A Quiet, Rainy Morning

I’m running a little late this morning, so this will be short. The rain is still lingering, and so is the migraine that came with it. After I fed Isabella, I crawled back into bed for a little while longer, hoping a bit more sleep might help. It did, at least enough to get moving, though now I’m paying for it by running behind.

At the moment, I’m trying to finish breakfast and savor my morning coffee before I start getting ready for work. Some mornings feel rushed before they even begin, and today is one of those days. Still, I’m hoping for another quiet day at work—nothing too chaotic, just enough calm to get through the lingering headache and the gray skies outside.

Rainy mornings have a way of slowing everything down, including me. Maybe that’s not always a bad thing, even if the clock disagrees.

Rains and Migraines

Some mornings begin with sunshine and energy. Other mornings begin with a pounding head, gray skies, and the realization that the weather forecast was probably trying to warn you all along.

Last night, I went to bed early because of a migraine that had been steadily getting worse since yesterday afternoon. Thankfully, it’s not quite as bad this morning, though it’s still lingering enough to make me feel slow and foggy. It’s one of those headaches where you can function, but you definitely don’t want to do much more than absolutely necessary.

Honestly, I probably should have expected it. We’re supposed to have rain for the next three days, and my body usually seems to know the weather is changing before I even look at the forecast. I’ve often joked that migraines can be more accurate than meteorologists. The pressure changes, the gray skies, the damp heaviness in the air—it all seems to settle right behind my eyes.

Still, the day has to begin whether I feel great or not. Coffee helps a little. Quiet helps more. Hopefully, the rain will do what rain is supposed to do: slow things down, wash the world clean for a bit, and maybe give all of us an excuse to rest when we need it.

For now, I think I’ll take things one step at a time and hope the migraine continues easing instead of digging in for the long haul.

Borrowed Sunlight

Vermont might be known as the Green Mountain State, but it often feels like the Gray Sky State. Most people I know take Vitamin D because the sun can be such a rare guest. The past few days, though, have been a welcome exception—bright, clear, and almost generous with their light. Of course, today’s sunshine is apparently our last for a while. Rain is moving in tonight and tomorrow, which we do need. It’s been so dry that wildfires have already started to pop up, something that always feels a bit out of place here.

Still, I’m glad to wake up feeling better this morning and able to appreciate the sunlight, even if I’ll spend most of it inside the museum. It figures that the day I’m free to be out and about, the clouds will roll back in and bring the rain with them. That seems to be the way of things—sun when you’re busy, rain when you’re not.

I suppose that just makes days like today feel a little more precious.

Not Quite a TGIF

Normally, I’d be saying TGIF because I’m working from home, but this week is a little different. I worked from home on Monday, which means I’m heading into the office today—and a bit earlier than usual at that. Honestly, I’d much rather still be in bed.

I didn’t sleep all that well last night. We had thunderstorms rolling through, which isn’t something I hear very often in Vermont. It’s one of those things I had to get used to after moving up here. The rain is usually light and steady, and thunder is pretty rare. Growing up in the South, though, I was used to heavy rains—what we called “gully washers”—and thunder so loud you could feel it in your chest. I’ll admit, I sometimes miss that… but I definitely don’t miss the tornadoes and hurricanes that came with it.

Last night wasn’t a full Southern-style storm. There wasn’t much heavy rain or lightning, but there was plenty of thunder. I actually fell asleep to the sound of it, which was nice—until it wasn’t. I woke up around 11:00 and couldn’t get back to sleep for a while. Eventually, I drifted off again sometime around midnight.

Isabella must have sensed I needed the extra rest because she let me sleep until about 4:30 this morning. That alone tells me I didn’t sleep well.

Now it’s time to get moving. I’ll be hopping in the shower in a few minutes and heading into the office. Hopefully, a little coffee will make up the difference.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

The Luxury of No Plans

I’m still in the middle of using up my vacation days, and today is one of those rare, wonderful days when I have absolutely nothing I have to do. There are certainly things I should do—and I probably will get around to a few of them—but nothing is pressing, nothing is urgent, and that makes all the difference.

Much to Isabella’s chagrin, I slept later than usual this morning. She does not approve of any deviation from her carefully curated schedule—especially when it involves her breakfast being delayed—but she has, for the moment, resigned herself to my laziness.

