The Gamut

     The climate indeed seems to be shifting.  But is it?  The weekend brought 70 degree temperatures and sunshine.  Driving the mountain roads, you can see evidence on some of the trees that change is occurring.  Change that is generally not seen until March.
     The past 3 days have brought intense rain and cooler, mid 40' s range weather. There are flood watches along the rivers and the mountain creeks are full.  Our grading project of two summers ago, seems to have done its job and the rain is not cascading down our driveway toward our garage, the driveway seems sound and the runoff is, as it is supposed to, going around the house.  We live about 100 feet lower than the dirt and gravel road, down a dirt and gravel driveway that is a couple hundred yards long and the property continues dropping several hundred more feet before a slight rise on the south end.  This makes for good sledding on the winters we have snow, but not for the past couple.  The winters have reminded me of my lifetime in Virginia Beach, cold, gray and rainy.
     The forecast for tomorrow has changed from cold and sunny to a winter storm watch with 3 to 5" of snow expected.  This will stunt the fruit trees that are beginning to swell, the willows that have started to look like early spring will likely be ok, but it appears that winter has arrived.  For this we are somewhat grateful, as we have a ski trip to West Virginia planned soon and they have not had much snow or cold weather since our freak pre Halloween snow either.
     But as we wonder if this is indeed climate change, a friend posted a picture taken at Fancy Gap, about an hour southwest of here, just as you cross from Virginia into North Carolina.  This picture was taken in May of 1960.


     Perhaps this is just cyclical mountain weather.