Thank God It's Over

Yesterday I packed my golf clubs and headed to the Royal Tee for our Tuesday men's golf. It was 6.30 am and the temperature was 3o degrees Farenheit. As I went to my van it was entirely covered in white frost. The bird bath was frozen solid and our roof was a clean white. I took a few pictures and let my van warm up and listened to the radio. The happy announcer declared in a joyful voice that the big freeze was officially over.

What station did I have? I didn't look over from where I sat. I drove the 4 miles to the golf course only to see all the shrubbery and flowers still covered with frost cloth. When I arrived there was a strange stillness about the parking lot. Two cars filled the 200 spaces but I was not influenced. I dragged my 40 pound bag filled with 14 clubs and about a 100 golf balls to the nearest cart and drove to the pro shop.

The Englishman was there as usual and notched my card before telling me that the course was closed until 11 am. I wandered into the cafeteria and bought a green tea and waited. Only my partner Ron showed up for our 7:19 am tee time. Looking at the course it was a winter wonderland with white frost covering the entire length and breath of the course. Egrets large and small huddled along the banks of the lake and two eagles clung to the branch of a dead pine. Steam poured from the manhole and small wild parrots sat with ruffled feathers on the grate.

It was s surreal sight for Florida and I drank the fleeting beauty as the sun would quickly erase this nature painted phenomenon as surely as she painted it.Ron and I spoke little for a while but were both knew what we were treated too. Within half an hour the beauty faded to be replaced by dying vegetation and a scene of sorrow.

People started to arrive and everyone discussed the weather and the fact that the big freeze was over. Because of the hour few witnessed nature's way of telling us the power she possessed and despite the tremendous losses over the past ten days she gave a final indication of her love to all who open their eyes to her beauty.