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Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Weather report

First, a bit of geography for Red, who blogs at Hiawatha House. He's not sure it snows by me. I believe Red is in the Minneapolis area, between Lakes Superior and Michigan. The state is considerably more north of me, and between those two weather making lakes, Superior and Michigan. 

I live in Boston Township, about fifty miles below Lake Erie. When I lived in Lake County (guess where that is!), we were in the primary snow belt from the snow producing great lake, Lake Erie. Now I live fifty miles south of the lake, and two miles south of the Lake Erie, Ohio River watershed, in the secondary snow belt. Weather systems from the southwest, loaded with Lake Erie snow, and Lake Michigan snow, can hit that watershed and give us extra snow.

I read the average annual snowfall for Minneapolis is 45 inches. The average snowfall in the township is fifty inches. We broke the record a few years ago with over 150".

It snows here. This current storm began 22 hours ago, and is not expected to end until tomorrow. It snows as I type.

The snow was plenty deep when I came out for breakfast. 


My only answer was to put together a crostata. A touch of color!


Last month I made little packets of the fruit, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice, and froze those. A mistake; the sugar drew juice from the berries and the syrup couldn't cook down. This time, no advance preparation.

And the reward, a beautiful bit of crostata.


Cathy called. Did I have any onions? Could she have one. That answer, no problem, except the snow. I called David, the young fellow a year behind Laura, so a senior this year. And yes, he could come, but much later. He'd fit me in his schedule. Made me laugh.


I had plenty to do. I cut the last length of fabric into rust towels. That reminds me of a towel story; I'll save it for last.

Mid afternoon I heard the sound of shoveling coming up the steps, so went to the door to greet Dave. And pay him.


But it was Dan, my neighbor across the street. The summer lawn mower. We chatted a minute and I asked him how the towels I gave him were holding up. I learned they are in a place of honor, unused. "Life's too short," I told him. "Use the damn towels!"

I texted David I no longer needed snow removal and went back to prepping towels. Here's a picture I took of across the street; one of Larry's cars still snow covered and one cleared off and backed as far under his awning as possible, because it still was snowing.



And the good news is, far less snow to remove tomorrow. But still...snow.

And here's my other towel story. One day last week I was making rolls. In my trailer the dishwasher is not flush with the counter, or recessed under the counter. No, it sticks out from the counter. That can lead to messy cooking jobs being cleaned from the dishwasher, too. So, I put a towel over the door to serve as an apron. And said to myself, "You should post that on 'Where the Towels Live'". So, I took a picture.

Over the weekend a hard working friend of mine texted me a picture of a use she has for a thick cotton towel. It was one of the texts that chimed in as I left the phone store yesterday. Both were posted yesterday, for your enjoyment.

Tomorrow, the envelope of pictures.





38 comments:

  1. we got a freeze last night, details to follow the post I just put up, and that is enough for me. all those pictures just reinforce my negative opinion of snow. frost on the ground was enough.

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    1. haven't looked at the where they live page in a while. lots of new pictures!

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  2. All that snow! You definitely are in a prime location for lake-effect snow. Great that you have two young men available to shovel you out. Your crostata looks delicious and the red center looks like it was made especially for the holidays.

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  3. The snow makes everything look so quiet and peaceful...I hope it is! As for crostata-making, I say anytime would be the right time. :)
    We have many kitchen towels; I use yours most.

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  4. Brrr with the cold/snow but the snow does look pretty!

    betty

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  5. Oh my gosh, you got SO MUCH snow. I am glad that you have a kind gentleman to shovel it for you.

    I checked into “Where the towels livd” and that list has gotten really long. You have added cheer to so many people around the world, Joanne. You are a special lady.

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  6. I am stunned at the amount of snow you are getting! So happy you made it to the store yesterday, hopefully there is enough food to last until spring.

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    1. And thanks for the picture of your dishwasher apron, I was having trouble visualizing that.

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  7. As far as I know, Red lives now, and always has, in Alberta. Last time I checked this was a western province in Canada.

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    1. That's right! I remember now, he's Canadian. Alberta has rough winters, too.

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  8. The average snowfall for Seattle is 5 inches. :) However, some years we get nothing and other years we get a foot. The amount that you have there would be a Snow Event here, a Snowmaggedon. Or Snowpocolyse. That is a very pretty crostata. You have a great community! My younger daughter lives in Anderson Township(by Cincinnati) and they got just a dusting of snow, but are predicted to get more. Luckily, she likes the cold weather.

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  9. Very glad to have left snow behind in Europe....

