New York Renovator

We’re back to the deep freeze here in Upstate New York. But February is on the way!! Plus, I saw this video, taken from Antartica, and I feel suddenly warmer with my 5-degree NY weather!

That’s a scientist who lives in Antarctica, showing us what a Condition 1 storm is like on the icy continent. BRRRRR!!!!

Snow. And rain. Yesterday we had ice and rain. Then about dinnertime, the air was filled with little icy round pellets, very fine but crusty. They made a hissing noise as they plopped from the sky onto the crusty snow on the ground.

This morning I looked out my window and saw that the little pellets had changed to this:

That poor, lonely swingset. It won’t see any company for quite a few months yet, at this rate!

Even the birds are hiding. That’s my new birdfeeder set, by the way (I posted about it here). The bluejays love it. :-p But I hate bluejays. lol.

The snow was very wet and heavy. I shouldn’t be carrying my camera out in it– big flakes the size of cornflakes were peppering down on me. My camera didn’t do a good job of photographing the flakes, but I was quickly getting covered as I stood out there. I had to get a photo of my poor, suffering yews. They look very sad, don’t they? Good thing they are so stringy they won’t snap from the weight.

So once again, it’s a day for simmering foods, warm blankets, and fresh bread baking! I intend on making Baked Ziti for dinner this evening, with a select wine of the month beverage, or maybe just milk, lol. The nice thing about winter is the coziness. I do miss the sunshine and green plants and the freedom of going out without 15 layers of clothing… but winter has its beauty, too.

Have a great day!

Snow, snow, snow. After a fast of snow for November and early December, it’s come strong and sudden. Winter storm alerts are popping up everywhere. Last Wednesday we were hit (5 inches+), then Sunday (5+), and now, today (6-8 iches expected). And guess what? We’ve got more up and coming for Wednesday (sleet! yuk!) and Friday.

I looked out my window about a half-hour ago, and saw this unwelcome site:

When I went on the front porch to take photos, I couldn’t see past 50 yards. Driving is terrible. It’s 15 degrees F here right now, but the wind is whipping around so the wind chill is about 25-below-zero. BRRRR!

The mailmen are out in this today. They are always getting stuck in the snow. Please be sure to shovel out your mailboxes, eh?

The entire summer has been a weird one, for weather. A frost in June, then bone dry, then a very soggy July. It rains so often and without any warning that it is hard to get any outdoor work done. Even right now, the sun is shining on half the property and on the other side, it’s raining.

Yesterday was a weird day for weather, especially. One of the commenters here mentioned something about a tornado watch in Upstate. I never heard one for my area, but we have had several warnings this summer, and a few tornadoes and waterspouts hitting. I am a tornado survivor- I was a baby living in Cayuga County when a tornado hit the town. It brought down a few trees, including a tree on our house that we were in at the time. Totally demolished the kitchen, from what I am told. The event made newspapers.

Threecollie at Northview Diary discussed yesterday’s wacky weather, and got some incredible photos of the cloud formations. At the same time, I was on my way to WalMart with my boys. I was driving up the highway when I noticed large groups of crows flying overhead, to the east. We always see crows flying, but these seemed unusual, and I pointed it out to my boys. I saw three larger groups of crows all flying eastward. Huh. As we continued our drive, we saw the strangest clouds! I snatched Threecollie’s photo– be sure to go to her site for more– to show you:

The clouds I saw were like that, except half of the sky was sunny and clear as a bell. And huge shafts of sulfury-yellow rays were streaming out from the clouds. It was like someone had stirred up a large, gray pot of mashed potatoes and shined a yellow flashlight through it. And then had smeared the horizon with gray-green paint. I didn’t hear any thunder, but the skies were very angry.

The boys and I went in to shop, me hoping that the power didn’t go out in the middle of our checking out. Everything seemed fine inside; and when we were ready to cart our bags out to the van, the skies had cleared again– although it had obviously rained because the parking lot, the cars, and people’s strollers were wet and dripping.

What a wild summer of weird weather!

It is so hot and humid here, that when you expel your breath, flames come out. COME ON, this is Upstate New York! We’re supposed to be the Frozen Chosen!!! I just hate the heat and humidity. Pardon me while I whine, lol.

So we can just barely get the wash hung out on the clothesline until we collapse in the shade, soaked and grumpy. Someone please tell me how folks in the South do it? How do you survive down there, where it’s like this all the time?!?! I’d really like to know. Cuz I had all these plans for the week… but everything has dissolved into a steamy little pool of perspiration. I have no motivation whatsoever. i was going to fix my electric wiring in the kitchen (I have to tuck the dangling wires in a junction box) but I can’t even motivate myself to shut off the power and get out the ladder. Sighhhh.

Photo from ASHRAE.