Note: I accidentally posted a version of this piece well before it was finished. I tried to delete the partial post, but I was apparently unsuccessful. My apologies! This post is the complete post.
Last week saw record-breaking high temperatures come to Maine. Our thermometer is in the shade, which means the temperature was closer to 60°F. Holy cats! I never thought I’d see such warm weather in Maine in February.
However, despite the unseasonable weather, we knew we’d need wood for the next month, and on that warm day, a load of wood bricks was delivered for our furnace down cellar.
Fortunately, Clif has his trusty cart that he’s modified to easily haul the wood bricks. Note that Clif is not wearing a jacket. Even when there is snow on the ground, when the weather is 60°, a sweatshirt is enough.
The next day, on Friday, the weather turned, bringing a dusting of snow to our home on the edge of the woods. Clif was glad the snow hadn’t come the previous day when he was hauling wood.
This Thursday, a proper snowstorm is in the forecast with a predicted snowfall of between 8 and 10 inches. Winter is not quite done with us despite last week’s warm weather.
Still, the days are getting longer. In late December, the dark came at 4:30. Now, it stays light until 5:30. Yesterday, as I was looking out the window into the woods, I was thinking about Earth on its tilted axis as it travels around the sun. Suddenly, it struck me how marvelous and magical it all was—short days in the winter, long days in the summer.
I know we all have to focus on practical day to day to things and those who are near and dear. There is always work to do, projects to start, loved ones to care about. But it seems to me that every once in a while we should take time to reflect on what a miracle the universe is and how wonderful our own dear planet is.
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Listening
I haven’t shared a Tiny Desk Concert in a while. But when I came across the Gutiérrez brothers and their chill but engaging music, I knew the time had come to share this concert on my blog. Perfect for a winter’s day, whatever the temperature.
Notes From the Hinterland 
Yes, the pause to wonder and admire are soul-feeding for me! Also, the partial post did disappear for me!
Yes, soul feeding. Glad the partial post disappeared, but sorry you got it to begin with. 😉
I sometimes look up at the stars when I am awake in the early hours of the morning and share your wonder at nature’s miracles … hearing the calls of nightjars (at night 🙂 ) is another wonder to me.
Stars never fail to enchant. I Googled the call of the nightjars and heard their chirping sound. Reminds me a bit of crickets.
And here the days are starting to noticably shorten. As every season has its highlights, I’m not that sad about it. There is a definite rhythm to the universe🙂
Yes, yes!
Every day is filled with the miracle of Nature. Sometimes I burst out laughing with joy at it all! It was 60 here yesterday, and will be back to winter starting tonight with rain and possible snow.
I am listening to your Tiny Desk Concert here now and enjoying it very much.
I knew you would like the music. The weather sure does change, doesn’t it?
Cart or no cart, that looks like hard work…hard on the back.
Not too bad for Clif, although I expect the day will come when he can’t do it anymore. Until then…
I love the magical combination of cool, crisp temps with snow on the ground and beautiful warming sun at the same time.
So do I! I really do love winter.
The brothers Gutierrez have a nice sound! Thanks for sharing.
Indeed, our world is amazing and magical in so many ways. It seems so many people, sadly, tune out the natural world. Right now I’m immersed in the wonder of spring emerging. Takes my breath away!
Spring is a wonderful time! Glad you like the music.
Cool vibe music! Easy listening. 🙂
The weather yo-yo continues, not so great looking at the end of the week, but my snowdrops are up! One must look on the brighter side and yes, give thanks daily. ❤
I just finished listening to the brothers. Glad you like their music. I do love snowdrops, but I can’t recall seeing them in central Maine. I wonder if it’s me or if they are not as common here.
I can completely relate to your thoughts, Laurie. Like you, we are experiencing unseasonably warm day interspersed with snow and wind.
The days are getting noticeably longer and I marvel at this process every year, and at the marvelous seasons we have been able to enjoy as humans. That they are less enjoyable now because of climate change is something that weighs heavily, though.
It is unsettling to have such wild swings. Still, I marvel at the beauties and wonders of Earth and the universe.
I marvel with you.
Hi, Laurie – Whenever we get unseasonably warm winter weather I always want to get out my spring clothes and put my winter attire away. It takes much restraint to resist this impulse. 🙂
I bet!
It’s a good thing that I did not take out my spring clothes yesterday like I wanted to. It is snowing today! 😦
Kind of like Maine. Just wait a minute and the weather will change.
Your temperature swings are very amazing . . .and quite unsettling. I enjoyed your tiny concert.
Yes, unsettling! Glad you liked the tiny concert.
Temperature swings are so much a part of life here, I hardly think of them — except that I occasionally heave a sigh at having to change clothes again! I confess I was quite taken with those wood bricks. I’ve never seen such a thing! Those are a witness to human ingenuity — a nice accompaniment to the marvels of nature.
At this time of year, it’s always a surprise to regain clear skies after a long period of cloudiness. Suddenly, it’s clear how much longer the days have become while the sun was hiding behind those clouds.
We have temperature swings in Maine, too, but in my experience it has never gone from -50 below (with wind chill) to 60 above in two weeks time. And I have lived in Maine for over 65 years. It has been nothing less than astonishing. Those wood bricks are very good as we age. Much easier than cord wood.
I’m trying to remember the greatest temperature swing I’ve experienced. I think it was from 78F to 24F — that was dramatic, since it happened in the space of hours, but it was nothing compared to yours!
Yes, that is dramatic, especially given the time frame.
Thanks for the Tiny Desk concert. It’s a good one. The Tiny Desk series has been going on for a very long time. It’s pretty great overall.
The tiny desk concerts are a bright jewel in the world of music. They have introduced me to so many musicians I never would have heard of on my own.
