“How ya winterin’?” one would be sure to be asked during this transitional season, as spring approached in the middle of a particularly sudden, fierce, snowstorm. Folks, both in town and out in the country, often used this as an excuse to get back to having a little conversation after a long winter. This year more people seem to know how some of their neighbors got through this one and probably haven’t felt the need to ask about the health of their fellow rancher or farmers. It was a simple inquiry only requiring a one- or two-word answer. It seemed to serve as a friendly indication that you might want to share a story or two, or just wanted to commiserate or complain with someone who understood.
Although conversations about the weather are usually fairly amicable, the “worst weather ever” stories do crop up among residents who disagree with newer residents who claim they weren’t warned about the weather extremes of the White River Valley. These exchanges are filled with small-talk openers, such as “I remember when…, or “It’s a three-wire winter, alright!” and might end the conversation before it even starts. Weather reports and casual conversation used to go together well but during a year like this one, making small talk that doesn’t make anyone feel better might not be the best idea.
The verb “spring” was re-introduced a week or so ago as we were reminded to shift forward into Daylight Saving Time. The motto is “Spring Forward.” No one has been heard to ask, “How are you springin’?” The answer will probably be, “Not well, you?”
By DOLLY VISCARDI – Special to the Herald Times
