Appalachian Spring 2007: The Treachery of April

The morning fog in the valley below is gorgeous. It lets you know how much warmer it is up on the mountain than down in the hollers—on still mornings at least.

All that beauty in-sparred Mo to put on his best and do a little "work" on the grounds.

A Non-Obvious Astronomical Factoid: In the winter, the moon rises where the sun rises in the summer, and vice-versa. "Go figure."

Then Mean Old Man Winter returned, with a vengeance.

Young Springers: it doesn't slow them down a bit.

But 24° F with a wind chill of 12° F wilted the daffodils. It was cold. And it snowed for days on end.

As the snow squalls moved across the valley it was right purdy at turns, too. "I guess."

Sometimes I wonder: does L. A. still suck that bad?

Yep.

I recon.

It still does.

Do you have an ATV?

Can you put your 28-year-old car on blocks out front with impunity?

Do you got a pickup to haul yer tires around in?

Can you burn 'em whenever you like?

I recon you don't and you cain't.

—Your "Pal" Mo, the L.A.-Borned Hillbilly