icumen

today at my feeder i spotted gold finches--not gold yet, of course. but they were the greenish brown that means they are beginning to change to gold. that means spring is still a fur piece down the road but inching closer. since winter is a grim time for some of us seasonally maladjusted individuals, i thought a thread of observations on seasonal changes might be in order. what is happening in your natural world?--s6

It was 60 degrees yesterday after a week of sleet, snow, ice and rain with below average temperatures. A Sign? I doubt, but it helped get right of all this junk.

it was sixty degrees here in kansas, too. nive day. we need rain, though. the cedars and evergreens are taking on that ugly, bronze tinge that means they are stressed out. not much color here--a lot of sky and a lot of dead prairie---s6

Snow.
it snowed yesterday. It's snowing today. It's supposed to snow tomorrow.
HOWEVER the temps have gone up a bit. I have the fountain in the fishpond still on, set very low, but running to give the fishies in there some aeration. It was frozen over solid last week. Today the hole is open again so the birdies can also get a drink. Yes, it's still black outside and will be till after 8 am, but I have a fountain light that is shining up through the water and so i can see it just fine this morning. I might have to also admit that is sorta pretty.

the biggest season change that I look for is the length of the days. Right now, its sunrise at 8:30 ish and sunset at 3:00 ish -- 6 1/2 hours of daylight. In the peak of the summer, its sunrise at 4 am, sunset at 11 pm.

We're due rain tonight, off and on thru Wed--that's our winter weather. 45-50F at night, 60ish during the day if it's sunny. Sunrise about 7am, sunset 4:20. Windier so the sail-boarders & wannabe surfers in their black wet suits have fun in the sea. Last year when we saw them during a lull lying in the water I wondered how so many seals made it to the Med :}

SNOW!
Snow snow snow!!

I am starting to hate snow!!!

yes... its snowing again/still.

We had 60 degree temps yesterday with some heavy rain
Tonight we are supposed to get snow and more tomorrow.

The almost 3 ft we got a week ago is nearly gone

As much as I love the color changes of the leaves here in New England, but there is nothing more gorgeous than snow and ice glistening off the trees..

* does a snow dance, shakes head at Mary.. how could you*

pretty to look at, hell to drive through, a real pain when it comes to heating, electricity and plumbing...

bright and sunny here. warm, too. but this is only the lull before the storm. i did notice that the sun comes through the trees on the creek and rests on my kitchen table a bit earlier than it did last week. i'm usually in my classroom when the sun comes up. ---s6

that extended darkness thing really is the worst part.

thank god for houseplants and winter wheat. i hate the gray sky and yellow tumbleweeds --s6

this morning was beautiful--mild and misty. the mist burned off and the sun was shining. it actually smelled like a morning in the very early spring. i walked to the library in just a sweater and jeans. hung my laundry on the line. then, about noon, the north wind started to bluster and the sky turned gray. i had to pick up pair of jeans from the neighbor's yard. damn! i hate winter--s6

here is what we got today on our weather network... I have NEVER seen them actually post a warning highlighted in red.

SNOWFALL WARNING: OkanaganIssued at 3.44 PM PST SATURDAY 3 JANUARY 2009

HEAVY SNOW WITH SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF TO 15 TO 20 CM FOR SUNDAY. THIS IS A WARNING THAT SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED OR OCCURRING IN THESE REGIONS. MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS..LISTEN FOR UPDATED STATEMENTS.

Frigid temperatures near minus 35 combined with brisk winds up to 20 km/h are giving extreme wind chill values near minus 45 tonight. These extreme wind chill values should ease overnight as temperatures rise and winds weaken. A strong moisture laden Pacific frontal system will spread heavy snow into the British Columbia interior on Sunday. Snow will develop in the central and northern interior early Sunday morning. The snow will gradually make its way into the southern interior and Western Kootenays Sunday afternoon. Amounts of 15 to 20 cm are forecast. Along with the snow, strong southerly winds will develop through the central interior on Sunday morning producing blowing snow. Reduced visibilities can be expected with the blowing snow. Meanwhile in the southern interior, strong winds of 70 km/h gusting 90 km/h are forecast to develop in the Penticton and Kamloops regions Sunday afternoon. The strong winds combined with falling snow will generate blowing snow through the regions.

for next week... sunny with flurries on Monday, rain with flurries on Tuesday, rain on Wednesday (I guess the temperatures are really going to have to jump up), sunny with fog on Thursday, snow on Friday... we get the whole freaking gamut this week, or the weatherman has no clue and is just hedging his bets.

damn, moose. too bad they don't allow women in the possum lodge. looks like cabin fever fer sure! what do you canadian womenfolk do while the menfolk are hanging out with red and the gang?---s6

make duct tape clothing in a variety of colors!

We do have the Loyal Order of the Moose here... maybe I'll go and 'hang out' in Moose Hall.