Snow? C’mon. Isn’t it April? Next thing you know, we’ll all be sick & oh, wait.

Last time I checked, it was 70 degrees. My friend Matt has a sunburn to prove it.

The weird thing is getting about 1.2 inches of snow in April is normal. At least according to the weekly forecast by NIU staff meteorologist Gilbert Sebenste, listed on http:// weather.admin.niu.edu /forecast.txt. Plus, the 70s we saw before aren’t coming back anytime soon. It’ll be about 43 degrees today, getting up to the 60s (maybe) by Saturday.

So much for those early summer temperatures. But hey, the precipitation’s all there, leaving us with thunderstorms and rain this weekend! Yeah!

Before you stop reading entirely, let me explain. The weather may not mean much to you, unless you’re heading to a Cubs game or some other special event. But back home, this is daily conversation.

On the farm, that is.

Farmers live at the mercy of the weather. The snow yesterday and the rain this weekend as well as the lack of sun to dry, or thaw the ground means farmers aren’t doing a heck of a lot in the fields these days. Plus, if it rains hard near planting or harvest season, look out. Unhappy campers abound in trucks, wavering off the road while staring at the fields.

It takes a good two days to completely dry out a field after a good rain & and that’s with the proper heat and sun. And for those who don’t wait, the consequence is pulling a tractor, attachment and all, out of the mud. Not a pretty sight.

It’s a sign of where you’re raised when you say, “My dad can’t come up to visit today & it’s sunny out,” only to find puzzled stares as your response.

As a result of this upbringing, there are a few things I’ve learned about the weather by living on a farm:

Make hay while the sun shines & In other words, if it’s nice out, don’t plan any family activities. Better yet, leave before you’re asked to take the truck to some random farm to pick up a poor soul who’s been out in the sun all day. Or mow the lawn, or weed the yard, etc.

Don’t breathe in the cold air & This one comes from my grandma. At first I thought this meant “Don’t breathe.” It took a while to figure out that she meant I shouldn’t be able to breathe in the air because I should wear a million scarves and a few hats. Otherwise, again, a cold is inevitable. Also, the body really is warmer when the head is covered. Weird.

Don’t make plans means it’s going to rain, storm or snow & Don’t decide to go to the mall, just take off with minimal discussion. And for Pete’s sake, don’t say the words “road trip” outside. The clouds will answer the call and pour the multitudes of rain upon travelers for no apparent breach at all.

Sun one week and a freeze the next means a cold is coming & Don’t even try to fight this one. Just get the 200 percent Vitamin C orange juice ready to go along with a few kinds of medicine. Have chicken soup on hand and clear the schedule & the worst is inevitable. According to many relatives, sleep helps … but this is the last month of college. Students are studying, so … go sleep at the library.

Skin can burn even if it’s cloudy & As I mentioned earlier, Matt learned this one the hard way. However, he gets points for being at the Cubs game. Apparently, the sun can emit ultraviolet rays through the clouds and the burn level depends on the UV exposure. Yep, all stuff picked up on the homefront.

Despite this wealth of weather knowledge, no upbringing can explain the snow one minute, sun the next weather that occurred Monday afternoon. All I can say is watch the sky & and be prepared for what comes back down. After all, there’re only 65 days until summer officially starts June 21.

We’ll probably get snow.