At this point, there’s not even a compelling reason to get dressed. The coffee is hot, the house is quiet, and the day is mine to ease into at whatever pace I choose. Honestly, those are the best kinds of mornings.

We’ve had two beautiful days of weather—nothing but sunshine. Wednesday was pleasantly mild, while yesterday turned a bit colder and windier. Today, though, looks like it’s shaping up to be just right: sunny with mild temperatures. It might be the perfect excuse to take a walk later and enjoy a bit of fresh air.

But for now? I think I’ll stay right here, sip my coffee, and enjoy the simple luxury of doing absolutely nothing for a little while longer.

First Day of Spring🌺…or Is It?❄️

Today is the vernal equinox—the official first day of spring. Day and night are in perfect balance, and from here on out, the days will keep getting longer. After a long Vermont winter, that alone feels worth celebrating.

And honestly, March has been unusually kind to us this year. It’s been warmer than usual, and much of the snow has already melted away. For a moment, it almost feels like spring has actually arrived on time.

But if you’ve lived in Vermont long enough, you know better than to trust that feeling.

So the question becomes: is this the first “fake spring”? It probably is.

Because while it may feel like spring, nature doesn’t seem entirely convinced. The trees are still bare—no green buds yet, no real signs of new growth. It’s like everything is waiting… just a little longer… before committing.

And then there’s the forecast. Snow on Friday. Snow again on Sunday. Vermont reminding us not to get too comfortable just yet.

Still, for the foreseeable future, our highs are supposed to stay above freezing, and that’s no small thing. The air feels different. The light lingers a little longer in the evening. There’s a subtle shift happening, even if it hasn’t fully revealed itself yet.

Spring is in the air—or at least teasing us.

Of course, in Vermont, spring also means mud season, which is not exactly the most glamorous time of year. But it’s part of the process. The in-between stage where winter gives way to something new.

If autumn is the most beautiful season here, I think spring might be the second—if you’re willing to overlook the mud.

So for now, we wait. We enjoy the warmer days, even if they’re temporary. We keep an eye on the forecast. And we remind ourselves that sooner or later, the green will come.

Even if Vermont makes us work for it.

Have a great day everyone!

Coffee, Snow, and a Good Book

It’s Friday. Some Fridays are better than others, and today is one of the better ones because I’m working from home. Next Friday, I’ll be at the museum, and next week is going to be very busy, so I’ll spend today getting ready for all of that. At least I can do it from home, which makes it a little easier.

I don’t have any real plans for the weekend, and I’m perfectly fine with that. I’m not really up to much. I have a book I’m reading right now—and you’ll probably hear all about it next week—but for the most part, I plan to relax and read. Once I finish this one, I’m not quite sure what I’ll pick up next.

It’s supposed to be a cold and snowy weekend, so there really isn’t much better than bundling up under a blanket, curling up next to Isabella, and reading in quiet peace. When I lived in the South, I loved settling into a chair with a good book while a thunderstorm rolled outside. There’s something about that kind of weather that makes reading feel even more cozy and comforting.

I hope everyone has a wonderful, peaceful, and relaxing weekend!

The Calm before the Storm

I’m so glad it’s Friday — and even more glad that I’m working from home today.

It’s not that this week has been terrible. The early part of it was a bit rough, but once I settled into a project and stayed busy, things evened out. Sometimes the best remedy for stress is simply having something meaningful to focus on.

That said, I have zero desire to go anywhere today. I woke up with a headache, which almost certainly means a storm is rolling in this evening. My migraines are usually more accurate than the local meteorologist when it comes to predicting the weather. If my head starts throbbing, you can safely assume precipitation is on the way.

Isabella has already been fed and is currently enjoying her very important post-breakfast nap. She takes that ritual very seriously. Since the house is quiet and I have the luxury of being home, I think I might follow her example and go back to sleep for a little while before officially starting my day.

Sometimes listening to your body is the most productive thing you can do.

I hope you all have a restful, peaceful weekend — whether you’re braving the storm or staying cozy inside.

First Fake Spring

Another work week begins—unless you’re in the U.S. and lucky enough to have Presidents’ Day off. I am not among the fortunate, so it’s business as usual for me. Wednesday will be the busy day this week, but unless something unexpected pops up, the rest should be fairly easygoing. I’ll take that.

The bigger story, though, is the weather. We’re supposed to climb above freezing nearly every day this week. Not enough to melt all the snow, but enough to make things sloppy. And since it’s February, this would officially mark the arrival of Vermont’s first Fake Spring.

