'Spring' in Montana

     I love living in Montana. I always have. The stunning vistas, the open spaces, the lack of people - all great. But this morning, mid-April mind you, I woke up to find an inch of snow. And so I begin upon the one thing that bugs me more than any other about Montana, the weather. Today marks the 3rd 'false start' of spring so far this year. 

    Over the weekend it was sunny and 70 degrees out. I broke out the shorts, I got the yard raked and cleaned up. The wife and I started planning where we might take the four-wheelers, or where our first camping trip of the season should be. Instead I had to scrape the snow off the car and lament over all the things I'd left on the porch that are now covered in snow. (and Princess Consuela Bananahammock is not happy with me about that.)

It's a thing.

    To a lifetime Montanan, the weather channel is a 24 hour comedy network. I still find it so amusing to watch shots of some icy hill where car after car after car hits the same patch of ice and crashes into the ever growing pile of cars. And several years ago, there was a blizzard that brought 4 inches of snow to Atlanta Georgia, and the entire city had to shut down. a measly 4 inches and I was entertained for weeks. (seriously it took them weeks to recover from 4 inches of snow)

    As funny as I find it to be stranded by four inches of snow, (Tip for driving on the highway in a whiteout, put your right tire on the rumble strip and drive, baby!) I can only imagine how I would react if I were caught in a tornado or a hurricane. I doubt I'd be so flippant then.

Road Construction and Fire seasons last much longer than indicated.

    My parents eventually gave up on the eternal winter and retired to Phoenix Arizona. I seriously doubt my father has seen snow since. He refuses to visit us between the months of September and May. (there is a very good chance it will snow during those 8 months of the year, and a moderate chance it could snow during the other 4 months) And sure he doesn't have to shovel the sidewalk anymore, but now he has to deal with 120 degree heatwaves, which sounds much worse to me than an inch of snow mid April.

He continues to disagree.