From the Weather Book

November 7

November 8

November 9
A wet, cold and grey day.  Very high water this fall.

November 11
Snow, rain and wind.  So cold. 

November 13
A cold mornig at -10C.  Hovered around 0 for the rest of the day with some sun.

November 14
 A wicked wind overnight, rain.  A grey day.

November 16

November 17, 18
Wild, wicked winds for 2 days.  Snow, ice, rain.  Power out for a short while Tuesday late afternoon.

November 19
Cold!  Very light snow on a sunny morning.

November 20
A sunny, bright day.

Rare

Interesting evening skies over Maple Lake can be a rarity.  We look out east over Maple Lake so the sun sets above the fields across the road.  Sometimes we are lucky to see some of those sunsets reflected in the clouds over the lake.

 

Here is the moon rising a few evenings ago.

 

 

The wispy mare's tail clouds (scientifically known as cirrus uncinus) tell of rain soon to come.  The evening that followed this was full of heavy rain, lightning and wicked winds.  That is a lesson I learned from my Granddad, and one of the many reasons I think of him when venturing through the natural world.

 

 

 

From the Weather Book

April 1
- rain overnight
- plenty of snow during the day

April 3
- cold and windy

April 4
- rain and snow

April 5
- snow

April 8
- rain

April 10
- water up
- rain

April 12
- SNOW

April 13
- snow all day

April 14
- finally some sunshine

 

 

April 20
- SNOW
- -5C in morning
- cold wind

April 22
- sunny
- 13 C in the afternoon

Not Complaining.

While the temperatures we have been experiencing so far this spring are still in the realm of normal, I will admit that the weather has been somewhat of a tough pill to swallow. 

 

I'm not complaining, though.

 

We had snow last night and again this morning.  The ice still booms on the lake through the night - not because it's breaking up, but because it's still forming.  We have had temperatures well below 0 overnight during the past week.  The lake has shown no signs of melting ice yet.

 

We have lost a significant amount of snow, due to rain and some warmer daytime temperatures, but much still remains.

 

I'm not complaining.

 

Hopefully one day soon, we will wake up to the robins singing, and the first green shoot emerging from the earth.  That day is not today, and probably not tomorrow...or the next.

Still not complaining.

From the Weather Book

February 26
- snow, snow, snow

March 1
- in like a lamb

March 3
- light snow

March 5
- sun!

March 9
- mild, sun
- clocks back

March 10
- light rain
- mild
- slush on lake

March 11
- rain

March 13
- snow, squalls in the evening

March 14
- clear, cold & sunny

March 19
- snowy all day

March 20
- first day of Spring

March 23
- mild, sunny
- light snow in the late afternoon & early evening

March 24
- mild, sunny
- still lots of snow!

Normal

What is normal anyway?

 

Today I'm talking specifically about the weather.  As I was saying in my last post, it's cold again.  Snow is flying and spring is seemingly far away.

 

I'm not complaining, but others are.

 

We were spoiled last year by an extremely early spring.  This time last year, temperatures were already in the teens.  By the end of March we were having consistent mid-20 degree weather.  That's certainly not normal.

 

The warm and early spring stretched into a summer that was long and very dry.  It didn't really rain much at all during July.  We had trees turning brown in late August.  The spring and summer months put a considerable stress on the natural environment.

 

In my un-expert opinion, I think the longer it stays cooler this year, the better.  The trees and other plants need time to rest after the difficult growing season of last year.

 

I'll take a longer winter if it might mean a lusher more vibrant and healthy summer.

Rain, Rain...

...stay while.

 

We woke up yesterday to a sky threatening rain, but it never came.  Today, though has been a different story.  Rain all day.

 

I like it.

 

It washes away the grit and grime that slowly accumulates over winter.  It decimates mile high snowbanks.  It makes puddles that are irresistible to little boys.

 

 

 

 

It makes me crave reading certain books.  It makes me look inward and slow down.

 

Yes, the rain can stay, and the snow can go - although I'm certain we haven't seen the  last of the white stuff just yet.

From the Weather Book

January 19
- mild, snow

January 22
 - -30C

January 23
- -32C

January 28
- milder
- big, fat flakes of snow for most of the day

January 29
- mild, rain

February 2
- Groundhog did not see his shadow (early spring?)
- COLD

February 3
- cold!
- sunny morning

Ghost Day

Today was a ghost of a day. 

 

 

 

The rain was heavy and the fog thick.  These kind of layers always make me feel disconnected from the land.  Like I am floating in an in-between space. 

 

While walking there is a great unnatural stillness.  Driving, you move into nothingness, just a small stretch of road visible before you.

 

Landmarks are unknown and unfamiliar.

 

It's hard to feel centered on this earth when the spaces you know so well are transformed. Maneuvering on a deeply foggy day is quite like moving through uncertain times in your life.

 

Sometimes we move through our own lives like ghosts, fear or apprehension of the unknown creates a layer between us and our reality.  It can become hard to see your way.

 

Just as with walking through the fog, you just keep going and keep faith that soon you`ll glimpse something recognizable, solid and sure, and all will become clear.

Thaw

Another January thaw is on the way.  After a stint of frigid temperatures, it has warmed up and will continue to do so for the next few days.  We are expecting rain, rain and more rain.

I think it's good.  A respite from the cold is always nice, but it's also helpful in terms of getting the roads cleared.  With the freezing rain and snow of two weekends ago, and then the deep freeze, the roads have been perpetually icy every since.

Puddle Jumping

The thaw continues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the Weather Book

November 19
- sunny, warm, lovely day

November 20
- foggy


November 25
- snowy

Novemebr 28
 - lovely snow in the morning



November 30
- cold, bitter wind

December 1
- the cold has arrived

December 6
- ice on the lake

December 7
- dreary

December 11
- more ice on the lake

 

December 16
- freezin rain, rain

December 20
- brutal wind in the evening, snow and freezing rain
- bitter cold

From the Weather Book

November 9
- mild

November 10
- mild, rain all night



November 11
- WARM!
- a gorgeous day

November 14
- pink sunrise
- wet, heavy snow and light rain in the morning

November 15
- sunny and mild

Welcome

Today is the first day of fall, and it has brought with it decidedly Autumn-like weather.  Rain all day, interspersed with a wicked wind, and strange sunny periods.

A time of great change.

And with change, there is hope.

 

 

I hope wherever you are, you are cosied up with loved ones and happy thoughts. 

Welcome to fall.

Rain

It's a wet day today. 

I'm enjoying it because we have had so few wet days this summer. 

I'll be interested in seeing what kind of fall we have - if it's drier than normal, or wet, or what.  Maple lake is so low right now, and the deep aquifers and ground water is depleted. Trees, in particular maple trees, are orange-brown and the ground is littered with leaves.  It looks like late fall on some stretches of road on higher ground.

The tamarack tree in our front yard has already dropped its needles.

We need a rainy fall an a snowy winter.

Dry

It's has been painfully dry, and I'm starting to see the effects outside.  The vegetable garden is fine (aside from monster weeds), as we have the sprinkler on it every evening for a few hours.

In the front garden, though, we are losing previously well-established plants.  Up and down highway 518, trees are turning early, and looking very, very dry.

Just a few days ago, this fern was still lush and green.  I hope it comes back next year...

Even the dandelion greens are flat on the ground.