It's Winter! Well, it has been winter for a while including record snow in December and frigid temperatures in January. I have meant to do some updates these past months, but I think a hibernation mode set in once the snow started to fly. I've been visiting my favorite blogs over the winter - but have not left many comments (don't be surprised if you get comments on old posts!).
Let's take a snowy tour of the last couple of months...December was the "snowiest" in record - at least in terms of inches of snow fall. Everything was helped along nicely by a blizzard around 12/15.
(North Dakota Blizzard 12/15/2008)
It was interesting to see how the stiff North wind made the windward side of buildings and fences almost bare to the ground...meaning the leeward side got double the snow as it swirled back.
My wife's vehicle was on the windward side and free of snow. My vehicle...
January has been a calmer month than December, but colder. Nice, clear sunny days didn't feel all the sunny in the arctic temperatures.
(Clear cold day 01/04/2009)
As winter wears on, the view of the car gets smaller and smaller.
The dogs, especially our little one, now have tunnel-like tracks around the yard.
Dakota is in her element -- she is always Queen of the Hill.
The features of the garden are limited to some structure from seed heads that are not yet buried or eaten by rabbits.
I think someone wants out...only to sit in the snow.
I would say December was a time of embracing Winter and snow. January has been a time of dreaming about the next growing season (posts about seeds and catalogs to come soon).
14 comments:
As a former resident of your state, I can sympathize about the weather! Our winter has been colder than normal here, too.
Maybe I'm dense, but I had thought that you were a female Chris, until I read the remark about your wife's car. Apparently I hadn't looked at your profile previously. :-)
Look at all that snow! Here in Nebraska, it's been snowing, melting, and then snowing again.
Connie...I guess there are good and bad points to the weather - though after so many inches and degrees there is a limit.
Gender may have slipped through before, but it's an easy assumption given that most garden bloggers are women, now I'm assuming ;-). I always seem to build an image of what I think a person or character looks like based on a book or online words - sometimes there are surprises though :-)
Hi Sue...that's one thing here, not too much thawing going on. Sometimes that's good as the near freezing temps cause nasty road conditions. We are hoping for a long, even thaw this spring to avoid too much flooding.
I forgot to mention that my Blogger avatar is a bit misleading though since Dakota is female :-)
Hi Chris, long time no hear! That is too much snow for me, we haven't got even an inch this year (so far). :) Well at least Dakota looks in her element. The samoyed we had years ago would of loved it too!
Hi Perennial Gardener! Yes, I really have been hibernating-- you know to survive the snow and short days ;-)
Dakota really does like the snow. She climbs and digs and plays, and sometimes just sits and takes it all in (in the middle of a snow bank)....her mini-dachshund sister tries to join her, but the little one doesn't have enough insulation. Mocha does have a great time when it's low wind and above 20F.
We had record snowfall amounts in December too. Like your area, January here has been very cold. Saturday is the first day the temps are expected to reach almost 30-degrees. I think the weatherman said we are almost half way thru winter:(
Marnie
Hi Chris.....good to see you posting again....I will never complain about the cold or the snow again......yours is the real thing.....
At least your lovely dogs are enjoying it........
Enjoy dreaming of spring and summer.......and I would stay in hibernation mode until that snow is a distant memory!!!!!
The dog runways around the yard made me smile. You have to keep patrolling, even as the snow fills the yard. I had to enlarge the last photo to see the wistful dog looking out.
Roses and Lilacs...I know, Saturday was a good and bad day: Good, we had a record high (about 25F above the average!). Bad that it's just a big tease as Monday will be 20F below the average. Fun times.
Hi Cheryl...there is almost always someone more extreme than you (people in colder climates than here even :-). Well, at least one dog loves it...the other just wants to be with her "sister".
It's hard to know when to come out of hibernation! Between yesterday's high and tomorrow's low we will have about 60F difference.
Northern Shade, great to have you visit! Yes, our little runways are fun...Dakota can always plow anywhere she wants, but Mocha has much lower clearance :-).
Dear Chris,
I too would hiberate!
I think you would love watching the birds! I "see" a bird feeder filled with black oiled sunflower seed...I just know a Cardinal is hiding somewhere in all that snow!
Stay warm...Spring is coming.
I too hope you have a slow warm up...slow melt would be nice.
I always celebrate March...it means I made it through another winter...we are almost there.
Sherry
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