Monday 23 March 2009

Monday Mission - The Playoff Game


We're now in the second half of the semi-final Canadian winter vs spring annual play-off game. You will recall that in the second quarter spring scored a really big one by raising the temperature high enough that we all went out in sweatshirts and running shoes. The sap plunked merrily into the collecting vats; the chickadees started their 'Hey Sweetie!' spring calls.

However, after a regrouping at half time, winter is now fighting back. Ignoring the date on the calendar, it is producing -15ÂșC temperatures, holding on to every last scrap of black scruffy ice it can find and really hitting back. The tiny shoots of spring flowers are cowering underground; Canada geese are on hold waiting for the ice to go out.

Wait a minute. I see a huddle of robins on the soft ground the sun has thawed. I hear one forward jay giving its spring 'Doink-doink' call. Will a female answer, beak agape for a courting sunflower kernel? Will tomorrow be warmer? Can I put my snowmobile boots away?

We have a time-out called here. Things may change very quickly now.

Or not. This is eastern Ontario, after all.

8 comments:

  1. Hah! It makes me smile to think of the seasons in a match, which is a nice change from feeling like someone has specifically marked me for a cold thermometer.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I just wish this particular game would end after 3 periods 'cause we're in double overtime now and I'm afraid it's going to come down to a shoot out.

    ReplyDelete
  3. very creative-it's coming down to the wire, but I think spring will score the winning points

    ReplyDelete
  4. very nice. and thanks for playing along, even when i couldn't muster one up of my own!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I want to trade the whole damn team for maybe a soccer team in shorts and knee socks, playing on a nice green field and sweating because it's so hot out.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Well it's still pretty chilly here in "Lotus Land" Vancouver. We had a heavy fall of snow at the beginning of March which threw all the shorts wearing, socks with sandels, Starbucks drinking, patio crowd into a real tizzy! However it didn't stay for long but it's still only about 7 degrees during the day and we're fed up too!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good analogy: a game of shifting momentum.

    ReplyDelete