To the whims of the weather

By CONNIE MERTZ

As we enter the last month of the year, many of us must admit this has been quite an unusual year weather-wise. The hot summer just zapped the moisture, and we entered the fall with a drought. Then came the rains—lots of them, and we are all pleased drought conditions have greatly subsided, if not disappeared in most areas.

October brought us another surprise: snow! It has been many years since snow clung to leaves of gold, yellow, red and brown in my backyard. What a picturesque scene. On the flip side, came downed power lines, however, and that took the pleasure and beauty out of the snow. The woodlands recovered and there were nice autumn days to be explored.

A Thanksgiving snow greeted us on this holiday. Though it was only a few inches, it still qualified for a white Thanksgiving, another rarity for northeastern Pennsylvania. As I pen this column, the wind chill is down in the teens, and a brisk wind whips the snow causing a mini-white-out.

The Pennsylvania deer season is only a few days away and I am wondering if chills will be more commonplace than the white-tail. Last year, the weather was hot; too hot for hunting, actually—but I have a feeling this season will result in numbing fingers and toes.

With the snow covering, I am anxious to get out and do some scouting to determine an ideal deer stand. This is the highlight of the year for hunters and I am no exception. Yet, if my luck isn’t what I hope it would be, it will still be exciting to be outdoors.