Traffic lights

The weather has turned bitter here
with a biting north easterly wind forecast to blow all week. But, of course, nothing to compare to the cold wind snow and rain threatening hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Turks and Syrians tonight after the devastation of the earthquakes. (IRC says at least three million people need urgent assistance.)

I spent the sunnier part of the day pruning apple, cherry, apricot, peach, olive, plum and quince trees. When the sun went behind the hill I went to the co-op for some distraction and supplies. As the light fell I got the mower out and cut grass that is dry for the first time for months - the desiccating wind knocking Siberian air around sucked the moisture out of and off it. I felt sad for the lizard sunning itself earlier on a piece of firewood. They’ll have to retreat again to their burrows for the foreseeable.

The winter often seems to arrive with a vengeance in February after the growing light of January afternoons has lulled us into premature thoughts of spring.