“I don’t like spiders and snakes.”

— Jim Stafford

Most of us humans don’t like to be compared to a snake.

“You’re a snake!”

“Oh, she is such a snake!”

“You snake in the grass!”

No doubt, unless you’re a herpetologist, (Scrabble, anyone?) we regard snakes as slithering, slippery, sidewinding sons of Satan. When, in fact, especially during this time of year, we sort of mimic snakes.

“What? Who? No, I don’t! Not me! What the heck are you talkin’ about, Cardone?”

Snakes shed their skin every so often. As you probably know, yet I feel compelled to remind you, it’s called molting. And what do we humans do when the weather starts to get warmer? That’s right, class, we … molt.

Some of us have already started to molt: Shedding our flannel-lined jeans. Leaving our thermals behind. Sending winter coats out to be cleaned. Stuffing our ear muffs alongside those hats, scarves, mittens and gloves and sticking them in the back of some closet. We’re leaving our cold weather skin behind us, brothers and sisters … we’re molting.

Heavier clothing is just one layer we leave behind us.

Think of the snow shovels, magnesium chloride, roof rakes, ice choppers, snow blowers we shed. We put away our crampons. Shelve our Sorels. Hide our heaters.

But, maybe more significantly, we also shed our mental winter skin. If you’re a person who dreads the snow and ice, you can put away your dread. No more worrying if the plows will show up. If the gutters will hold. If your vehicle will get stuck. When you stop to think about it, this may be the most freeing gift that warmer weather brings: A positive attitude.

Now, snakes do not hibernate like bears. But they do enter a state called brumation (that’s two new Scrabble words). It requires less sleep than hibernation and during brumation snakes will wake up and leave their dens seeking food and water. I don’t know about you, but that sounds a lot like me braving the cold and snow and occasionally “snaking” my way to the IGA to replenish supplies.

Of course, warmer weather brings with it other items that we now must first of all find, and then haul out: Kayaks, canoes, oars and paddles, snorkels, masks, hiking boots, tents, sleeping bags, hiking sticks. Yes, spring literally brings out a whole mess of other gear … but there’s fun attached to it. Somehow I don’t mind hauling my oars down to my jon boat the same way I mind hauling my snow shovels up to a snow drift.

I believe molting is a big reason why we humans (especially in the northeast) find spring so refreshing … we free ourselves of so much cold weather baggage. We can wake up, mindlessly throw on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, slip on some sandals and enjoy our coffee outside in the warmer temperatures. Watch the trees bud out, then leaf out. Even take a (brief) dip in the water. And that’s the other thing that warmer weather brings to us — we get the out-of-doors back!

Now there are plenty of folks in the North Country who genuinely love the winter and all that it brings with it. While I admire those snow birds, this piece is not directed toward them. In fact, they might even find it somewhat offensive and call the paper to complain about my short-sightedness.

That doesn’t make them snakes in the grass.

They’re snakes in the snow.