Is It Really Spring

The worst snowstorm causing damage happened in October.

   In most years as the calender switches to the month of March, I would be whipped and dragging from winter. Looking forward to spring days the icy weather would try to hold on as long as possible. But this winter was anything but normal. I'm not complaining. We did get a couple of weeks of cold but for the most part temperatures were mild and not freezing. But, I'm still waiting for Mother Nature get her revenge.
   I usually get up early in winter clearing snow from my sidewalks and then drive off looking to shoot snow pictures. I photographed one snow event this past winter. No slogging around in the deep stuff with a biting wind freezing my face. The season progressed from December through February and I waited for the worst to happen. Thinking, after a warm day or two, we are going to pay for this. One of these days were are going to get dumped on with feet of snow. But it has yet to come true.
   No ice, no melt off in March, no salt covered highways. Now it's birds chirping and lazy varmints sunning in the fields. Flowers are blooming several weeks early. But I can't keep thinking, it's only March and in this month anything can happen. Look at the blizzard of '93 where we had one of the biggest snow events on record.

Flowers are blooming earlier this year.

   Several people have told me they bought snow blowers this year for the first time and are disappointed not getting get a chance to use them. After I got mine I waited a year until a sizeable snowfall had me running the machine. It's a relief that I have one if I need it and here's hoping that I don't.
   But I'm out looking for a different photo than usual this early in the month. The elusive enterprise or stand alone photo of people enjoying a warm day. Some days are better than others when I drive around hunting these pictures. It seems that kids would rather stay inside and play video games than get out in the fresh air.
   It takes time and patience to find something good for the front page not settling for an average shot. To me, finding the unstaged shot is like going fishing. Sometimes you don't catch anything other times you get your limit. This past week was a filling your stringer kind of day. It takes some patience to find these shots. The beautiful warm weather and light breeze had people out everywhere. I could have shot a number of easy general looking pictures but wanted one that told the story of the day.

Warmer weather in March has people outdoors.

   That's when I came across a woman and her granddaughter out in a park. She was teaching her how to fly kites. The shoot started out slowly as the four year old was a bit bashful and hid behind her kite. After some time passed, the breeze picked up and the kites flew out in front of them making for a nice photo. I've taken a number of these photos but most have the kites high the sky and I'm basically shooting pictures of the kids holding strings looking up.
   I shot some supporting photos to go with it and combined them making a layout that was good for the next days paper. I'll keep holding my breath and continue to think that we will dodge the nasty weather until we get to March 20th, the first day of spring.
   I will gladly stuff that snow blower back in the corner of the garage where it belongs and roll out my lawn mower for the warmer days ahead.