Weather changes

It was March. The shamrocks were cascading from the clouds. My eyes fluttered shut as I stood with my face to the sky. During my busier days, I needed a quick breath of fresh air and the earthy smell of the shamrocks. If green was a smell, it would smell like shamrocks. I quickly walked back to my office and finished the day cheerfully.

Fluffy, yellow peeps plopped from the sky during the month of April. At the nearby park, children were scooping the peeps into baskets to save for snack time later. Grumpy grandpas shuffled along kicking at the piles of peeps. These peeps would be dissolved by the end of the day unless there was more in the forecast.

“Dang nabs it! I hate this time of year. Next April, I need to stay in my house,” grumbled an older gentleman dressed in his grey sweater and brown pants. Squish! He stepped on a peep and muttered, “every year….”

Young and old loved the May weather. It drizzled multi-colored confetti. It was found in every crook and cranny, but confetti only made the people happy. Birthdays, celebrations, graduations, and holidays were planned with the confetti.

A fashionably attired woman babbled into her phone. “Did Barbara tell you? She’s doing her gender reveal in a week. The confetti should be pouring down by then!”

A little girl walking with her mom hummed, “More confetti for me! It’s my birthday!”

Rose petals of every hue floated down. It was June. The brides and brides-to-be waited each year to gather the petals for their weddings. June brides would schedule their weddings to coincide with the afternoon drop of rose petals. Brides to be would gather the petals and freeze them for the next June when their wedding was planned.

“I can’t believe it! I found pale pink rose petals!” squealed a young, blonde woman as she gathered the petals off the ground. A wedding planner complete with a clip board yelled to a group of interns, “We need the red rose petals for the McKinney wedding next week. Find the best ones!”

Most days of July were sunny and hot. There were very few days of weather changes. However, when it did change, little bouncing beach balls plopped from above. They were no bigger than a small marble. 

Two men walked by, and the conversation was about the weather. “Did I tell you that my dog loves this kind of weather?” said one. “I know, Mitzi, my Shih Tzu runs around and jumps to catch as many balls as she can.” 

Summer was winding down in the throes of August. It was also the messiest month when the weather changed. Miniature ice cream sundaes would float down and then suddenly it was a deluge of sundaes. At the beach, it was a refreshing treat but when I was working not so much. Chocolate stains on my linen blouse and vanilla splotches were on my grey work pants every time it rained.

The nights would bring weather changes. It was September. The nights would glow with petite orbs of light drifting down. My three-year-old son, Trent, would watch the orbs descend as he fell asleep at night.

As Trent blinked back sleep, he whispered, “Mom, I love the glow globes! They are so awesome. I love September.”

“You love September because it is your birthday month,” I whispered back. I brushed back his curly hair and kissed him good night.

Chunky October clumsily blew in weather changes. White and orange pumpkins floated down. Small patches of pumpkins would appear in yards everywhere.

“Yeah, fall is officially here, and Halloween is so close!” My next-door neighbor, Barbara would rub her hands together gleefully during that first change of weather in October.

November brought cooler temperatures and the feathers swirled in the air. These feathers were brilliant with shades of purple from lilac to mulberry. Vroom! Vroom! Heavy trucks would vacuum up the feathers into large shipping containers. These containers in turn would travel worldwide to various bed manufacturers.

The scent of December lingered amongst the treetops. The cinnamon dust would rain down and fall to the tip tops of trees and buildings. Chefs would send their busboys to shake down the trees to gather the sweet stuff for holiday treats.

January dazzled with flecks of gold sprinkled on the ground. Every new year, people collected as much gold as they could gather. Everyone wanted to be prosperous in the upcoming year. It was always a mass of people outside when the weather changed that first day in the new year. There would be children with their small buckets and then the adults would bring a plethora of containers from which to grab the most flecks.

Last year, my neighbors arranged a block party for that first weather change day of the new year. We patiently camped out in our lawn chairs as the children played. The grill sizzled with hamburgers and hot dogs as we waited for it. I sat quietly listening to my neighbors and the hopes for their new year.

“I know that I’m going to have enough buckets this year! I was not as lucky last year. I couldn’t seem to get enough.” Francois, my neighbor on the right side, always worried about any changes.

Martha, my neighbor on the left, remarked. “Did you know last year had the least amount of weather days recorded in history?”

“True. It did seem a little light last year.” My husband agreed with the neighbors and took a sip of his craft beer. He gently squeezed my hand as I smiled at him.

Tiny felt cloth hearts fell to the earth. The weather changed on that one special love holiday- Valentine’s Day. Lovers would embrace and kiss as the hearts floated down. I don’t know how many marriage proposals were planned for the weather change in February. It always seemed like a ton.

My husband and I were walking to our favorite Italian restaurant. I held an umbrella in one hand while grasping his hand with the other. He bumped my shoulder as we walked along.

“I am so glad that these hearts fall every year. It reminds me that it is Valentine’s Day,” remarked my husband.

I giggled and replied, “Every child learns the months of the year by the weather changes! I am glad you remembered it from your days as a kindergartener.”

“Har! Har! I was trying to be romantic. Let me just say this. It doesn’t matter when the weather changes if I am with you.”

“Aww, now my heart is melting.” I bumped my head against his shoulder as I nudged closer to him.

The weather changes were a part of life and it only made life more magical.