Winter

[MoonShadows]

Views out my home office window the other day just after daybreak...

[applestar]

Very nice! I wanna know more about that first building next to the green house. The last one is chicken coop? Maybe in another thread....

[MoonShadows]

The building next to the greenhouse is a two story shed built on that hill in the 1940's. When we first bought the house, it had an old wood burning stove in it...that's why the chimney. It has clapboard siding and a slate roof. There is a door in the floor that opens to a staircase down to the lower level. You can also access the lower level from the outside. For years we used it as a tool and storage shed and stored lawnmowers, tiller, etc. underneath. Now that we gave our chickens away, the chicken coop in the 3rd picture is the new garden tool shed. The chicken run has grape vines planted in it. One of my winter projects is to turn the old shed into a wood shop. Now that I have the room I can. It does need some repair, new siding and soon a new roof. Our house is white siding with green trim and a green metal roof. I may do this to the old shed as well. I would love to restore it, but I just don't have the time.

Here's a view of it from the front. This was taken when we were building the greenhouse a few years ago.

This is a better one.

[jal_ut]

I went out long enough to feed the cats and put some seed on the bird feeder. (We have three cats that hang around. They are outside cats, do not come in the house) The temperature is 26 degrees F and clear blue skies. About 8 inches of snow on the ground. No bees flying today!

[jal_ut]

Lots of birds on the feeder today. Starlings, Eu Doves, English Sparrow, Junco, House Finch, Magpie. At 3:42 Pm its 28 degrees and snowing.

[jal_ut]

12 degrees F this morning and mostly clear skies. Sure thankful for a house and a furnace.

[rainbowgardener]

Wow!!

Every time I see your signature line: "Frost free from May 25 to September 8 +/- " I think what a long cold winter that is to get through. I have no idea how you grow as much as you do in a growing season like that.

We currently have highs in the 60's, lows in the 50's, but starting Christmas Eve the bottom drops out and we have lows between 27 and 36 for the rest of the ten day forecast....

[digitS']

It's 10°f this morning with just enuf snow to say that "it's looking a lot like Christmas!"

There was snow in the shadow of the buildings from the 7" that we had on Tuesday. Much of it melted away with temperatures in the high 30's since. This was added to, and spread more generally, by the lightest covering of snow yesterday afternoon. It will probably melt off the north side of the roofs with the sun, just rising in the East!

Not to worry ... there is another inch or two forecast for Christmas Eve and no open air temperatures are thought by the WS folks to reach melting over the next week.

We will need the moisture of winter snowfalls through next year's growing season. The "snotel" totals at the higher elevations are looking good, right at 100% of normal or just above. Yay!

Steve

[jal_ut]

On January 9 there was 0.22 in the rain gauge. Today 0.35, It was mostly rain. Gee if all that had came as snow we would have a pile of snow.

[jal_ut]

This morning its 35 degrees F overcast and calm. I took the birds some seed and sit here and watch the birds play on the feeder and play on the computer. I don't grow indoors, but took one six inch pot and planted two tomato seeds. That will have to do for my winter garden.

[digitS']

The skiers might look at Lookout Pass on the Montana and Idaho border where there was 69" at the summit or at northern Idaho's Schweitzer with 73". That was this morning.

Here at a lower elevation, it was snowing at 3:30am lightly ... and it is still snowing at 7pm. Recent warmer weather and quite a lot of rain had nearly "disappeared" the snow in the yard. My paths were widening! This afternoon's temperatures were supposed to be a little warmer and some of this was to be rain but that didn't happen. Light snow fell all day.

This keeps that ridiculous snow making machinery out of the ski areas. Of course, we need the soil moisture, adequate summer stream flows, and the ground and perennial roots need some insulation from winter cold.

Steve

[Taiji]

First significant moisture finally the other day. About 1 and 1/4 inches. It had been close to 4 months with no rain til this recent storm. Forecast for this winter had been warmer and drier than usual for this area. That has held true. 10 day forecast is back to "normal" though. Low 60's during the day with no rain.

[jal_ut]

25 degrees and clear blue skies. No bees flying today! Six inches of snow still on the ground. I took the birds some seed and sit here and play on the computer.

[jal_ut]

Taiji: "First significant moisture finally the other day. About 1 and 1/4 inches."

It has been dry here too. The month of December had a grand total of 0.02 inch of rain. January has been a bit better, with 0.22 Jan 9 and 0.35 Jan 10. Today 22 degrees F and clear blue skies.

[jal_ut]

About 4 inches of fresh snow this morning. Its 30 degrees F and overcast. I took the birds some seed and was happy to come in and sit at the computer.

[jal_ut]

" Yes, I am what is called ovo-lacto vegetarian. I eat eggs, milk, cheese, etc."

Ummmm, eggs, milk, cheese, all animal products. Like I said you may as well go get a big steak and live it up!

[jal_ut]

Coming back to winter: here today its 40 degrees F and overcast. Still have some snow on the ground. Calm. I went out to take the wild birds some seed on the feeder, then back in the house. Too cold for planting. Too early to start things for later planting out. So guess I will just sit here and play on the computer........ and read about gardening. Please share your stories.

[jal_ut]

Coming to the bird feeder: Junco, Magpie, Starling, Eu. Dove, House Sparrow, House Finch.

