Angela Jamison is a native Montanan and she grew up in beautiful Bozeman. I'm the mother of two girls and write a blog about our life here and taking in the simple pleasures of family and food.
Not to sound completely cliché, but can you seriously believe the weather we are having? It’s February and I keep seeing people in flip flops and I don’ think they are crazy for their shoe choice. Every single conversation I’ve had with anyone these past couple weeks has began the same way…”Can you believe this weather?” “It’s spring in February!” No one knowing what to think of it. Some cautious to comment on how nice it is, afraid to scare it away. Others wishing for our usual snowy cold this time of year. A few wondering what it all means and how our real spring will actually go. I am pretty sure I have felt all these things and am simply trying to ride this out as long as it goes. Taking the good with the bad.
The good…lack of snow means more time spent outdoors in the mountains. These are usually left to the skiers this time of year. I told myself I wasn’t going to let the snow keep us out of them this winter and the unseasonably dry weather has certainly made this easy. The last few weekends have been spent on a hike up Hyalite where we can get there easily on dry roads, yet still hike in the snow. Enjoying the peace that only comes in the quiet of winter.
The bad…dry trails means my once secluded winter runs up to the M are now almost summer-touristy busy again.
The good…the warm sun and bright blue skies makes everyone around you happy. Everyone comes out of their homes, walking around, sitting on their porches. The hello’s as you pass by are cheerier than usual, everyone bitten by the spring fever bug.
The bad…well, not everyone is happy. I actually feel bad for the skiers. The ones who wait as patiently for winter to arrive as I do for summer. It’s only fair for them to get their turn to play. I would be devastated if we had an unseasonably cold summer so I truly do feel bad for those winter lovers. Especially because, don’t ask me how, my daughters have both turned into such winter lovers. They are so very sad the ice skating rinks were only open briefly before turning into puddles. Their shiny, new skates barely broken in before being hung on the wall. The snowmen built in our front yard long gone. The sleds sadly tucked in a corner behind the bikes because those are getting used more.
The good…I am still in love with Montana. Usually around February I really begin to dislike living here and wonder why we don’t move someplace warm. Not everyone has to live in a climate where going to bed in two layers of clothes is sometimes necessary. Or a place where starting your car ten minutes before you leave will slightly take the chill off. This kind of winter I can totally handle. We got our snow for the holidays and now it feels like spring…this is my ideal.
The bad…seriously-what does this all mean? Why are the temperatures pushing 60-degrees when it should be hovering around single digits? Is it global warming? That’s not good. Does it mean we will have a return of winter that will last into June? Well, that would be a bummer. Will the lack of moisture cause a terrible fire season therefore put a strain on camping season? Camping just isn’t the same without a fire to cook over.
No one knows how long this warm weather will last. By the time you are reading this we may be right back in the middle of a normal Bozeman winter. All I know is despite my mixed feelings about it I am going to enjoy it while it lasts. I will look at those walking around in shorts, the kids playing basketball at the park and the windows letting fresh air in and I will smile. Even if winter returns I don’t know how I could possibly complain after this reprieve. Mother nature never ceases to amaze me so I’ll just hope she’s gracing us with these beautiful days and doesn't have anything crazy up her sleeve.