WEATHER CHANNEL GEEKIt's hard to convey how much our life revolves around the weather here in North Dakota. Rob teases me for obsessively checking the Weather Channel, and I can understand why. You'd think that darn cold is darn cold, no? And it's true that we've decided 40 below zero doesn't feel that different than 20 below zero - you won't be taking the kids sledding either way. But around this time of year there are so many weather variables that impact how I'll plan our day: 55 and sunny with no wind? An hour at the park with a warm coat. 62 but cloudy with 25 mph gusts from the north? Better use Sam's Club as our playground. 47 and breezy? Haley will last 30 minutes bundled in the jogging stroller, but I'd better leave Jake at home with dad. 72 and gloriously sunny? We'll throw open all the windows and spend the entire day in the back yard.
A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT
Spring snuck up on us this year just as we were beginning to doubt it would ever arrive. When Jake was born a month ago it was dangerously cold and we still had 18 inches of snow on the deck. But we had a few warm, rainy days and suddenly spring was in sight. So was the river! In case you weren't paying attention in 1997, Grand Forks was the site of a devastating flood - the combination of a late-winter blizzard and lots of spring rains. Since then a massive dike system has been nearly completed and was tested this year when the mighty Red began to rise over its banks. The water reached the 5th-highest level ever recorded and yet we didn't see a bit of it in our newly-finished basement. All but one bridge between Grand Forks and East Grand Forks, MN were closed, and you can see why in the picture above. We walked one afternoon along our favorite greenway trail, until it disappeared under the
river (below).Two weeks later the water is slowly receding and we've been enjoying day after day of temperatures in the 70's...mosquito season must almost be here!
