Day 19.053: Snow…more!

There is talk of temperatures around 60 degF next week (mid teens degC) and that we might - as a result - see the ground again. Today, however, we had some new snow to deal with.

Enough that the plow had gone by and left a pile to be cleared at the end of the driveway - a little bonus workout once again.

Day 19.045: Goldfinches in the snow

Yesterday, we were grazed by the northern edge of a large snowstorm. We had some strong winds and several inches of snow, but the airport in Providence, Rhode Island had more than three feet of snow, so we were let off lightly. Nevertheless, most of us decided to keep off the roads and work from home. At one point I looked out of the window and watched the goldfinches gradually gathering by landing under the feeder and then abruptly fleeing back to the nearby branches. They continued for long enough for me to get a quick video out of the bedroom window.

Day 19.043: Exile #2’s Sunday Column #544

Exile #2 writes…

There have been beautiful blue skies over the last couple of days, and some moments above freezing. Yesterday, I 

even braved our nature group outing without the two thermal under layers that I usually wear. However, this being Maine we received the following blizzard warning earlier today, proving that winter is not done with us yet. It’s one of three systems lining up to come our way so it could be a busy week.

Whiteout conditions are expected with visibilities below 1/4 mile due to falling and blowing snow. The greatest potential for blizzard conditions will exist late morning through afternoon Monday. The hazardous conditions will arrive during the Monday morning commute and will continue through the evening commute. Strong winds will down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. A Few trees and power lines could be downed. The power outage threat is elevated.

Day 19.042: Fresh snow

The snow that fell in our large storm nearly a month ago is mostly still with us. We’ve had a few melting days and a few inches of fresh snow in the interim, but no widespread open ground. Last night we got a few more inches of snow and - as things stand - expect some more on Monday. 

Day 19.032: Clean snow, clean cars

The day started with a few inches of snow to clear.

We still had quite a bit from the big storm two weeks ago, but a bit of fresh white snow brightens things a bit.

By lunchtime, the temperatures had got a few degrees above freezing for what feels like the first time in weeks and I - along with several neighbors jumped at the opportunity to wash the cars. They don't look as clean as the fresh snow, but certainly better than they were after several weeks of driving on slushy salty roads.

Day 19.022: Exile #2’s Sunday Column #541

Exile #2 writes...

Although it’s too cold for the snow on the ground to melt much at the moment, it is managing to melt a little on roofs. Because it is so cold, however, that is just making for some spectacular icicles. We have a few forming a slightly menacing portcullis above our garage door but they are nothing to the curtains of icicles we saw along eaves on our walk on Saturday or the enormous 5 ft long spears that seemed to be forming on the corners of buildings. It’s not for nothing that many places put up signs warning people to watch out for falling ice!

Day 19.017: Aftermath

I did one last (for this storm) session of snow clearance this morning before heading into the office for the first time in over a week. Here are some pictures. Reports suggest we probably had around 14 inches. Down at the New Hampshire border, thirty minutes down the highway, totals were twice that. 

Day 19.016: Storm

It’s still snowing at time of writing as it has been since yesterday afternoon. The snow eased off significantly during the day today and I was able to shift most of what will need to be moved to allow life to return to normal. It took several outings in between (remote) work meetings etc. 

Current state:

Neither photo really does it justice but I really didn’t want to go outside. 

All of which is a temporary distraction from the “immigration enforcement” which has been affecting our neighbors here in Portland this last week and in Minneapolis for several weeks with disastrous consequences - both those that could have been predicted and those that could not. I trust that in time that storm too shall pass, but for now - as with the snowstorm - all we can do is alternate between doing what we can and waiting it out. 

Day 18.347: No dreaming-of required

It looks like we’ll be having a white Christmas. The snow held off through the last working day of the week (and of the year for me) but this evening has produced this:

with more expected through the night and into tomorrow. 