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  10. Hari om
    No snow here... thought it felt like it might earlier. First really cold weather finally arriving. Love your towel-apron! YAM xx

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  11. Hey, I had the mistaken Idea that you lived in Texas. Yes, you would get lots of snow. I live in Alberta between Calgary and Edmonton. My daughter lives in Chicago. No snow for them this fall. Only pleasant fall weather.

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    1. I live in a suburb of Chicago, Red. Small world! and my younger brother's name is Red (well, really, John but he had red hair so...)

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  12. Two mistakes make for a great chuckle. Chicago is tough on winters; worse than ours. See how we brag about what we can and cannot take!

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  13. That's the kind of snow we get, several falls a winter. One year we had a 22 inch fall, all in one day. That was fun :( But last winter hardly any. And, up to now, nothing really, just cold, rain, high winds. I can't say I miss snowfalls, not a big fan, once the prettiness arrives, and then doesn't go away again!

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  14. I envy you your beautiful snow and wish we could take some of it from you way down here in the south! I
    I'm sure it's no big deal to you, but every year I dream of big snowfalls that never, ever happen.

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  15. That was a big dump of snow! It looks so deceptively pretty in the photos, LOL!

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  16. The snow does add a magical look to everyday items, but I'm very glad we don't get any here.

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  17. Looking at your snow photos makes me extremely grateful there was none at my house.

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  18. You have such a talent for making the mundane seem exciting. We have had a relatively dry year so no snow on the ground at the moment.

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  19. We have snowfalls like you do, but they don't last, except for the snow that falls in the garden railroad. Not much sunshine on the back side of the property, so snow is very slow to melt. I can identify with your neighbor about not wanting to use your towels. I was the same way--they're THAT nice!

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  20. I do love seeing where the towels live and how they are used. And used mine are. Often. With gratitude.
    It does snow in my country, but I almost always have to travel to see it. And with one exception (over forty years ago now) I most definitely have to travel to see that much.
    Your crostata looks droolable. Again.

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  21. We used to get snow every winter, not now with global warming. I told MeMa that if winter gets any warmer I will start planting orchids in her kitchen window box.

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  22. luckily we missed the snow storm!! I remember lake affect snow when we lived in St. Joseph, Michigan - right on lake Michigan! Drifts to the roof!

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  23. I'm fascinated by the snow. I have never seen real snow in such quantities. Here is blue sky and sun.

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  24. Well I think that beautiful crostata is the perfect answer for the snow! That is a pretty snow as long as you can stay inside.

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  25. My God! It only seems like a few weeks ago that you were up to your neck in snow.

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  26. I was telling my husband about your crostata's the other day. I think I'm going to try to make one. Snow, I kind of miss it at this time of the year.

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  27. I see Red has chimed in, above. I did think he was/is Canadian, but I wasn't sure once you posted.

    I can well imagine that you are in a snowbelt south of Lake Erie.

    I think we have your yesterdays snow today here in Ottawa.

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  28. Looks right chilly at your house! Only good think I can come up with about that much snow --- probably you don't have weeds in the yard right this minute.

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  29. This morning in Lloyd the sun is shining brightly and I can hear water dripping off the leaves as last night's frost melts. That's as much cold as I want to deal with. And as much frozen precipitate too although it is pretty, viewed from afar.
    Please be careful. I know what can happen on slippery steps!

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  30. It snowed here overnight and some this morning.
    I live on the east side of a huge park (Algonquin). Thousands upon thousands of acres. The park sits on a land form they call The Highlands. When the storms blow across the Great Lakes, a lot of that muck gets dumped on the west side of the park. They call that area The Snow Belt too. So the Park protects us. Places like Toronto so rarely get a major snowfall that they have been known to call out the army to clean it up. LOL. They are right on Lake Ontario so you would think they would be in a snow belt. I think all that cement soaking up the suns heat melts it all before it (usually) creates a problem.

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  31. That's a lot of snow in your area. Here in Northern Ireland we get less and less snow. None at all so far this winter. Glad you're not trying to clear any snow yourself. I gather it's more strenuous than it looks - pretty hard on the heart.

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  32. Wow! That is a lot of snow! Thank goodness you do not have to shovel it! I enjoyed seeing all of your towels in all of their homes across the globe! Aren't you proud?!

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  33. Lots of snow there, Joanne. We have 8 C today. No snow in the forecast this week.

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  34. I grew up 40 miles south of Lake Erie, so we had plenty of 'lake-effect" snow back in the day. Now we live in Maryland. Very little snow, but when it does snow, most drivers haven't a clue.

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