Northern weather

[The Dirt]

Mitch, how 'bout it.

My middle kid , however, the 17 year-old (non?)-adolescent who goes to bed at 2100 and is up at 0700 every day, had shoveled the front walk, out to and around the birdfeeder (we get lots of strictly ground-feeders, doves and juncos), out to the chicken coop (and had fed the chickens, rabbits, and stray cats), had shoveled off the back deck, and swept off the cars, before anyone else had gotten their asses out of bed. I don't know what is wrong with that kid?!

But I do need to teach the kids how to use the snowblower. Old as I am, I may not make it to the end of January.

My picture was staged- I was trying to entertain. It actually wasn't that cold out, though I did have to take care of the snow. But then again, by this time of winter, hobos get hardened to the cold weather, and at this point for me, 40 is T-shirt weather, 30 is sweatshirt, 20 adds a hoodie. Gotta embrace winter, get out in it, drink that crackling cold air on a crystalline morning. It can be so beautiful.

How do folks in warmer climates appreciate the absolute rush of a warm Spring day if they haven't endured the winter?
I know the answer. They don't.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Pete, you have one of the best, most positive outlooks on the gift of being alive that I have ever met. To be able to take a natural joy out of a cold day and express your appreciation of it with such poetic accuracy is singular in its power.

I have come to abjure the cold, at my age, but you have caused me to remember when I would run outside after school to play in it until my fingers could barely move (the official indicator of "it's-time-to-go-in") and my leather gloves were sopping-wet and icy stiff.

I'm still staying inside, today, but you gave me a nice memory.
Be well, safe, and happy. Always.
Murph

[rogruth]

You guys are right on all counts. I do remember those days and they were fun.
Half of my life has been in the south now but I still remember the first half in the north.
I didn't complain about the cold and snow very much when I lived "up there".
I sort of enjoyed winters but now after forty years in the south I do not miss what Pete is doing.
By the way,Pete,that is an excellent photo. Little bits of snow can actually be seen blowing away.

Oh yes.That teenager who doesn't know how teenagers are supposed to act, be irresponsible and
sass their parents just aren't being taught the modern way. [This is meant to be sarcasm.]

Keep having fun.

[The Dirt]

By the way,Pete,that is an excellent photo. Little bits of snow can actually be seen blowing away.

Roger, LOL, they were flying away, and it was snowing. We got 5", (2" more than the redhead gets), and I did clean off the driveway. It just wasn't that cold. The 'staging' was in my trying to make it look like there were winds howling off the -40 degree Siberian steppes.

That teenager who doesn't know how teenagers are supposed to act, be irresponsible and
sass their parents just aren't being taught the modern way.

All credit to the redhead! If they followed MY lead, they all be in boot camps.



Murph, I am not worthy. I'm just a goof, and now a very humbled one. My thanks, bro.

[webenda]

Sometimes it's a bit exhilarating to get out with the shovel or the blower, but why is it that we older guys have to do it all the time when we have much younger and healthier kids at home? Keeriste!

Somebody has to take the picture.

How do folks in warmer climates appreciate the absolute rush of a warm Spring day if they haven't endured the winter?
I know the answer. They don't.

We greatly appreciate the warm, slightly less that 100 °F Spring days here in Tucson because we know 117 °F is right around the corner.

It is all relative. When my wife and I were in Death Valley, July 4, 1980, the Furnace Creek gas station thermometer was reading 132 °F. After ascertaining the accuracy of the reading (the National Weather Service had verified it) my wife told the attendant, "I sure am glad we live in a cool place."

[sarge]

Sometimes it's a bit exhilarating to get out with the shovel or the blower, but why is it that we older guys have to do it all the time when we have much younger and healthier kids at home?

Could it be we call dibs on the shouty stuff and get out there just to prove our worth?

If it involves noise and tools and internal combustion, I'm for it. I've never thought about it, but when the family goes somewhere, I naturally drive. It's not a sexism thing like the short-hair-and-sensible-shoes crowd would like to accuse me of (only by virtue of possessing testes, hence evil by definition). We just automatically slide into our assigned seats and roles (hers usually involves the oft-heard, "Really Dear! At your age?").

