Sun bombs

The weather maps the last few days have looked vertiginous, as low-pressure systems march across the country like giant sine waves. Here we're getting a day of sun, a day of snow, a day of sun, a day of rain, etc., not altogether displeasing because any sunshine beats no sunshine. Of course, at this time of year the sun's arc through the southern sky is pathetic, a blip starting at 7:00 in the southeast and ending at 4:00 in the southwest and at its peak, getting barely a third of the way up. Not that we aren't grateful. I watched this morning as the outdoor thermometer, which gets about 10 minutes of direct sun a day now, gamely raised its mercury 2 degrees in response.

While low and weak, the sun's influence is still noticeable. Most of the snowfall from the other day is now melted from the tree branches on the north side of the lane. The southside trees are still laden. I take care to walk in the middle of the road, away from snow-covered, overhanging branches, to avoid the sun's little tricks, like suddenly raining a snow-bomb down my neck. Today I could brave the north walk on Ash Point, down to Crockett Beach, for the wind seems much less cold on a sunny day. I don't mind quite as much the continuous ups and downs of war news, market gyrations, healthcare legislation.

Weather is starting to resemble the Internet. You can always quickly find something good to follow something bad, or is it vice versa?