Ostrich Weekly Forecast: Feb 3

Well, now I've put my foot in it.

I asked our weatherman what he thought of the groundhog predicting six more weeks of winter. He said, "Seven weeks. Get a freakin' calendar." Then he turned and stormed out. I should have known a weatherman might be salty that his most famous colleague is a marmot.

At least he left the note card where he'd written his prediction for the week: "Winter Doldrums."

If you think The Doldrums are a mythical island chain where nothing much is shaking, you might be interested to learn that the earth has distinct zones of radial circulation due to something something solar heating and something Coriolis something something, and those zones circulate in opposite directions from their neighbors. Between the zones are dead latitudes, belts of calm wind where sailors might be stuck for agonizing days or weeks.

You could say the same about this region of the calendar, when we're outside the extreme light or dark of the solstice, but still far off from the equinox. It feels like it's been winter forever, and will be winter forever. There's a corresponding summer doldrums in August, the "endless summer" season, which can feel like heaven or hell, depending on the thermometer.

If you're stuck in the winter doldrums, it may help to remember that spring is probably coming. It usually does. Still, you might do well to take this week at its pace. Hibernate a bit. Maybe watch a movie.

But not Groundhog's Day. Or if you do, don't tell you-know-who.