Same with clearing the drive and pavements of snow; I fire up the machinery and she makes all the edges neat with her shovel. Summer sees her detailing out the garden with delicate little hand-tools and a push-cart for the gleanings; for me its all about taming the wilderness; the bigger the machinery, the better. Grrrr!

Must be an over-abundance of testosterone...

Gotta embrace winter, get out in it, drink that crackling cold air on a crystalline morning. It can be so beautiful.

How do folks in warmer climates appreciate the absolute rush of a warm Spring day if they haven't endured the winter?
I know the answer. They don't.

Dirt-man: I'm with you here, although there is a touch-o-de-Murph in me that physically suffers when it's 35-degrees (in the Queen's Measure; 2 degrees in Roman-Catholic) and raining. Sunny in the teens is just exhilarating, and four seasons compliment each other brilliantly. The day that my breaks-n-pains might force me to move to the Carribee is the day I think would be better spent in the company of six old soldiers and a box.

[healey36]

We need these bone-chilling days, men...it kills off all of the encroaching bad stuff (killer bees, flying cockroaches, burmese pythons, black-widow spiders, etc.). Nature's cycles are important...Roger, keep that stuff down south.

Healey

[v8vega]

82 Forecast here for today, we have Santa Anna winds which make it warm. Some gusts last night were so strong they were frightening. I am acclimated to our warm climate and hate to be cold. Everyplace here has the air conditioning going full blast during the winter when its not warm at all and I freeze to death.
Tomorrow its suppose to rain, rain is an event here. Its like Holy Crap its raining, were all going to die.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

We need these bone-chilling days, men...it kills off all of the encroaching bad stuff (killer bees, flying cockroaches, burmese pythons, black-widow spiders, etc.). Nature's cycles are important...Roger, keep that stuff down south.

Healey

Indeed. I do understand that the weather has greatly enhanced the migratory range of the frumious bandersnatch....

However, I really missed not getting any significant snow this weekend (so far...), but it does seem that the NE segmetn of the country is in for it. Hopefully Tramp & Daisy are bunkered down good and tight as it also appears that a week later that another serious storm is in the offing.

Figures that I would get the snow blower fully serviced and all, and of course having now paid that insurance we get blessed with nothing but cold rain. Matters not as wood shall go into the fireplace....

[healey36]

Rufus, I feel your pain. I sunk a few hundred into the twenty-five year-old Ariens this past Fall, and now she sits:



Waiting...

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Rufus, I feel your pain. I sunk a few hundred into the twenty-five year-old Ariens this past Fall, and now she sits:

Waiting...

Same, only mine is a Toro....

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Today, we learned that 12 - 24" of snow is expected in this part of NJ , starting at noon tomorrow. That really worries me, so tomorrow a.m. I'll shovel every last bit off the deck and move its gaggle of furniture into a corner so I will have a fighting chance at having it not be ripped off the house from the weight of 24" of snow, which I'll remove as it comes down. I have a new snow-thrower contraption (electric) I'll try to use before my incredible neighbor shows up to help/do it all again, along with new shovel. If you never hear from me again, you'll know I gave it my all and...

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Today, we learned that 12 - 24" of snow is expected in this part of NJ , starting at noon tomorrow. That really worries me, so tomorrow a.m. I'll shovel every last bit off the deck and move its gaggle of furniture into a corner so I will have a fighting chance at having it not be ripped off the house from the weight of 24" of snow, which I'll remove as it comes down. I have a new snow-thrower contraption (electric) I'll try to use before my incredible neighbor shows up to help/do it all again, along with new shovel. If you never hear from me again, you'll know I gave it my all and...

While I applaud your initiative, if there is that much snow in the road, when does it get plowed and when might you think you will actually be able to venture beyond the confines of your driveway?

When we get snow of that degree here, we just clear the driveway and wait a week......and maybe plows with show up or maybe front end loaders will show up to clear the stuff after it's been packed down to ~4" of ice....

[J. S. Bach]

What is all this "snow" stuff that you are babbling about?? The view from my front porch:

[rogruth]

Dave,

Show off.