Two Moons and the Duel

Not quite a "month of Sundays," but it’s definitely been several moons since I've posted.

Sorry (or not, depending on point of view).

The "full pink moon" at the beginning of April lived up to her name.

(Technically, this was a few days prior to my last post but, close enough.}

As with most springs in Nod, Father Winter is not leaving without a battle, but the duel between Winter and Spring seems especially prolonged this year.  In some ways, the battle reminds me of that of a teenage daughter who is testing her limits with her father. 

Personally, however, I think Spring is the underdog in this squirmish.

The snow has mostly melted, replaced by rainy, soggy, days with only periodic fits and squalls of snow flurries.

And, of course, the snow on Rib Mountain remains. The annual "snowmelt" contest (guessing the date when the snow will finally melt on the mountain) is ongoing. Last year, the winning date was June 19th.

No, that date is not a typo and, no, Rib Mountain is not a proper mountain as most of the rest of you know mountains.

We had a few (i.e., maybe 2??) days mid-April during which the temperatures climbed to the 70's. But when that happens here, it means storms and tornadoes will follow because the warmth never lasts.

{Tornado storm clouds April 17, 2026}

So far in 2026, 26 tornadoes have touched down in Wisconsin, two of which have been in my "backyard" (i.e., within 15 miles or so from Nod).

The closest one touched down on April 17, 2026. It was an EF-3 tornado (with winds of 145 mph).  It stayed on the ground 17 minutes and covered a distance of 13.5 miles.

At least 75 homes were damaged or destroyed in the immediate area. (Later, official reports indicated 140 homes were damaged/destroyed in the township.)

Thankfully, no lives were lost.

While the duel is ongoing, we cheer Spring on.

This little Eastern Phoebe is an incredibly melodic cheerleader.

Despite the "greening," more nights than not come with a frost or freeze warning and that doesn't appear that it will change anytime particularly soon.

{Ice-covered leaves and branches on the crab apple tree}

Despite being known as a "Flower Moon," the most recent full moon (last week) was clothed in cold, moody-colored, clouds. 

Had I not known better, I could have sworn that it was the Wolf Moon.

 

{I was having some difficulty uploading this video, so fingers crossed it works. It is dark (because it WAS dark) so all you will likely see to click on is an arrow...and you will need to make sure your volume is turned up.}