By DINA ARÉVALO
Port Isabel-South Padre Press
editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com
The 2014-2015 winter season was a dismal one for many throughout the country. In the Northeast, public works employees were creating veritable mountains out of plowed snow. There was so much of the white stuff shoved off of roadways that mounds of it remained stubbornly unmelted long into the spring.
And though this winter season got off to a slow start, once again, our neighbors to the north have been inundated with frozen precipitation. Just over a week ago, a blizzard wreaked havoc along the East Coast, while the Pacific Northwest has seen enough snowfall this winter to temporarily close some mountain passes. Even sunny Southern California has seen an unusual amount of rain and temperatures dipping low enough to prompt the use of sweaters.
Then there’s we residents of Deep South Texas — we lucky people who call this place home, whether year round or not. Once again, our winter has proven to be a fairly mild one thus far. And though we’ve had a few cold fronts pass through — bringing with them rain, or wind, or choppy surf — by and large the weather has been a comfortable reprieve from the sweltering summer heat we usually feel throughout the rest of the year.
While the rest of the country hunkers down indoors — wrapped in sweaters, and coats, and mittens and sturdy boots — it’s still pleasant enough here for short sleeves and flip-flops. Whereas our northern neighbors switch from all-season to winter tires, and carefully tuck away their sports cars, motorcycles and bicycles, our roadways are still filled with folks enjoying afternoon jaunts with the top down, or a Sunday morning ride on that Harley cruiser, or pedaling away the miles on their bikes. A couple of weeks ago, I even saw one couple doing a distance ride on a tandem bicycle!
We are blessed here in South Texas because while most folks in the country are being herded indoors by inclement weather, winter is the Valley’s outdoor season. This weekend is a great example of why.
On Saturday, the Rotary Club of Port Isabel will host its annual Shrimp and Fish Fry to benefit their year-round philanthropic efforts, such as their funding of scholarships to Laguna Madre students. Bring your appetite to Schlitterbahn Beach Resort and leave with a full belly, secure in the knowledge that you’ve helped give back to this community of ours.
Also this weekend — on Friday, Saturday and Sunday — the South Padre Island Kite Fest returns. The cold front that blew through the area earlier this week couldn’t have come at a better time. It brought with it steady winds that will be sure to fuel some amazing kite performances by the special guests lined up to appear at this year’s fest. For all the high-flying fun, head on over to the South Padre Island Convention Centre. And don’t forget to take a peek inside the building, too, because there’s stuff going on inside and out.
So how do you get outdoors during the winter? Let us know at www.portisabelsouthpadre.com.
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