(Note: the House Sparrow we also call the English Sparrow, or Spug. They are an implant and spread across the country like a plague. They seem to have become more naturalized nowadays though and seem to fit into a niche. )

[imafan26]

It isn't snowing, but it is raining in Hawaii, or at least where I live. Most of the storm is actually hitting the ocean. Ruins my plans for a beach day (not really ), but it looks like I am not going to be doing much outside work and the weeds will be getting taller. I am going to the botanical garden today to make ti leis for Memorial Day. The leis are frozen so we get a few months to make 7000 leis. I have to relearn to do them every year so I usually only make 8-10 in a session. We have weekly sessions.

The birds are trying to nest in the eaves and the walls again and in the top of the palm trees.

[jal_ut]

Hi There

[applestar]

Great photo! It’s a Flicker isn’t it? I’m not positive but I think yours looks a little different from the kind that comes to my garden which is a Yellow-shafted Flicker.

[jal_ut]

Thursday February 1, its overcast, calm, and 38 degrees here. I went out and took the wild birds some seed. we have Juncos, Magpies, Eu. Doves, Starlings, RW Blackbirds, E. Sparrows coming in to feed.

applestar, yes the photo is of a Flicker. We have the Red-shafted here.

[jal_ut]

February 15, Thursday, its 31 degrees and snowing here.

[jal_ut]

Oh my, I just looked out and it is snowing and there is about 200 Red-winged Blackbirds hitting the bird feeder. Temperature is 32 degrees,

[digitS']

I bet that was an interesting, colorful sight!

We might have had snow and red-wing blackbirds. It might have been the last of March but the birds are never around during the winter. Warmer weather and they are one of the early birds. Or, I can be in the right place and the yellow-headed blackbirds are there. Brewer's, I guess that they aren't so early.

Seven or more inches of snow fell yesterday. Beautiful bluesky day for most of today but snow-rain-snow beginning tomorrow. What is left on the ground Sunday afternoon won't be going away any time soon. NWS says after weekend storms, it's going down to single

digitS'

[pow wow]

There has been a lot of snow here in Calgary this winter. I'm still out along the river feeding birds every chance I get.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139842551 ... ateposted/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/139842551 ... ateposted/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/139842551 ... ateposted/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139842551 ... ateposted/

[jal_ut]

pow wow, thanks for sharing your pictures.

Here today at 10:20 AM its sunny and 42 degrees. The snow is moving back, but my garden is still snow covered. So I go take the wild birds some seed and come sit at the computer.

[jal_ut]

Good Sunday morning! Here its 48 degrees and windy. No snow yet.

[applestar]

We had snow here last evening/night — 2-3 inches — but starting to melt already.

@pow wow — I LOVE it that you are still hand feeding those little birds! Thanks for sharing the videos and photos.

[pow wow]

Thanks jal_ut and applestar, It's my pleasure to show off the birds. It's to the point where I feel guilty if I skip feeding them for a few days. But I know they can feed themselves, our winters can be so snowy and cold. One little Chickadee I feed has only one leg but it seems to do just fine.

It's -0.4F right now, snowed over night so I will be shoveling for a few hours. (my place and for several elderly people in the area)

[digitS']

Keep up the good work, Pow Wow !

Yesterday, it was very windy. Not far from where I used to live in what is called the Palouse, there were winds of 63mph. About 1/2" of precipitation fell over about 48 hours, most of it as rain. It didn't take away the 7" of snow we had on the ground.

The temperature began to fall with sundown, continued right up until about 8am today when it hit 21°f (-6°C) and it's now warmed up to 22°f. With this remarkable "heat wave" this afternoon, the winds are now gusting about 25mph so the wind chill is 7... real single digitS' may come by tomorrow morning but we are almost sure to see them by the 20th with a forecast low of 5°f (-15C).

Highway travel must be real dangerous. The bridge over Lake Washington into Seattle has just closed because of high winds but the real question I have is how people are doing on icy highways. I90 in the Cascades was closed much of yesterday because of a 19 vehicle pile-up. And now, the slush has turned to ice!

Steve

[jal_ut]

I went out and got on the tractor and moved about ten inches of "partly cloudy" off the driveway.

[jal_ut]

Pic of the Magpie nests

Since Photobucket dumped us on our heads...... I am wondering what other hosting sites there may be available?

[xtron]

no photos...yet.. but..
here in western Virginia, we have robins bopping around, and the trees are budding out getting ready to throw leaves...
the daffodils are up around 6 inches above ground.
think spring is upon us, thank goodness.

[jal_ut]

Spring? How exciting. Here its 29 degrees and there is a foot of snow still on the plot. We are expecting to get some more storm tonight. Nothing growing but ice.

[digitS']

We finally had some thawing yesterday but the 44 °f came with wind gusts of 45+ mph!

The Sunday snowstorm just missed my place but even as it warmed the 6" or so already on the ground blowing with heavy snow falling resulted in whiteout conditions on highways just south.

It's back to 24° this morning and I bet the stars and moon are shining brightly but I don't have to be outdoors for a couple of hours. By then! The eastern sky should be bright with sunlight.

Steve

[jal_ut]

17 degrees here and clear blue skies. I took the wild birds some seed and was happy to come back in.

[jal_ut]

11:00 AM 48 degrees, overcast and windy. Hey if it hits 50 I will have to walk out and see if any bees survived the winter?

[applestar]

...and over here, it’s snowing! Big fat flakes and temperature hovering at freezing so not sure if it will stick, but strong whipping winds robbing warmth from the house and it feels cold!

[jal_ut]

28 degrees, calm, and a bit of fresh snow on the lot. I took the wild birds some seed, now sit here at the computer.