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Thursday, February 19, 2015

What we've missed:


How cold is it, you ask? The week that wouldn't end, but did end with Valentine’s day, bottomed out at minus 13, with wind too bitter for breathing. Plus, inches and inches of snowfall that made Valentine’s Day a whiteout. The snow on our road was hubcap deep, in spite of all the passes by the road guys. The “main” roads were little to no better, and I told Emily, as I drove her to work Saturday, “When you’re out driving because you must, have good tires on your car.”  The little red bullet made it through.

A lot of people were on the ski slopes. That surprised me. I guess new powder and lots more falling is skier paradise. There was no paradise on Sunday; with a forecast high of minus one degree and air too cold to inhale, the ski slopes closed for the day. Monday was a school holiday, and Emily intended to learn to ski. But, with a forecast high of five or six, her instructor friend’s father would not let the instructor leave home.

Emily did keep her interview appointment at the garden center across the road on Tuesday, and has been hired to the position of general factotum. She doesn't know that’s what she is, but when she helps after school, starting in March, the greenhouse super told her that’s when everyone is in a hurry to wrap it up for the day and her job will be to help whoever needs the most help close out their day’s job. Sounds exactly like a general factotum to me.

Tomorrow morning’s high will be another minus 14, another day without school. Another day for me to stay home, too. The only excitement at work is a missing shipment of salt. We have been invoiced, but no receiver to match the invoice. It snowed so much last Friday, when salt was being delivered all over northeastern Ohio, I figure some other road superintendent stepped out in the road, flagged down the truck and got the salt delivered to that municipality.

I spoke to the road super this morning, and he is on it. He likes a mystery as much as I do, and he has the salt barons scurrying to find a signed copy of the delivery ticket. We also hear the village just north of us is out of salt. How little it takes to amuse us when it’s too cold to seek other recreation.


A female cardinal and a junco


The female cardinal and a finch



 The female cardinal, the finch and the junco's backside.
Spring must arrive soon.

33 comments:

  1. I enjoy solving problems, as long as the problem doesn't cause anyone pain. I don't usually read mystery novels because I know who did it by page ten, but I have solved some mysteries in my writing career. It gave me great joy, and made some other people pretty durn happy. I'm glad the ski instructor's father had the good sense to keep the instructor home. It's forty degrees and windy here. I know that's nothing, but everything is relative so it's hard on us. I've never seen Franklin with such a think winter coat.

    Love,
    Janie

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  2. We're getting that nastiness here as well, 'warm' Terre Haute isn't very warm just now. Four weeks!

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  3. With a ski hill so close Emily should learn to ski, but not in sub zero, that is just asking for frostbite.

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  4. It's almost spring - just keep swimming, just keep swimming ... er, shoveling ...

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  5. Last week we endured a mammogram and ultrasound, a colonscopy, and living away from our rig while major repairs were being done (by "us")... you know... I'd almost rather have that damned minus degree weather!

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  6. It was -40C ...the pipes froze..the wood was too frozen to burn...there are people who like winter...go figure.
    Jane x

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  7. so many trying to stay warm until this arctic blast passes. So glad I don't need to go out much.

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  8. Interesting, since we've had such a mild winter here, west and north of you in Montana. It hasn't been below zero here in over a month, and many mornings with above freezing temps. It's either a variation in the global warming theme, or whatever. Be interesting to see how it all pans out in years ahead, if I should live that long.

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  9. Up to 8 degrees here. No salt. Bad for grapes. So I'm told. Bad for driving!

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  10. So cute birds. I do hope spring comes fast for you guys! Good for Emily for getting a job lined up for after the ski season; sounds like it could be a bit warmer too. I know when we lived in Montana, they used some type of liquid on the street to de-ice it. I hope the missing salt mystery gets solved :)

    betty

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  11. sweet little birds, not sure what the title to Emily's job means but the garden center is sure to be a good one.

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  12. It is amusing to think that a ski slope is closed due to winter weather.

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  13. Oh wow! That is some cold weather you are having. I will stop complaining about it being 30* here. Love the pictures of the birds

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  14. It has been really cold here as well, Joanne. Your photos are gorgeous and bring such delight. Thank you so much for sharing. :)

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  15. Oh my! It sure has been cold in so many places. Congrats to Emily for yet another successful job venture. I'm sure she will do well as a general factotum. The little birdies always do make such pleasant diversions.

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  16. Emily will be employed for the summer. That means Laura is my muscle!!! i thought salt doesn't work in this frigid weather. Enlighten me. I just stay inside as much as possible and at -12 right now I won't be going out so don't care about windchill factor. IT IS NOT SAFE TO BE OUTSIDE> as you pointed out, even the ski slopes closed. Enuf.

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  17. I love the prettiness of snow covered landscapes, yards and towns etc, but apart from that I don't envy you one bit. That's way too much cold for me.
    We have 38C (100F) here today, heading for 40C (104F) on Sunday.

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  18. Hope you thaw out soon! Today held the record for the coldest February day in Chicago. The newscasters were saying how the tires are the first to go in frigid conditions, so you were absolutely right. Of course, I'm sure that is quite often the case! Congrats to Emily on her new job! Wonderful photos!

    Julie

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  19. Hari OM
    Last year we didn't get spring until it was nearly 'summer'. I have low expectations.. YAM xx

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  20. Okay, you win. I woke up to -0 today, but you've got us topped by a mile.
    It would be easier to be patient with this cold if we got a reprieve now and then, but day after day is a bit hard.
    It sounds like you and your girls are getting on with life, though.

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  21. I don't like snow and ice. I had enough of it when I lived in New York for 5-1/2 years back in the 1970s.

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  22. When you are counting birds backsides it's a sure sign Spring needs to come RIGHT NOW.

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  23. I don't know if Spring will soon be here, but we sure are ready for it whenever it decides to come!

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  24. What an amazing winter this has been. We're used to sub-zero temps, but to see this happening in so many places that don't usually see it is making me think that everyone will be glad to see winter behind us! Your woven work is absolutely beautiful. Found you on Cheapskate Blethering. I'm your newest follower. :-)

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  25. We're sitting at 24º so I won't whine too much, but I don't live in northern Ohio, I live on the coast of Georgia, we're subtropical, it's not supposed to be like this. Keep warm.

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  26. "How little it takes to amuse us when it’s too cold to seek other recreation."

    I love that line. Keep warm!

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  27. Minus 14 - I can't even imagine it. Sending you lots of the sunshine we had here today (even if the wind was a little bit cold) Well done to Emily for getting her job - she's a star.

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  28. I count myself lucky having had a relative dusting looking at your white stuff. Good on Emily for getting a job; many her age wouldn't bother!

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  29. It all sounds and looks very cold but it will soon be over spring is coming it's just around the corner.
    Merle..............

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  30. Oh Joanne - shiver, shiver -- here spring seems to start (though one never can be sure) and I bought the last three bags with bird-feeding the shops are selling.

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  31. brrr. I just about froze reading this.

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  32. I do wonder how these birds survive. I guess they are used to it. Minus fourteen doesn't sound like anything any warm blooded creature should have to put up with.

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