Sun, Rain, Snow

Weather in Niigata has certainly kept me on my toes lately. Two weeks ago all the snow had melted, the sun was shining and spring was in the air. I actually went for a long run through rice fields and country roads for the first time since the fall. I was even tempted to claim that winter was behind us and sakura (cherry blossoms) were soon to be seen! My thoughts came too quickly because last week we got more than a foot of snow in two days. The fierceness of winter had return to Niigata and it wasn’t allowing us to even think of spring. The wonderful sprinkler systems in the road started again, my rubber boats emerged from the closet and the apartment was the same temperature as my fridge. Once again little old men and women were shoveling mounds of snow from their door steps into the streets and I too had to get up early to find my car in the heaps of snow that had fallen the night before. I used to love winter but now am slowly changing my mind! In two days, the temperatures started to climb and again the rice fields were uncovered from the white blanket. Now, it seems like a weather die is being rolled every few minutes because that is how often it is changing. Literally, one minute rain, the next sun, then snow with some sleet and finally some cold clouds! All I know is that I am ready for the spring and then the warmth of summer. I haven’t turned Japanese quite yet to completely adapt to there long winter customs such as no central heating!