Matt Liere: Groundhog’s gloomy projection only delays inevitable household projects

The bright glimmer of hope I had last week of spring’s early arrival was short-lived, shattered the moment that rodent from Pennsylvania displayed his toothy grin. Six more weeks of winter.

For resilient outdoorsmen like my father, this is a welcome announcement – an opportunity to take advantage of cold-weather outings, consume mugs of clam chowder and spiked cocoa, to tie knots of newspaper firestarter to feed the wood stove.

However, for those of us with questionable genealogy, Phil’s gloomy prediction serves only to make us crabbier than in January, and effectively secures a near-permanent sleeping spot on the family couch.

Don’t get me wrong. Winter is beautiful, but that’s where my encouragement ends. If all I had to do was enjoy it for its beauty, with little impact to my daily business, there would be no problem.

Unfortunately, that’s not the way it works. Instead, the icicles grow longer and the snow depth increases, and I can’t help but think of the number of projects mounting under the weight of the season’s gloomy grip.

I’ve discovered there are significant drafts in my basement that need plugging, tendrils of icy cold seeping from outlet covers and window framing, unnoticed in years prior due to milder conditions.

The extreme cold has also left me short of firewood, which is upsetting enough, but knowing there are six uncut cords sitting just outside under 14 inches of snow, despite my careful summer calculations, doesn’t help my mood.

I’ve tried my best to embrace the season, though. I’ve attempted several winter activities to keep myself preoccupied, but despite my love of fish, one can only go ice fishing so much, and suffering frozen toes and hours upon hours cleaning 7-inch perch is not my favorite use of time, nor is it the most efficient way to feed a family of six.

Snowshoeing has been somewhat fun, but it takes me to far corners of my property I don’t normally access in the winter, where I discover ice damage in the footings of the garden fence posts, the leaking frost-free hydrant by the well that is now frozen, the deer blind graciously hosting both wasps and woodpeckers, and the lean-tos that are, much like their name, doing just that. More projects on hold.

I will admit that winter is good for watching wildlife against the pristine white backdrop. Pheasants duck and strut through the reed tips along the creek bed, while turkeys file across the frozen landscape, heading for the feed Dad likes to throw out.

The coyotes are much easier to spot in the fields, too. Their plush coats glisten in the occasional sunlight as they perform aerial, pouncing-for-prey antics in the powder drifts. I especially enjoy imagining their intended target is a large rodent fearful of his own shadow.

It’s probably the only thing in February that gives me a toothy grin.