I took this photo this past Monday afternoon and I think that it is the first I’ve posted of my new front yard. Yep, this is where we now live, after moving from our old home in Rock Island. As I mentioned at the time, we wanted to downsize, and that we have accomplished.  As you can also see from the photo, I have spent quite a bit of time recently out in the frigid cold with my trusty shovel.

I haven’t kept track of how many times I’ve shoveled snow recently and I don’t know how many tons of the stuff I’ve picked up, but suffice it to say that the process has become… how shall I say it?… Tiresome.

Winter is getting old here in the America’s Heartland.

It isn’t just the weather. The news is also getting old with constant name calling, endless accusations and a general reality TV atmosphere of children behaving badly. Then yesterday another absolute outrage in Florida followed so quickly by the usual suspects trying to use it to their political advantage…

Winter is getting old in metaphorical terms as well as literal ones.

Yet even now in the darkest part of winter there is reason for hope because this is also the week that pitchers and catchers report for spring training. I am heartened by this every year, for soon the boys of summer will be back out on the field− and life will spring forth across the landscape. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure there is a metaphor in that too.