Day 18.341: Leaf sorter

When we gathered at the cemetery on Saturday morning we were relieved that, despite the cold, the wind had dropped after a couple of very windy days. On one of those days, we’d driven down to Boston and one of the surprises on the highway were how many leaves were blowing around. I can only assume that the strong wind was stirring them up from wherever they had collected.

At the cemetery, we noticed that something similar must have happened and some of the leaves had found their way into new resting places, in indentations in the snow. Moreover, each footprint had gathered a leaf or two which were a similar size to the hole, smaller squirrel prints had smaller leaves while deer prints had larger ones. It was one of those things that once we’d noticed it, we couldn’t help but keep seeing it again and again. 

Day 18.327: The morning after

It was the morning after our big meeting and the morning after the snowstorm. Both left me feeling a little tired, but I managed to get the remains of the snow cleared in time to leave for my optician appointment. After that, it was back to work for a more normal day.

Before I went out to clear the last batch of snow

Day 18.326: First storm

Most of my day was occupied by an executive team visit to our office but meanwhile, we were having our first snowstorm of the season. This was the deck before I left for work as the first flakes were falling:

And this was at some point this evening with the snow expected to continue into the early hours:

I 

Not a blockbuster by any means, but a decent first storm. 

Day 18.309: And so it begins

At one point during the week, last night was forecast to bring our first snow of the season, but as it approached it seemed more likely that the coast would protect us and keep precipitation as rain. And so it came to pass...or did it?

Exile #2 noticed this early this morning:

Maybe it's ice, maybe it's sleet or maybe it's a dusting of snow, but whatever, it's a sign of approaching winter.

Day 18.042: Footprints and an impasse

Actually, I’ll start with the very literal impasse spotted at the cemetery yesterday morning. One of the two bridges over the creek has been plowed. The other looks like this:

Also seen nearby this red fox footprint:

And today at work, these wild turkey prints (with my foot for scale):

Day 18.039: FeederWatch x StormWatch

Here are some bird pictures from a Sunday and Monday that were mostly defined by clearing snow and recovering from clearing snow.

Mourning dove unhelpfully on top of the feeder

Downy woodpecker showing both his small beak and black spots on the outer tail feathers (both distinctive vs the hairy woodpecker)

What did the crow say to the other crow?

Day 18.038: Storm out

I had several inches of snow to move again this morning. Although we had some sleet (ice pellets) mixed in, the majority of the precipitation fell as snow and we had no noticeable freezing rain. All told, the storm dropped about ten inches of snow here on top of what we already had from weeks of storm after storm. Exile #3 noticed what looked like a weird optical illusion around the rim of the birdbath - in fact she was just seeing the water underneath the ice-rim which appeared to be levitating slightly.  Here’s a video to try to capture the effect. 

It has - as predicted- been rather windy all day today and we’re glad that the trees don’t have the extra stress of a layer of ice while they are dealing with the wind.

Day 18.035: Glazed

The messy storm has put a shiny coat of ice on top of the snow-pack. The next storm will probably bring another layer of snow and likely another layer of ice on top. In the meantime, here’s some ice in more interesting formation today just outside our front door.

Day 18.034: Unaffected

Our storm today brought us an inch or two of snow, soon weighed-down by first sleet (ice pellets) and then some normal liquid rain as temperatures just peaked above freezing briefly. This being Maine, life went on pretty much as normal throughout.

On another note, I was thinking about the fact that some birds are very much affected in terms of finding food by a thick blanket of snow on the ground and some are relatively unaffected:

Downy woodpecker on a small tree limb

I'm sure the cold affects their food source somewhat, but snow - not so much.

Day 18.033: Feeder watching in the snow

Here are some more photos from the last storm. We have another one coming in tonight.

Finding dropped food in the snow...

...can result in...

...a snowy nose

The bluebirds found a way to get to the water

Five crows have been visiting often since there has been snow on the ground. They can't get onto the feeder, but join the squirrels to gather what is dropped and otherwise sit in the branches above.

The starlings still come regularly...

...and often bring...

...the...

...drama