Cabin Fever
Have you noticed how much longer it takes to climb out of the cold, dark hole of Winter Solstice than it does to drop in to it?
Sure, WC gets himself outdoors. You may have noticed him painfully shuffling around the Skarland Ski Trail system, wheezing and blowing up the hill from Smith Lake to the West Ridge of campus. You may have noticed the giant sitzmarks on the long downhill stretch coming down Miller Hill. There’s no question that it’s good for him in all kinds of ways, and much better than moping inside.
But WC can empathize with Jimmy Buffet’s classic lines, too:
This morning I shot six holes in my freezer
I think I’ve got cabin fever
Somebody sound the alarmI gotta go where there ain’t any snow
I wanna go where it’s warmJimmy Buffet, 1979, “Boat Drinks,” on Boats, Beaches, Bars and Ballads
Seriously, all WC needs to be happy are some birds to photograph, some nice light on them and temperatures warm enough that his camera works. None of those is available in Fairbanks just now. Or for the next 4-5 months.
Ice sculptures just aren’t the same.
Come back to the California desert and photograph our snow geese! They seem to be particularly tame this year. We’re in the mid 60′s, which has to be like a sauna to you.
WakeUpAmerica
January 9, 2013 at 9:37 am
Good idea, but WC is thinking somewhat further south this time.
/WC
Wickersham's Conscience
January 9, 2013 at 9:41 am
Well, it will be in the 60s in Ohio. Sadly we will all become ill afterwards
as the cardinals sit on the window ledges waiting for the next snow storm.
raygotaway
January 9, 2013 at 2:22 pm
Wow. And we’re all whining in Boston right now about sub-feezing temps. Your post puts it in perspective.
Molly Ruggles
January 10, 2013 at 4:46 am