Thought for the Day - 1/20/2025

If all the snowstorms were 4" of fluffy snow, I wouldn't mind.

If visits from the polar vortex (the frigid air reaching us from the Arctic) only meant day temps in the 20s and nighttime temps in the teens, I wouldn't mind (sorry, Florida).

Yeah - welcome back to Upstate New York winter reality.  More snow coming, not necessarily 4" and not likely always fluffy.  Temperatures in the teens during the day and single digits above and below zero at night until the end of the week.  Hope to have running water from all taps and a car that wants to start in the morning for the next few days.

Can't wait to hear what that woodchuck down in Pennsylvania has to predict on February 2.

Countdown to Spring - When it Sounds Like a Train

Our little nor'easter started around 2 this morning.  The ground was covered with about an inch of snow at 3 when I woke.  There was no wind at that point.  I went outside and allowed the plastic "curtain" to fall across the south side of the porch.  The plan was for it to minimize the amount of snow clearing I'd have to do to just get out my front door.  Yeah, well ...

I can't get an exact measurement because of the blowing and drifting that's now going on, but eyeballing it based on known heights of things and how much they're covered, I'm going to go out on the proverbial limb and say it's more than a foot of snow so far.  We've got at least another eight hours of storm time to go, too.  Wheeeee (not).

Then, there's that wind.  They forecasted a constant 10 mph wind and they weren't exaggerating.  It periodically picks up and blows at 20 and sometimes as high as 40 mph.  When that happens, it sounds a lot like when the train passes through about an eighth-mile from where I live.  It's that loud and sustained.

As far as my porch, well, the plastic sort of works.  It keeps snow from blowing in from the south.  There is also a barrier on the north side of the porch as well. Under normal snowy conditions, that would do the job and there would be minimal accumulation on my roof-covered porch.  But, this is a classic coastal storm, with the wind coming in from the north and east, so there is snow piling up against the front door.  I've been sweeping and shoveling the porch and first step almost hourly.  Interesting, the north side of that first step is bare, as is the back of my car which is parked close to the porch.  The hood of my car, on the other hand, is lost in a more than two-feet thick snow drift.

The snowplows have been through twice so far since this started.  I haven't even tried to deal with the ridge they left, but I can tell you it was about three feet high and about two feet in depth last time I looked.  I can only imagine what it's going to look like on the final plow-through at the end of the storm.  Yeah, there's my cardiac workout sorted for maybe tonight, but probably tomorrow morning.

Most places were closed today, including both my employers.  Will they be closed again tomorrow?  Hard to say, but given the snowfall amounts so far, I wouldn't be surprised.  I also sort of hope so, as I don't think I'm going to feel much like working after I get done shoveling.

Just think – in a month, this will likely be just a memory, and all the spring colors will be here and flourishing like it never happened.  However, come March 20th, we'll still be looking at whitened ground and snow pushed up into mountains to make way for cars and people and asking ourselves, "This is Spring?"

Only 6 more days until then.

Countdown to Spring - Priorities

Well, it's official.  I'm off from work on Tuesday.  Almost all the school districts in my area have closed in anticipation of our snowstorm tomorrow.  That wasn't a surprise.  What was a bit of a pleasant shock was the county executive closing county offices and ordering all non-emergency staff to stay home, with other local government offices following suit.  This is a rare decision, to be sure.  But, then, this storm event is worth the caution.

This is a classic nor'easter, creating blizzard conditions, snow totals of at least – AT LEAST – 12 inches, and winds 10-20 mph with gusts as high as 40 as the storm makes its way up the eastern seaboard.  Usually when these storms occur, northern and western parts of New York get spared significant snowfall.  Not this time.  They may not get the 12+ totals, but they'll still come close to having one foot of snow on the ground when it's all said and done.  Even places that don't normally see significant snow at all – Washington, DC, for example – will be digging out with the rest of us on Wednesday.  Yup, it's a biggie.

I'm as prepared as I'm going to be for this.  My kerosene heater and little generator are ready.  I put the plastic on the south side of my porch again.  It got blown off by the power killer cold front that passed through two Saturdays ago.  I put it back up to minimize the amount of shoveling I'd have to do of my porch just to open the front door.

I have adequate food, water, flashlights and batteries.  I also have chocolate, popcorn and videos.  Priorities.