What is a wood block? Is it pressed sawdust? Does it go in a wood stove? Is it cheaper than propane?
Yes, pressed sawdust. We have a wood furnace in our basement, and in Maine it is a much cheaper source of heat than propane. Cozier, too.
Interesting.
I am so excited about the upcoming snow! I’m glad to see that you got more wood to keep your home cozy for the upcoming storms 🙂 I’m also appreciating these longer days and am enjoying the transition from deep winter towards more spring-like weather. We’re getting there!
We are getting there. Lovely to see spring just around the corner, but I do like deep winter, and I’m always a little sorry to see it end.
Wood bricks look very handy and manageable.
I, too, have accidentally published posts. Once you hit publish, it goes out to all your email subscribers. Unstoppable. Mine was in the wrong order in a group of scheduled posts and I hate that! So people had to get it twice.
Yes, those wood blocks are much more manageable than cord wood. Yup, that’s what happens when you hit publish. Don’t usually jump the gun, but it happens. Dang!
Those wood blocks look interesting – so glad you got them all stored before more snow arrived.
Like Anne, our days are getting shorter bit by bit, but the cicadas are still singing and I am still in short sleeves.
The end of summer is so sad and sweet. In Maine, the song of crickets heralds the end.
Yes Laurie, I completely agree with you, I marvel at the wonderful world we live in, especially when I can see the seasons changing in other parts of the world.
Lovely music at the tiny desk concert .. thanks for sharing.
So many marvels, no matter where you live. Because of you, I am smitten with Canberra, which is definitely on my fantasy tour of places to visit.
I’m pleased to think you know Canberra now.
Absolutely agree with you Laurie, about pausing to wonder – so much beauty and soul soothing natural magic.
Love the music! Thank you for sharing.
The workings of the universe do seem like magic. Glad you liked the music. Just finished listening to the brothers.
What a roller coaster ride your weather is at present! I’m glad Cliff got the blocks in whilst it wasn’t snowing. I could have done with a cart like his when I had a pallet load delivered last Autumn.
You are right about stopping and appreciating the beauty of our planet. It is so easy to rush around all the time!
Unbelievable! I have never such swings, and I am a lifelong Mainer. That cart is very handy. It makes Clif’s job much easier. Yes, too easy to rush around all the time.
‘Holy cats’ made me smile from ear to ear. I haven’t heard that in a long time, but I’m certainly familiar with it. 🙂 That’s a lot of bricks to move. It reminds me of when I lugged bags of wood pellets. I’ve since switched back to using the furnace which requires me to not move fuel but just pay for fuel. The payment is heavy enough. 🙂 I think we’ll both need our snow blowers this week.
Yes, a lot of bricks to move. The time will come when Clif can’t do it anymore, and then, like you, we’ll move on to heat that doesn’t require so much effort. The cost is terrible. Yikes! And, we will need our snowblowers this week.
That wood hauling looks a tough way of keeping Clif warm.
But a good way of keeping him fit. 😉
You are so right: “every once in a while we should take time to reflect on what a miracle the universe is and how wonderful our own dear planet is.” Even on a cold and gray day, it’s amazing.
You bet!
How lucky Clif had good weather for tackling that big project!! Love that it’s staying light out later, this was the first winter that the shorter days bothered me. Enjoyed the music!🙂
Yes, Clif got lucky with the delivery of the wood blocks. Glad you like the music. I’ve been listening to the brothers every day.
The weather’s gone crazy this year! Your are right that we should take time to reflect on the miracle of the universe; it’s so easy to take it for granted, but the changing of the seasons and the impact it has on everything around us is wonderful. Thank you for the link to the Tiny Desk Concert – very relaxing.
It certainly has. All around the planet. Glad you like the music. I will be listening to the brothers pretty soon.
A beautiful post Laurie and well done Clif for bringing all those wood blocks in! I absolutely love the Hermanos Gutierrez Tiny Desk concert and have ordered their latest CD – thank you so much for sharing 💜🎶
Oh, great! Glad you like the brothers so much.
Yes, Earth is a lovely home, isn’t it — unless of course, we keep trying to destroy all the beauty surrounding us. Glad you got a brief reprieve from the cold — enough to get the wood blocks situated. Personally, I’m loving this unseasonable warmth, ha!
We live on a beautiful planet. Well, when you live in a northern climate, it’s hard not to like the extra warmth.
It’s such a blessing to be able to drive home from work in the light now. We’ve had quite a mild winter so far here in Wales.
We do have a wonderfully dear planet, Laurie. It’s perfectly designed for us and provides us with everything we need – air, water, food, and entertainment! Our weather is nutty. We just got lots of rare snow and in another week, the trees will be blooming!
Well said, Laurie!
Many thanks!
I liked your words about our dear planet. So many marvels, including the titled axis you mention – and the idea that the poles sometimes reverse! Having been bus-sick as a child and not much better now, I’ve always found it weird we can be whirling through space so fast, yet a corner at hardly any mph can make me feel queasy.
It’s mind-blowing!
Laurie, you have a wonderful outlook on life. This world is a precious gift. The weather has been yo-yoing all over the country. We sat outside for lunch last week, and now we’re seeing snow in the lower elevations, almost unheard of in this semi-arid climate.
Many thanks. As for the weather…yikes! Weird is definitely the normal.
a lovely post-you and I seem to be kindred spirits. It has been unseasonably warm here for more than 3 weeks. Things are blooming and the air is sweet. Of course we are all enjoying it . . .but I have some concerns about what this means. I have never seen this. love, Michele
Yes, kindred spirits. That is the beauty of blogging—finding so many kindred spirits. On a more sobering note…the weather has been weird all around the world, including Maine. One week it was 50 below zero (with windchill). A week or so later the temperature soared to 63 above. I certainly never have seen this.