For those unfamiliar, Vermont doesn’t really have four seasons. We have eleven:

Winter → Fake Spring → Second Winter (usually worse than the first) → Spring of Deception → Third Winter → Mud Season → Actual Spring (which lasts approximately 4–8 days) → Summer (gorgeous) → False Fall → Second Summer (also gorgeous) → Actual Fall.

Right now, we’re squarely in that hopeful, misleading stretch where the sun feels warmer, the air softens just a bit, and you start to believe we’ve turned a corner. We haven’t. Second Winter is lurking. It always is.

Still, I’ll enjoy the small mercies—slightly warmer afternoons, a bit more daylight, the sense that we’re inching toward something brighter, even if it’s two or three fake-outs away. Fake Spring may live up to its name, but I’m willing to be fooled for a few days.

I hope your week is steady and kind, wherever you are in your own seasonal cycle.

An In-Between Kind of Day

I’m so glad today is a work-from-home day. Tomorrow I’ll be in early for a special event, so having this quieter morning feels like a small gift.

Since I’m working on Saturday, I had yesterday off—and because I’m working from home today, I’ll still need to head in early to get everything set up for the program I’ll be doing. It’s one of those in-between days: not exactly a day off, not quite a full workday either.

I only wish today’s weather was what we’re expecting tomorrow. Today will warm up to about 23 degrees—the mildest it’s been in weeks. Tomorrow, though, is a very different story. We’re under a severe weather advisory, with wind chills expected to drop 20 to 30 below zero. At least the museum should be warm.

I have a few things to take care of while working from home today. Tomorrow’s program should wrap up by around 10 a.m., and after that, the rest of the day will be paperwork and taking things easy until it’s time to head home.

Some days are about bracing against the cold. Others are about finding the small comforts where you can—and today feels a bit like that.

* 🚨 * 🚨 * Red Alert * 🚨 * 🚨 *

🖖Possible spoiler ahead…

Starfleet Academy Update

Y’all know I’m a Star Trek fan, so you’ll just have to get used to at least five more weeks of me sharing my thoughts on Starfleet Academy. My favorite Star Trek series has always been Deep Space Nine. It’s one of the most complex and intriguing of all the Treks, and I’ve watched the entire series dozens of times.

I think we all have a movie or TV show we return to when we need something familiar—mindless comfort, a pick-me-up, or just a way to quiet whatever’s rattling around in our heads. For me, that show is Deep Space Nine.

So when I read that this week’s Starfleet Academy episode was being described as a “love letter to Deep Space Nine,” I was—needless to say—very excited.

There were definitely things I loved about the episode. The little bit of gay drama between Jay-Den and Kyle was fun, and Darem’s jealousy was about as subtle as a photon torpedo. Drag queen Jackie Cox appears, Tawny Newsome guest stars, and we get to see Cirroc Lofton again—who has grown into quite a handsome man.

That said… there is one thing about the episode that genuinely pissed me off.

If anyone’s curious what that was, let me know in the comments. I’m happy to answer there, or I may save it and talk more about it on Monday—once everyone who wants to watch the episode has had time to do so.

🖖

❄️ Snow Day ❄️

When I went to bed last night, it had been snowing all day, but not much had accumulated—maybe 2–3 inches. When I woke up this morning, that number had jumped to somewhere between 9 and 10 inches.

We were notified on Friday that if we couldn’t make it in today, we could either work from home or take a vacation day. I have absolutely no desire to work from home today—I much prefer saving that for my usual Friday. So I sat here for a while debating whether to go in. Technically, I probably could. It didn’t snow so much that getting to work is impossible, but it would definitely make for a difficult commute.

It’s still snowing, and while the roads have been plowed, they can’t keep up. Lanes are hard to see, and according to the local news’s mobile weather van, the interstate is essentially down to one lane. Speeds are hovering around 50 mph or less, well below the usual 65. That translates into a long, slow, and stressful drive.

I also didn’t sleep well last night, which tipped the scales. So I think I’ll take the other option—which is to take a vacation day.

Sometimes the wisest choice is the coziest one. ❄️

Hell Is Freezing Over 🥶

Jack Frost must have rebranded himself as Jack Freeze. From Texas to Maine, much of the country is bracing for severe winter weather. Friends in Alabama are expecting over an inch of ice—never a good sign, since power lines tend to come down at just a quarter inch.