I've covered as much of the patches of crocus and snowdrops as I could with containers weighted down just in case a gust of wind works to remove them.  I realize they've managed to survive torrential rain, high winds, single digit temperatures and deer invasion without help from me.  But a foot of snow is a bit much to endure and I'm not just talking the flowers survival, either.  I'm sure I'm going to need to see something other than white ground out there in the days ahead.

Again, priorities.

See y'all on the other side of this end-of-winter beastie.

Only 7 days until Spring.

Countdown to Spring - Oh Dear

While there is still some disagreement on how much and how long, the weather services are starting to converge on the 8-12" range of snowfall for my area.  It's 8-12" more than I was looking for at this time in March, but there you are.

Hard to say whether schools will close Monday night or actually wait until the morning to decide.  But, unless this storm takes a serious jog off its predicted path and heads out to sea instead of up the coast, I'm 99.9% certain I'm having Tuesday off from work.  I don't get paid, unfortunately, but I also don't have to venture out into crappy weather, either.

Only 8 days until Spring.

Countdown to Spring - A Taste of Things to Come (Maybe)

It started snowing just before sunrise this morning and overstayed its welcome by continuing until around 1 PM.  Depending on where you lived, you either got 1-2" or 4-6", so I guess all the weather forecast services were right in a way.
We got 2-3" locally, but the roads stayed fairly clear.  It got sunny, windy, and chillier after it finally stopped.  So begins our descent back into colder weather.
And then ...

Ah, yes.  Something we haven't seen in a while.  The potential for a significant mid-March nor'easter this coming Tuesday.  Once again, depending on the weather service, the forecasts run between 4-6" and 8-12" or more of snowfall.  It all depends on how the storm develops and tracks, they say, and they'll know more once we get to Sunday and/or Monday.  Like a free lunch, there's no such thing as a really accurate weather forecast more than 24 hours ahead.

Yesterday, I saw my first robin of the season.  Happily bob-bob-bobbin' along in search of food, he had bare ground to work with yesterday.  He's going to be hard-pressed to find any of that for a while.

Only 10 more days until Spring.

Countdown to Spring – Snowball Time

Although we're still getting a flurry or two, our latest storm has pretty much moved north and east of my area.  While we only got 5-6" this time, it was a heavier snow than the storm on Friday.  Shoveling was more of a workout and, while most of it's done, I didn't finish this time.  I still need to move the snow that's in front of the car and out to the road.  It's not really that much, but I just couldn't make myself move it after the plow had gone through.  It'll still be there tomorrow, although perhaps in need of some chunking as it solidifies in the below freezing temperatures tonight.

However, even though I was tired and just wanted to finish, I took the time to really, really test the pack-ability of those little flakes and made myself some frozen ammo.  Just one snowball that got thrown harmlessly at a tree.  I noticed my aim hasn't improved over the years.  I was never great in a snowball fight.  But, they also serve who stand there and make snowballs for someone else to throw.

When I get done with my shoveling chores tomorrow, I may have to make a snowman. Never good at those, either.  But sometimes, you just have to find the winter fun.

Only 36 days until Spring.

Countdown to Spring - What, Again?

Just when I'm starting to become less achy from shoveling Thursday's storm, here comes another one for Sunday.

Now, depending on which forecast you read, we're getting either 3-6 inches of snow or 5-10, both with a possible glaze of freezing rain and sleet in the mix. Personally, I like my forecast of 1-2 inches of snow with no ice. Mind you, my weather prediction isn't based on maps or studying weather patterns or even a gut instinct.

Just pure wishful thinking.

Only 37 days until Spring.

Countdown to Spring – Brown Ground to White

Well, our nor-easter has arrived and they didn’t lie about the snowfall rates, although I think they might actually have underestimated a bit. When I went out around 5 AM, it was a dry snow and there was, at best, an inch on the ground. It’s now just after 7 AM as I type this and there is now 4-5” of snow.  It’s not as light and fluffy, either, although I wouldn’t call it classically packable yet.

I used a pushbroom to clear the way to and around my car at first.  It’s a choice I prefer over the snow shovel.  Can’t use that now.  Regardless of when this storm ends, it’s a shoveling thing from here on.

