Clouds, then Sun!

Clouds, then Sun!
Over 5-1/2 hours more light since the winter solstice, now. These are the longest days. Days of sun and days of rain. The spring leaves have grown lush and full, the summer canopy, arching over the streets. Lilacs are blooming, and there are buds on the peonies. This is the season of irises. They come... Read more »
By Weather Girl,
May 19, 2022 at 2:45 pm
• 9 comments

the long spring

the long spring
April turned to May, and we carried on with our lives in spite of daily news. Wars and plagues, and weather. The skies were overcast gray for days. Rain fell on the buds of new leaves. There are wildfires raging in New Mexico. There were tornadoes in Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas and Oklahoma. A tornado touched... Read more »
By Weather Girl,
May 6, 2022 at 7:11 am
• 4 comments

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day!
The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970, to increase environmental awareness in America. Perhaps when the Cuyahoga River caught fire due to an oil spill and chemical pollution in June of 1969, it was time for action. Marches and teach-ins were held in Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles and other major cities. United... Read more »
By Weather Girl,
April 20, 2022 at 7:33 am
• 6 comments
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Brighter days ahead

Brighter days ahead
Opening day! Cold and gray sky for the Cubs home opener at Wrigley field. Yes, baseball again, full capacity again, like before the plague years. It’s enough to remember the beauty of baseball, the hope of Opening Day. The weather doesn’t really matter. It’s the spirit of blue sky and 70 degrees. Oh, there may... Read more »
By Weather Girl,
April 7, 2022 at 5:46 pm
• 4 comments

Spring and taxes

Spring and taxes
Vernal equinox on March 20, and it was spring here yesterday–blue sky, and a high temperature of 72 degrees! It was the kind of day we wait for all winter. But we know spring can also bring rain, like today. We could still get snow and freezing temperatures. March can bring severe weather, here–like the... Read more »
By Weather Girl,
March 22, 2022 at 11:47 am
• 2 comments

Signs of Spring

Signs of Spring
I’m not the only one looking for signs of spring in early March. The Chicago Sun-Times did a Readers’ Poll the other day, asking readers what are some signs of spring for them in Chicago. Not surprisingly, potholes were high on the list, along with shorts and hoodies. Trash after the snow melts. Also, 60’s... Read more »
By Weather Girl,
March 6, 2022 at 2:42 pm
• 6 comments
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This time, last year

This time, last year, Joe Biden had been President for almost a month. There were Valentines to the American people on the White House lawn. There was hope of vaccines, and the vaccine rollout was just beginning. Remember the stories of people driving down to Peoria or Carbondale for a vaccine? This time last year,... Read more »
By Weather Girl,
February 15, 2022 at 4:29 pm
• 2 comments

Calls of morning birds

I heard a bird calling, two notes, bright and clear in the early morning light. TWEE, twee. What could it be? Thanks to Cornell Media Lab and All About Birds, I was able to identify the bird call–It is the call of the male black-capped chickadee! You can learn more about chickadees, and hear what... Read more »
By Weather Girl,
February 13, 2022 at 7:15 am
• 8 comments

Imbolic, Groundhog Day, Lunar New Year

Imbolic, Groundhog Day, Lunar New Year
Crossing into February, Happy Lunar New Year! The first days of February are the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. There is already about an hour more daylight today. Pictured above is the Celtic calendar, the Wheel of the Year, marking solstices and equinoxes and cross-quarter days. The old pagan calendar... Read more »
By Weather Girl,
February 5, 2022 at 3:00 pm
• 8 comments
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Two Days of Snow

Two Days of Snow
Blue Monday, the third Monday in January, has been called the most depressing day of the year. Holidays are over. Bills are due. The new year has not made you a new person overnight. Depressing! Even more so in these plague years. Omicron anxiety, politics, climate news, all combine for a bleak scenario. Add to... Read more »
By Weather Girl,
January 24, 2022 at 3:35 pm
• 18 comments