Here in Vermont, the temperature is dropping steadily all day. By the time I leave work, wind chills will already be in the negatives. Tomorrow, we’re looking at subzero temperatures all day, with wind chills plunging to somewhere between –25 and –45 degrees. By Sunday and Monday, forecasts are calling for 8–12 inches of snow, with southern Vermont likely seeing more than a foot.

Once I get home this evening, I have no intention of leaving my apartment.

Simply put, it feels like hell is freezing over—that is, the United States under Donald Trump.

Here’s a piece of medieval trivia for you: hell wasn’t always imagined as blazing hot. While the Bible gives us fire and brimstone, some medieval writers pictured the devil trapped in extreme cold—the furthest possible point from God’s light and warmth. In that tradition, hell freezing over isn’t a contradiction at all. It’s the final, most absolute form of separation.

Which feels… depressingly on theme right now.

From My Couch to the Stars 🖖

Today is my usual Friday work-from-home day, and thank goodness for that, because our high today is expected to be 16 degrees. 🥶

I have absolutely no plans to leave my apartment. I’m staying curled up on my couch, staying warm, getting done what work I need to do, and then monitoring emails for the rest of the day.

Star Trek: Starffleet Academy premiered yesterday, and as a Star Trek fan, I watched it as soon as I could—meaning right after I got home from work. It was better than I expected, though the jury is still out. I’ll definitely keep watching, and I’m hopeful it will find its footing. It seems to have real potential.

Have a great weekend, everyone. Stay warm. 🖖❄️

Inaccurate Forecasts

Isabella woke me up way too early this morning and simply would not leave me alone. Eventually, I gave in, got up, fed her, and did something I almost never do when she wakes me before my alarm: I laid down on the couch, pulled a blanket over me, and went back to sleep.

I ended up sleeping a little longer than usual, which helped… a bit. I still don’t really want to be awake, but here we are—I have to go to work today. If I didn’t have two meetings I really don’t want to put off, I’d probably call in. Not just because I’m not feeling great, but because the weather is awful, and that almost guarantees a stressful drive in.

Last night, the news said this snow and wintery mix wouldn’t arrive until this evening. They were very explicit that my part of Vermont would be one of the last to see snow. Apparently, though, once the system crossed the mountains, it decided to ignore the forecast entirely and switched abruptly from rain to snow.

So now it’s dark and snowy, but at least it’s Thursday and tomorrow will be a work from home day. Right now, I’m just trying to convince myself that coffee will be enough to get my day started.

Rainy Days and Quiet Plans

Looking at the forecast for the week ahead, it seems the rain has firmly decided to settle in. According to the latest report, we’re looking at steady showers through next Thursday—with chances of rain hovering between 45% and 75%. The temperatures will be cool and fairly consistent, offering the kind of weather that encourages cozy indoor pursuits rather than outdoor adventures.

Honestly, I don’t mind. Final grades for my class have been calculated and recorded, and the busy semester I’ve had is now over. I have no big plans for the weekend. It feels like the perfect time to relax, catch up on some much-needed sleep, and finally spend some quiet hours reading. There’s a certain peace in the soft sounds of rain outside my windows while getting lost in a good book.

Whatever your weekend holds, whether it’s braving the rain, enjoying beautiful spring days or, like me, embracing a slower pace, I wish you a happy, healthy few days ahead. Enjoy the weekend!

Rain and Migraines

I had planned to write today about a recurring dream I’ve been having, but it has snowed all night and now we are having a rare Vermont thunderstorm. With bad weather inevitably comes a migraine. I dread today anyway. I have a dentist appointment late this afternoon. I think I might just go back to bed.

That being said, here’s you Isabella pic of the week. I missed her when I was in the hospital.

Another Snowy Morning

I almost titled this post “Another Snow Day,” but snow day usually implies a day out of school or off work because of snow. For there to be a snow day in Vermont, a snow storm must be particularly severe. This morning’s snow doesn’t seem to be severe nor as bad as had been predicted. Some parts of Vermont did get a significant amount of snow, but where I am, seems to have only gotten about an inch or so of snow. Of course, there is always the possibility of two things: 1) the snow may begin to come down at a faster pace before I leave for work, and 2) there may be places between my apartment and work that are in worse shape than we are. Thankfully, the snow should be over by mid afternoon, and when I head home at 4 pm, the roads should be in better condition. I wish I could just stay home today. However, I have a class to teach, and I will be the only person in the museum today.