Oh, how I miss that dull brown ground view from my window right now.

Only 39 days until Spring.

Countdown to Spring – The Snowy Threat Begins

A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for my area starting at midnight and going into the evening on Thursday.  Not that I think it’s going to be here that long.  It’s likely going to be snowed and done by early afternoon.  6-12”, depending on location and how the storm tracks, and at its supposed to be at its worst during the morning commute hours. 

Of course, there’s always the possibility it’ll track too far south and we won’t see a single flake.  I know, dream on.

Skiers and school kids rejoice!  The rest of us  …

Only 40 days until Spring

Countdown to Spring: Today it was Sunny and in the 70s

... in Tucson, Arizona, where my brother and his family live.  Hi, guys.

Here today, it's been snowing since noon and we're likely going to have about 5" before it's over.

I haven't been outside to shovel at all.  Too sore, too tired.  I did some quick shopping and came home around 11 AM, while the snow still qualified as flurries.  Tomorrow, I will shovel with the wind making it feel like it's below 0°F, and tomorrow night, it really will be below 0°F once more.

Right now, I'd really like my winter of discontent made glorious summer.

Only 34 days until spring.

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Countdown to Spring: Once More, Twice More into the Storm

It's sort of like the mantra for hair washing of rinse, lather, repeat.  Only it's dress, exit, shovel, re-enter, dry off, get warm, repeat.  I shoveled snow at 5:30 this morning, when there was about 4-5" on the ground.  I didn't do a thorough job because it was still coming down at a good clip.  I came in, got warmed up, then went out again at 7:30 and shoveled another 3-4" from the same places I removed it from before.  It was like a snowy déjà vu.

And it's still coming down at a decent pace, even though the forecast is only for 1-3" of the white stuff today.  I don't mean to be a doubting Thomasina, but I think they're trying to give us false hope.

My neighbor drove by on his way to work.  I asked, "When is this supposed to stop, and don't tell me spring."  He smiled and replied, "Not soon enough."
He was right.

Anybody got any liniment?

Only 39 days to spring.

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Countdown to Spring: Comfort Food for a Winter's Day

As I sit and watch our next snowstorm begin to fall (collective sigh from the winter-weary among us), I am enjoying a wonderful warm bowl of macaroni and cheese.  No, no and emphatically NO, it was not from a box.  There's nothing wrong with boxed M&C, although foodies might disagree.  But, there's just something special in making it yourself and hey, I know my way around a kitchen.

Stove-top mac and cheese at its most basic is macaroni in a white sauce with your cheese of choice melted into it.  Do I know how to make a white sauce from scratch?  Do I know how to grate cheese to add to the sauce?  Do I know how to cook pasta to proper al dente doneness?  Uh, yeah.  None of it takes a seasoned culinary specialist.  Really.

Thirty minutes later – voila, homemade mac and cheese, cheddar the fromage du jour.  It warms the fingers wrapped 'round the bowl, as eating it at a table is just too civilized.  It tantalizes the tongue with its silken cheese-sauciness with touches of bacon (forgive me, vegetarians and vegans) and Dijon mustard (forgive me, mac and cheese purists) added in.  It warms the body from the belly outward, and we won't even think about the calorie count because it's comfort food and comfort food isn't meant to be thought of how as to it fits into any dietary restrictions.

And comfort food, most importantly, is supposed to make us smile and forget our troubles and worries for a while.  Let the snow fall – it's winter after all.  For just one bowl in time, ignore the crappy weather.  I did.

Only 40 more days until spring.

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Countdown to Spring: The Aftermath of Linus

Whose brilliant idea was it to name a storm the same as a beloved Peanuts ^TM character, hmm?  I actually know the answer to that question, don’t agree with the choice to name winter storms and said business entity will not be mentioned here.  Only one trademark symbol per blog entry, thank you.  Regardless, it had me humming the piano piece associated with the character a few times while I watched the snow fall yesterday.  I normally measure total snowfall at the end, but was so tired of shoveling by that point that I just didn’t care anymore.  I know it was around a foot of fairly lightweight snow, the equivalent of an inch of rain, give or take.  Pardon my inner weather geek for that bit of trivia.

