Ice Ice Baby

We’re going back to February April for this post. Three weeks into astronomical spring, as defined by the vernal equinox, and a month after the end of Punxsutawney Phil’s predicted six more weeks of winter, Ann Arbor was hit by an ice storm. You know, that clear, hard, slippery stuff that’s the solid state of water. Density of approximately 0.9167 grams per cubic centimeter. Only exists below 32°F at atmospheric pressure. That stuff. A month into spring, when people are supposed to be wearing shorts and raincoats, I found myself in gloves and snow boots, but at least I got some good pictures out of it.

Ice on branches

Ice on grass

Ice on soccer net

A couple weeks after the ice melted, spring kind of arrived. The weather ping ponged between mildly warm and sunny vs. cool and rainy for the rest of the month, then moved into hot/sunny/thunderstorms for most of May. We got 2.6 inches of precipitation in April and 6.74 inches in May, according to U.S. climate data (2.89 and 4.91 inches from Weather Underground). Average is 3.23 and 3.43 inches, also from U.S. climate data. It was cooler than normal in April, warmer than normal in May, and we hit 90°F multiple times before June was over. My un-airconditioned apartment reached a maximum of 87°F. If it hits 88, I think a time travel portal opens in the basement or something.

On a non-weather-related note, April brought the end of classes and TA’ing for me, then I took my preliminary exam (written report + oral presentation about my research and thesis plan) in May. Immediately after passing the prelim, I took off for Chicago for a week to see my brother and all the other things I didn’t get to see there last year when I moved his things into his apartment for him. Posts and pictures to come, because yes, I took way too many pictures. My excuse is that:

1) I’m a grad student. I needed a new hobby to go along with solving the daily crosswords and jigsaw puzzles. I am aware that I have the taste of a retired seventy-year old grandmother. Should I take up knitting, cross stitch, bridge, or bingo next?

And 2) I’m already that person that nobody notices at events. I might as well be that person nobody notices with a camera. [Funny/not so funny fact: People lose track of me because I’m below their sight lines. One moment I’m on their right, the next I’m climbing through their bedroom window at 3 am on their left. I also apparently walk without making enough noise, and semi-frequently startle people.]

I think that’s enough random rambling for now. #PeaceOut That’s how the cool kids do it nowadays, right?