I’m not very happy with the weather gods! We’ve had enough winter with its cold and snow and ice. When March arrives, we should be thinking of crocus and tulips and daffodils.

In the middle of February, I went on my first Caribbean cruise in about ten years so I missed a couple weeks of the awful weather. I’m not really big on going south in the winter, but it was a nice break. We went to six islands which we had been to before, so we didn’t book any tours. We got off the ship at each port and helped to support the local economies. In the dining room we were at a table with three couples, all great people and a lot of fun. As usual, the food and service was wonderful.

While the weather people throw around temperatures and wind chill and stuff, a much easier gauge is a dog. When I had my pug, if she went outside and laid down on the deck instead of coming right in, I knew it was getting warmer. When the dog I have now comes in fairly quickly and her fur is cold to touch, I know the temperature is too cold for me! When she comes in all white (she is black), I know it’s snowing. The whiter she is, the more snow out there (or I forgot to let her in!).

I notice that there have been a lot of days this winter when the buses didn’t run. Maybe once or twice in a couple of areas west of Toronto, the schools were closed. The schools are usually open and parents can drop their offspring off. To read in the paper about parents complaining about the schools being closed as though it had happened so many times was interesting. The article mentioned that schools in Durham Region kept the schools open on days the buses didn’t run as if they were the only ones who did that. If people listened to the reports of bus cancellations, they might have heard that schools were open. I taught for over thirty years and I can remember only once when the schools were closed. That day, the snow was waist height against the front door and my car was buried!

March 1st is Saint David’s Day. It has no recognition. Even in the missal for the Catholic Church, it’s not even mentioned. Saint David is the patron Saint of Wales. The Welsh don’t celebrate with loud parades and whiskey and beer, but their saint should be acknowledged. It’s a land of poetry and song. It’s a country of people who love their history. Some of the earliest European poetry was written in Wales (in about the sixth century). Only Roman and Greek poetry predate it. One of their more famous (some say infamous) poets is Dylan Thomas. If you want to hear some beautiful singing then listen to some Welsh music. My Dad was Welsh. He had a beautiful voice and was a member of the County Town Singers for several years. Unfortunately for my sister and I, we didn’t inherit even a small drop of that singing gene! Each March 1st I celebrate by making Welsh cakes and sharing them with people I see. It’s my small contribution.

About the Author

Linda Calder is a retired teacher. She likes to write and enjoys spending time with her family. She also enjoys going on cruises, taking pictures and scrapbooking.