As the winds howled around Camp Fox a few days ago, the old proverb sprang to mind: “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.” Given the weather patterns, this has always made sense to me, but being the research fiend that I am, I decided to delve a bit further, just to be sure that it was all about the trade winds.

Lo and behold, I larned me somethin’ new, because CNN meteorologist Tom Sater had this to say: “This proverb may have evolved into the saying we have today by first relating to the heavenly stars above. It is believed that this expression has more to do with the month beginning with the constellation Leo (the lion) which rises in the east to start March and ends the month with the constellation Aries (the ram, or lamb) setting in the west.” What?

And here I thought it was just a cute Farmer’s Almanac expression that mimics the mercurial ups and downs of the weather, making it fit either way, depending on how the winds might blow. 

Not only that, I also learned that in Scotland they say, “March comes in with adders’ heads and goes out with peacocks’ tails,” but that one likely sounds way better when uttered with a thick brogue. 

Meanwhile, as the winds roared and the dog howled, I made plans (once again) to check out art, art and more art being displayed throughout the Upper Delaware River region. 

Just when I thought I’d run out of adjectives, two new exhibits caught my attention in the form of “Delaware on the Delaware”—a new window-art project created by the Delaware Free Branch of the Western Sullivan Public Library (WSPL), and sponsored in part by the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance. 

That’s right; I just used the word “Delaware” no fewer than six times in this paragraph alone, and with good reason. 

To quote the fine folks at www.watershedalliance.org, the river in question is “a major U.S. waterway that touches five different states and provides drinking water to over thirteen million people.” Not only is it considered an “essential part of everyday life for people, animals and plant species,” but it touches the artist in all of us—man, woman and child. 

The exhibit that debuted at the Callicoon branch of the WSPL last weekend illuminates that notion, showcasing the endeavors of more than two dozen locals, who took advantage of the opportunity to artistically express their feelings about the you-know-what. 

Several of the works have been transferred to clear film and then applied to the upper floor windows of the library, where the sun streams through, shedding light on our collective love of the river. 

The exhibit is on display for months. Go check it out, and check out a book while you’re there. Not unlike the water, our libraries are (IMHO) the lifeblood of the region. 

Of course, one can’t discuss our part of the world without the word “Catskills,” and the newest exhibit at the Narrowsburg Union exemplifies more love: that of Sullivan County and beyond.

“Come celebrate the diverse artistic expressions of Nancy Wells, Eileen Curtis Israel, Craig Snedeker, Maureen Neville and Rich Klein,” the invitation beckoned. “Experience a journey through captivating prints, atmospheric landscapes, candid photography, nostalgic reflections and breathtaking scenes of the Catskill Mountains.”

I love the Union, with its gleaming floors and hallway galleries, each named for the feathered friends that inhabit our beautiful countryside: woodpecker, eagle, hawk, owl—you get the idea. 

The newest exhibit is really lovely. Curator Brandi Merolla’s decision to limit the group show to five artists serves them well, as each is allowed the opportunity to spread their wings, as it were, and give the viewing public a solid idea of what inspires them. 

With titles like “The Awakening” and “Everyday Moments,” this exhibit encompasses many of the splendors of our surroundings, captured beautifully, expressed in a variety of mediums.

The amount of work, effort, dedication and creativity that these artists exemplify is inspiring, so much so that I’ve decided to take a whirl at it myself. I will be joining more than a dozen others with a few pieces of my own at “Metamorphosis—A Fine Art Exhibit” debuting at the Arts Nest, housed at the Delaware Valley Opera Center, with an opening reception on Saturday, March 16.

I know, I know… I used the D-word again and can’t promise that it’s the last time, since life in this corner of the world is truly the gift that keeps on giving. Don’t take my word for it: go, see, do. You can thank me later. 

Fun Fact: Traveling birds regularly utilize the resources of the Delaware River Basin. “The basin is in the Atlantic Flyway and provides habitat and food for 250-plus species of migrating birds throughout the year,” says Damien Ruffner, center manager for the Discovery Center in Philadelphia, PA.