John Steinbeck wrote “What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” Well . . . this year, warm weather will be mighty sweet! Enter the Lion Winter keeps knocking at the door. From the early December grey chill to the many subzero temperatures mid-winter to the late snow this spring, we have endured a very long and very cold winter. March arrived like a lion with biting winds and the coldest temperatures on record since 1879! Most folks around here are aching for the spring warmth and sunshine to come once again. But sometimes the wait is all the sweeter. This is what we woke up to on St. Patrick's Day! It was one of the most beautiful snowfalls we've had this winter season. The flakes of snow were gigantic and they quickly covered every twig. Our walk … [Read more...] about And Then Spring Whispered
How do you photograph “Artic Cold?”
Looks can be deceiving! The view through the camera has remained the same for several weeks now, but something quite drastic changed in the last 24 hours. A polar vortex arrived. A polar vortex is an area of low pressure and cold air in the stratosphere that swirls like a wheel around each of Earth's two polar regions. Sometimes the polar vortex wobbles and a lobe surges south through Canada and into parts of North America with bitter temperatures. Add 25 mph winds to the colder-than-normal temperatures, and you have a nice recipe for Artic Cold! Frostbite happens in 5 minutes to exposed skin in these conditions. Here was my midday (warmest part of the day) weather on Wednesday Jan. 30th: Dangerously cold Practically everything closed ~ schools, government offices, the university and local … [Read more...] about How do you photograph “Artic Cold?”
It’s Snow Wonder!
Storm #2 In seven days we've had 2 snowstorms. The first brought us 8 inches and the second brought 4 more inches. In between we had a little melting and settling, so the total right now is about 7 - 8 inches. It's been a rather fun and exciting time! We have to watch the barn gutters in heavy snowfalls like this. The snow tends to slide down the metal roof and gets hung up on the gutters before falling off in large chunks. Several years ago, the gutters on the back of the barn came completely off due to the heavy snow. Then The Wind Blew . . . You can see some drifting starting in this area. At the end of the second storm, we had 30- 40mph winds. Our hilltop didn't suffer the worst because of the trees breaking the wind but in the wide, open farmland nearby, the drifting was bad. Many … [Read more...] about It’s Snow Wonder!
1300 miles of snow!
OK, I confess. Our storm wasn't as good as this, but . . . I'd give it an 8/10. It was the perfect time, the perfect amount! In the wee hours of Friday night while we slept, light snow began to fall. It quickly picked up intensity and snowflake size as Saturday rolled in. Throughout the day we had that picturesque scene from every Hallmark Christmas movie. Big white flakes falling thickly outside while we gathered by the windows inside. There were no worries; we were safe at home, warm and together. We could enjoy it without the stress of driving in it or getting to work or school on time. It hit at the perfect time. This particular snowstorm system was one of the largest I could remember in a long time. It stretched 1300 miles west to east, snowing from Colorado to Pennsylvania, all at the same time. … [Read more...] about 1300 miles of snow!
Christmas in Tennessee
Spending Christmas 2018 away from home was both a risk and an adventure. We weren't sure if giving up a tree, exchanging presents, baking cookies and the cold weather up north would also leave the Christmas spirit behind. Our AirBnB house, however, had a beautifully decorated tree and being together was gift enough to make the time extra special. Jack Frost Nipping at Your Nose We woke on our first morning to a magical scene with frost on all the trees and fog settling in like a cloud. This male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was visiting one of the trees on the property. I have seen one at my winter feeder for a month or so but I believe he must be passing through. Kentucky on south to Panama is their normal wintering home. Can you see the Yellow? Not much is it! Land of Cedars We … [Read more...] about Christmas in Tennessee