Friday 6 February 2015

The Trouble with February.

Do you remember the old saying - January snow; February fill-dyke; March wind; April showers; May flowers?  (can't remember any more).  Well it doesn't seem to be true any more.   For some years I kept a rainfall record and drew a graph, and almost without exception February was the driest month.

But the real trouble with February is that we are all 'champing at the bit' for the arrival of Spring and we search the ground for the slightest sign.   Yes, the snowdrops have come - in fact they are almost over now -, the aconites are out and the species crocus.   Even the more majestic crocus will not be long before they join their cousins in flowering.   The hazel catkins are beginning to show pollen.   We grasp at these straws and tell ourselves that Spring is just around the corner.

But, sadly, February has that nasty habit of building us up only to knock us flat with a cruel wind, or a fall of sleet or snow, or a period of biting cold.  But we must be thankful for every day - and every day brings us nearer to Spring.

Our market today in our little market town was almost a Spring market.   The two fruit and vegetable stalls were there, as was the fish stall (has anyone else noticed how astronomical fish is in price these days - although I never begrudge the fishermen going out in all weathers and all seas)?  The garden stall had a splendid display of polyanthus in full bloom and there were even a couple of clothing stalls.   Best of all, as far as I am concerned, the butcher was there - he cures his own bacon and has the best dry cure rashers I have ever tasted.

After our coffee morning - I couldn't miss that or how else would I keep abreast of the local news - it was home for lunch and then I intended to spend the afternoon printing off my latest cryptic quiz sheet which I| do every month or two for our local nature reserve, to help raise funds.   But first I had to find it.   I knew it was stored in my computer somewhere but where?

Before I could find it friends arrived and we had a nice chat for an hour.   As they departed my son and his wife arrived.   He found it for me in minutes (I had spent an hour looking), so it is safe and sound and ready to print off.

But I did have a serious talk with myself about getting to grips with things on the computer which still puzzle me.I am sure I| am not alone in that I can do the things I do regularly but anything new is beyond me.  That tells me one thing- I don't really understand the computer at all.   Maybe another course in advanced skills is called for if there is such a thing near enough.   I must investigate the possibility.

13 comments:

Twiggy said...

Your market sounds lovely. I often think February is a very sneaky month, the ice and snow usually make an appearance.
Twiggy

John Going Gently said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
John Going Gently said...

February , gets on my tits

Heather said...

We used to have a very good market but the land was sold years ago and the current one is very small.
I am like you with the computer and keep a little book in which I note down instructions for the various tasks my daughter has had to do for me so I don't have to keep bothering her.
Our snowdrops are still holding back and are not yet in full bloom. We have had some gloriously sunny days but the wind is still biting. Spring will arrive when it's ready. In the meantime I am grateful for thermals!

MorningAJ said...

I assume you know how to 'save as' so you can choose a file name when you create a file? If you have a system for your files (so you call your latest quiz something like 'crypticFebruary') you'll be able to find things much more easily later. You can also create folders so you can keep all your 'cryptic' files in one place.
Sorry if you know all that already.

Cloudia said...

One interesting thing about computers is that there are often several different ways to accomplish things. I recently re-aligned the way I handle my photos for the blog. Voila`! I find instruction often unnecessarily confusing. . . .enjoy learning one thing / idea at a time. Good luck!



ALOHA from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral
<3

Joanne Noragon said...

It is awful, how the ways of programs befuddle me. Just like February.

angryparsnip said...

So nice that you have a wonderful market.
I need to go to a computer class. Plus daughter said she will help me.

cheers, parsnip

Cro Magnon said...

When I was about 5 or 6, someone gave me a thermometer and rainfall measurer. For years I made huge graphs of daily temps and rainfall. Pointless but I loved doing it.

Hildred said...

I have been doing computer since the early 80s when one of my sons gave me a Timex and then I got something a little more advanced but which still used DOS and kept the books for the Sheep and Wool Commission on it. HOWEVER, just the other day another son taught me a lesson about anti-virus programs - only have one running at a time as they grow jealous of each other if there are two (or more) and forget asbout doing their job, and sure enough, the one I kept, (Norton) is doing a fantastic job now. We are never, never too old to learn......

I saw the sun for about twenty minutes today, and a little blue sky, - warm temperature though

Gwil W said...

I like February because it has 3 days less than January.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Now John, you need to take Gwil's attitude to February!!
Thanks AJ for the folder tip - I intend to do that after I have answerwed these comments - jolly good idea.
And Cro - nothing like that is a waste of time (spoken like the ex-teacher I am).
Thanks for calling in everyone.

Heather said...

Thankyou for your lovely comment on my blog. I am going to phone Secret World again this weekend to see how the rook is doing. I like the name Roland for him. Our daughter christened him Gregory Peck because of his beak! I share the farmer's view and think the bird is old and coming to the end of his days. At least he is safe from neighbouring cats, foxes, etc. and can die in his own good time.