My plan today is to leave earlier than usual and give myself plenty of time to take it slow and get to work safely.

Snowy Day

Today is going to be an ugly weather day. It started out at midnight last night at -4 degrees. The temperature has risen to 2 degrees and temps will climb throughout the day ending at 32 degrees by midnight.When the temperature rises like this, it usually means a nasty weather front is coming in. It’s dry outside right now, but around mid-morning snow and mixed precipitation should begin. According to our local meteorologist, the snow has a chance to turn to freezing rain on my commute home. I hate freezing rain. I can handle snow, sleet, and rain, but not freezing rain. If you’re not familiar with freezing rain, it comes down as supercooled rain that freezes when it contacts any surface, which means it leaves a glaze of ice everywhere. Ugh! I hate freezing snow.

Anyway, I wish I could just stay home and snuggle up with Isabella. She seems to always find a warm place to nap. The other day, she finally discovered a place that I’ve wanted her to try out for years. Several years ago, I bought her a little cat house, which she has always ignored. The most she has ever done is stick her head in and turn around and walk away.I also bought her a nice cozy looking, fluffy cat bed, which she has never even contemplated using. She prefers a fuzzy blanket. The other day, I looked up, and she was in the little house I’d gotten her. With her eyes closed, you could barely notice her, so I made a noise to get her to open her eyes. I took the opportunity to take the picture below. It apparently pissed her off that I saw her in there, and she crawled out and stomped off never to return again. Such a stubborn little girl!

Snow Day

When I was growing up in Alabama, we didn’t have snow days. We were more likely to have hurricane days. Today, we are expecting 3-5” of snow. That’s not enough snow to cause a snow day at work. In fact, where I work rarely ever has snow days. I think twice in the last nine years have we had a delayed start, but never the full day. Since I’ve moved further away from work, I have had to take a few “work from home” snow days because there was too much snow to get to work. Today will not be one of those days. It hasn’t snowed enough so far to make it difficult to get to work. Yesterday had more of a chance in at least making me late for work because we were expecting snow squalls and whiteout conditions around the time of my commute to work, but it never materialized where I was. There was just some light snow on the way to work. So, today, I’ll be heading to work as usual. Besides, I have things I need to do at work today, so it’s off to work I go. 

Cold

My sympathies go out to my friends in the South who will be dealing with snow and ice today. It has been snowing here for a week and very cold with windchills as low as -9 where I live, but most of the snow has not been accumulating more than a dusting. Burlington was experiencing whiteout conditions yesterday, but we just had light snow because the mountains stopped most of the snow from the west. Some places on the eastern side of the mountains received snow, but where I live, it’s been only a dusting. Tomorrow, we may get 1-2” of snow, but that doesn’t compare to northern Alabama who will get 2-4” of snow. My weather app actually says 7-8”, but that’s not what the meteorologists down there are forecasting, Even if they get 1-2”, it’s more like us getting 8-12” because they are just not prepared for winter weather. No one has snow tires, and I’d be surprised if very many people are aware there is such a thing as snow tires. Some places have a supply of salt and sand for the roads, but only the state has plows, so only the state roads get plowed. In other words, if a person lives in a rural area, they will be stuck in their homes. Roads are usually closed, which means if you get out on the roads and have an accident, insurance will not cover it, and trust me from experience, anyone who gets out on the roadways will have an accident. The last time I experienced a winter storm in Alabama, the roads were covered in nearly an inch of ice. It was tricky to even walk on the roads, let alone drive on them. Every car I saw went into a ditch. The good thing is that it should not be a long lasting winter weather event; the temperatures should reach the lower 40s by tomorrow. That being said, there will most likely be massive power outages due to the weight of the ice bringing down power lines. Rural areas in Alabama losing power is no different from rural areas in Vermont losing power, you could be without electricity for days.

If you are wondering, my family lives in the southern half of Alabama, so they should experience rain but no snow. As bad as it is when North Alabama gets snow, they do get snow more often than South Alabama. In my lifetime, I can think of only four major winter weather events in the area of Alabama I grew up in. We’ve had more hurricanes and tropical storms than we’ve had winter storms with ice/snow accumulation. South Alabama is not prepared at all for winter weather, and it usually means you are stuck wherever you are for days, usually without electricity, because the crews to restore power also can’t get out until the icy conditions are gone.