackle of the ever-forgettable Wilbur Jackson (40):

Jackson led the Redskins with only 57 yards rushing that day, and I think you can see why. Jeff Williams (73) looks on, probably pondering the block that he missed. I can't quite tell who that Eagle is that is airborne-- maybe it was Herm Edwards...

And finally, a shot of Mike Connell punting against the St. Louis Cardinals in the Oct 19th game, won by the Redskins 23-0 (the Cardinals obviously stunk worse than the Redskins):



I like that last one, I've caught Connell at maximum extension, with the ball caught in midair, having just come off his foot and about to cross the scoreboard clock. That's Clarence Harmon (38) back blocking for Connell, and Ken Stone (23) trying to block the punt.

Thanks, of course, go to Dear Old Dad, for taking me to the games and supporting my photography habit with cameras, lenses, and a darkroom...