I can’t remember whether I shoveled four or five times yesterday, I lost track.  I shoveled that frequently to stay ahead of the job so that I wasn’t dealing with a huge pile of snow to move off and away from the car and off my porch and pavers at the end of it all.  Much as I’m in better physical shape than I was this same time last year, I have no desire to visit the local emergency room as a snow shoveling-induced heart attack victim. 

I did manage to frost-nip my fingers the second time out because I didn’t wear gloves – bad Lauren.  The lateral epicondylitis, so-called tennis elbow, that set in as a result of digging out three snowstorms ago, also wasn’t improved by yesterday’s workouts.  This, too, shall pass given time, rest, some doses of a nice anti-inflammatory drug, and a little less shoveling.

Ya hear me, sky bears?

Only 45 days until spring.

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Countdown to Spring: And So It Begins …

Last year, I posted every day to my personal Google page from Ground Hog’s Day to the first day of spring.  This year, I will be posting here instead.  So, if there be any followers of this blog who don’t want to read my banal words lamenting winter weather and the lack of spring day after day after day, ignore all posts starting with “Countdown to Spring” until after March 20, or 20 March for some readers who know who they are.  Most entries will be mercifully shorter than today’s post.

It’s presently snowing in the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York and we have about 10” from a storm that only started about midnight last night.  It may be  revenge by the sky bears  for my laughing at the snowstorm that wasn’t last week, when they were predicting 18” or more and we only got 4”.  By the way, if you need the sky bear reference explained, you’ve lived in a snow-free location your entire life.  Anyway, they are predicting an inch of snow an hour until sometime after noon today.  When after the noontime hour ‘sometime’ occurs is anyone’s guess.

Speaking of predictions, down in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, the resident ground hog (also referred to as woodchuck, whistling pig, and that little ?##*%! that ate my garden), lovingly referred to as Phil, saw his shadow at the appointed hour this morning.  They were fortunate that the storm took a different course and they weren’t standing in the middle of a foot high snowbank when feisty Phil did his winter forecast thing.  Anyway, for those unfamiliar with the Ground Hog’s Day tradition, when the ground hog sees his shadow, it means six more weeks of winter.  Well, duh! and *sigh*.  Much as it doesn't really make a difference, I really prefer it when he doesn't see his shadow, as that means the vernal equinox is just around the corner.  However, that corner is still six weeks away.

Only 46 days until spring.

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Aloha, Nor'easter

Well, the one and, with any luck, the  only snowstorm of this winter has left the building, at least in my little corner of New York.  After several pokings, proddings and eyeballings, it looks like we got about 10" of relatively light and fluffy snow, what I would call a skier's snow, not that skis have ever been on my feet.  Great for sledding, not so much for the making of snowpeople or for the throwing of snowballs at people, although both latter activities can be done with just a little extra work.  Trust me, I'm an expert.

The snowplows started doing their thing as soon as the snow had just about stopped falling.  They were through here before 5 AM, leaving a ridge 18-24" high and about the same in depth in front of my driveway.  I was out there shortly after they left, a solo act in the heave-ho of snow at that hour.  I took two breaks, one because my hands were cold (no, of course I didn't wear gloves) and the second because I'm an overweight 55 year old woman and needed to stop before a call to 911 would be required.  But, by 6:15 AM, I was done digging out my car to the road and digging a second path through the plow ridge into my side yard to that the fuel delivery guys wouldn't have to trudge through the snow to deliver heating oil.  People don't believe me, but I really am nice like that.  There's a bit more shoveling in my future, but the bulk of the work is done.

After several quick online searches, I've learned that for an hour of shoveling, the calories burned by a male weighing 150 lbs. is around 500.  Okay, I'm female and let's just say that 150 lbs. is my target weight for height and body type, shall we?  I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I burned at least 500 calories. 

All that work and all those subsequent muscle aches later and it's not 10,000 calories?  Bummer.  Well, at least I earned my coffee with cream and sugar this morning.

In my final moments of keyboarding before I go take my Advil® and drink my well-earned coffee, my parting words are said with love to the decision-makers at The Weather Channel -- I respect your ability to forecast the weather and present it for the masses, but your decision to name winter storms was not your most stellar.  It was an arbitrary choice and no other weather service is following in your snowy footsteps.  Even the media and public opinion don't seem to be swayed so much by this choice. Please leave the naming of storms to hurricane season.