I awoke this morning to the sounds of the spring birds singing and yet,
it was a bit too quiet.
It is the type of quiet that leaves one with a feeling of foreboding.
April is a month that brings renewed hope in the northeast, the lawns are beginning to green, the buds can be seen on all tress, the birds can be heard welcoming the morning and of course, the temperatures have risen to the stage where no coat is needed. The boots have been put away along with other trappings of winter such as the snow shovel.

April lulls one into a false sense of security.

What does this foreboding quiet morning bring?

Why snow!

As a youngster, my father always noted that snow in April was actually good for the soil and a wise man would already have seeds in the ground ready to take advantage of this gift. It is important to note that we always had the first green beans and peas in the neighborhood. One could say, my father was somewhat of an optimist, or that he was a man who had immigrated from a warm climate and had adapted to the harsh realities of New England.

Unlike my venerable father, I am of the ilk that prefers 80 degree weather and barely copes with the blessings of the winter months.

Which is why my snow shovel is still at the ready in April. I would prefer denial, but I'm more a pessimist.

Wake me in June.

Three days later....

Iran continues to test the waters, literally. The newest development is a speedy little water born missile which can sink warships and submarines. This test occurred over the weekend and is now being heartily discussed on a variety of networks.
(check links to right)

Most of a certain age are not overly fond of bombs, smart or otherwise, having spent a few years of elementary school learning how to correctly duck under a desk to protect against a nuclear attack. Makes one uncomfortable to think that an unstable government might have the capacity to launch a strike at say Europe or possibly the US.

Why is Iran so testy? Is it possible the current government believes that Iranian citizens might harbor thoughts of an Iranian democracy? Alternatively.

Apparently, they woke one fine day to find US Military bases in both Iraq and Afghanistan - How on earth did that happen? (Iran being wedged neatly between those two states)

Certainly they cannot think that was a strategic move on the part of the Bush administration. The Press gives the administration very little to no credence when it comes to doing something that may prove to be strategically significant. History has a way of repeating itself.

Checkmate.