March 19, 2018 Typical March Weather & Bears

Zooming down on the
Columbia River from
the north ridge.

Friday 3/16. Mid morning the overcast began to break up and the sun peaked out off and on.  It remained fairly cloudy all day, but it was with a high of 42.

Yesterday evening and this morning, the dogs were barking much more than usual.  Jesse doesn't bark unless he actually sees a critter other than a deer.  This morning neither of them went further than the driveway across from the house and Dinga came running back and up on the porch with her tail between her legs.  Bear?  Cat?  Coyote?

Right after lunch I drove Miss Kitty down to pick up the mail.  I always enjoy the drive down and back up regardless of the weather or the vehicle I am in.  Stopped on the way back for a nice chat with Larry and Elsie as they were trimming their blueberry bushes.

Back home, on our afternoon walk, the dogs and I hiked up the peak.  Didn't see any tracks that might have given me a clue as to what the dogs had been barking at.

Saturday 3/17. This St. Patrick's Day began with 32, partly cloudy skies, and 1/2" of new snow.  March's lion just won't give up.  But it is now warm enough that we don't need a fire all day, and don't need to set the alarm to get up and put one in at night.  I put one in before we go to bed around 9:00 pm and then not again til about 5:00 am.

Weatherwise today would have been the perfect day to go Down There for some Spring grocery shopping, but I just didn't want to.  Very unusual because I usually do. . .  I had a bad case of the blahs, and this with Spring just around the corner.  So close I could almost smell her perfume.

Around 3:00 pm I looked up from just having started a new book (Wonders of the Invisible World by Christopher Barzak) while the last batch of cookies was in the oven, and snow was falling.  It had just been 44 and sunny!  Well, after all it is March.  When the cookies were done, the dogs and I went on our afternoon walk and discovered that small, soft hail was falling rather than snow.  Hail that grew quite large by the time we got back to the house.  The hail took the place of this morning's snow that had already melted, and it soon disappeared too.

Sunday 3/18. It was 32 with clear skies this morning.  Large clouds moved slowly across the sky, the dark, foreboding ones going to the south over Mission Ridge.

Another slow day for both of us.  I finished the book I started yesterday, couldn't put it down!  Excellent

We know for sure the bears are awake.  Larry saw huge tracks up a ravine to the north of his house about a week ago, and yesterday a guest of theirs spotted a sow and cub.

A little after 4:30 pm a very noisy hail storm moved in, although it stayed sunny in town.  This type of noise always throws Dinga into a panting, pacing snit, as she expects to hear thunder.  Fortunately it only lasted for about 1/2 hour.

I am going to go Down There tomorrow to do the Spring grocery shopping, so I will be loaded down when I get back home.

Monday 3/19. It is 29 with clear skies and a breeze this morning.  Hope to be on my way by 8:30 and will just take my time.

Thought for the day: When God answers my prayers, sometimes She says "No".  Sometimes She says "Yes".  And sometimes She says "You've got to be kidding!"