~
Monday, January 31, 2011, 9:30 a.m.
1 degree, calm, mostly sunny
Another arctic clipper has brought us some very frigid
temperatures,
and it doesn’t look like it will warm up too much
until another nor’easter
blows through the neighborhood tomorrow afternoon and
into Wednesday.
I was on the road for a good part of yesterday, and saw
some interesting
things. The journey began early, and the trees between
here and Boonville
were coated with airy snow; the elms were particularly
graceful as they bent
under their lacey veils. I saw a flock of hundreds of
starlings, and crows seemed
to pop up along the route just when I felt a little bored
or lonely. I spent the day
in Milford with friends enjoying yoga, good food, and
thoughtful conversation,
and after dropping a buddy off in Little Falls traveled
the rest of the way home
in the dark. I ran into some blinding snow just before
Middleville, and another little
storm just south of Remsen. The twisty hilly stretch
north of Little Falls was a little
scary, because the snowy road blended with the snow by
the roadside, so I had
to proceed very slowly. It was a relief to reach Route 12,
at least there are rumble
strips on that highway to let one know if the car
ventures too close to the berm.
For once, I came into Turin and the roads here were bare;
I had expected the
worst after the little dervishes I had come through to
the south. The snow
sparkles in the morning sun, slightly surreal and
entirely enchanting.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Saturday, January 29, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
22 degrees, calm, mostly cloudy, snow
A few little lake effect swarms have buzzed around
the Hill this morning, leaving enough
fresh snow to make plowing the yard a good idea. Bigger
flakes have just appeared, looking
very pretty indeed. Yesterday we skied into the pine
plantation that lines the old Slivka Road. There
had been a muddy mess left from recent logging, but the
snow is deep enough that the way was pristine
and clear. The snow was ridiculously deep in places, but
with three in the party it was easy to take turns
breaking trail, although I must give huge props to one
friend who did the lion’s share of the work, guiding
us through blowdowns and puckerbrush with ease. The snow,
was slick and friendly, and we enjoyed good
easy gliding as well as sufficient traction for the
climbs. We did not attempt to cross Mill Creek, but
the smal-
ler streams and seeps had good snow bridges over them. We
saw plenty of deer tracks, and a few rabbit
trails, but not nearly as many as years past. Snowshoe
hares have been displaced by logging, construction,
and predators, with fewer of them hitting the stewpots,
according to a friend who hunts them. We had a
splendid time, arriving home just before a never-ending
procession of snowmobiles hit the nearby trails;
this is a big motor sports weekend, with events at the
Boonville Fairgrounds as well as at the Snow
Ridge Ski Resort. I am getting out of Dodge tomorrow,
hanging out in the Southern Tier with friends,
so I will take a bye day and get back with you on Monday.
Have a great weekend,
Daisy
Friday, January 28, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
22 degrees, calm, overcast, flurries
I heard the town plow go by at the crack of dawn, and
thought maybe we had received
some significant amount of snow during the night, but
there is just a dusting on top of all of
the tire tracks and footprints in the yard. I must say,
the town does a great job of keeping the
roads clear up here at the top of the world. It is a very
pretty morning, with a little fog frost on
some of the smaller twigs and branches, and five
starlings singing up a storm by the barn. I hung
out on the back step for several minutes enjoying their
show, with the dog frolicking around the out-
buildings, sniffing at every little mouse and weasel that
has left its scent during the past ten years. This
is a wonderful way to start any day, enjoying whatever
the first glimpse of the day has offered, a few
interesting details to ponder during the rest of the day
when mundane chores may seem a bit tedious.
Everything goes better with birdsong and a cool little
dog !
Have a great day,
Daisy
Thursday, January 27, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
18 degrees, calm, overcast, flurries
There is fog right up to our treeline, and it
thins out to reveal that the air is filled with
snowflakes
of various size, some tiny and some huge. It is very
pretty, especially the way the mist merges with
the snowfall at the edges of our view. Yesterday’s
outing took us up the Smith Road on foot, and as
it was midweek there were only a few snowmobiles to dodge.
The trail is packed solid, and the going
was good. We passed the cornfield and enjoyed watching a
pair of pigeons flying around with drill-team
precision. They were joined by another pair, and soon all
four were flying in close-order formation. A third
couple appeared from the treeline and joined in, never
missing a beat. We kept on walking, and at the rate
the flock were expanding I wondered if there would be
thousands of them in the air on our return, blotting
out the sun as passenger pigeons did during the
nineteenth century. We saw several crows, bluejays,
ravens,
chickadees, and one mourning dove as we walked along the
snowy trail. Dozens of deer tracks followed the
groomed snowmobile trail, right up the middle, often
veering off to a creek or nearby apple tree. It was a
fine
day for a walk, windless and moderate. The dog had his
nose in the snow for most of the trek, and marked
so many interesting spots that his tank was empty long
before we returned home. The cornfield was bare of
pigeons, but some evening grosbeaks were perched amid the
old stalks. When we got to the plowed road,
the dog’s feet loaded up with salt-soaked snow; I
had to carry him the last few hundred yards, and plunk
him in the sink to soak off the toxic little snowballs
that had formed. Be careful of your pets’ feet, as
rock salt can damage the pads as well as make them sick
if they swallow it while cleaning themselves.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Wednesday, January 26, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
26 degrees, calm, overcast
We have the merest hint of fog in the air, and I
have a feeling that the sun is shining not too far above
these low-lying clouds. The valley is completely hidden,
but there is a pretty good view of the neighbor’s
rooftop and the surrounding puckerbrush. It is finally
mild enough to take the dog for a walk, and we are
both looking forward to that outing. I may have to wait a
few days before skiing, to give a bruised ankle
time to heal. My walking shoes don’t affect the spot,
but stiff leather ski boots are out of the question
for now. There are five starlings by the barn this
morning, and one did the talking for all of them, try-
ing out a new vocabulary that is mostly squeaks and
clicks, almost like the sound a rusty gate
makes as it slowly swings open. I wonder if he is doing
some kind of one-man show
for his friends? They are certainly attentive enough, not
one heckler in the group.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Tuesday, January 25, 2011, 9:00 a.m.
16 degrees, breezy, overcast, snow
A southwest breeze has brought a nice change to
Gomer Hill; this morning is still wintry
but not bone-chillingly frigid, and beautiful soft snow
fills the air. So far about an inch has
stuck to the freshly-plowed yard, smoothing out the tire
marks and freshening up the view.
Yesterday I walked up the plowed road for a while, just
to work out the kinks of the prev-
ious day spent indoors. It was cold but not too windy,
and a warm scarf helped warm the air
before it hit my lungs. The sun felt great, and there
were many birds that were out enjoying the
day along with me. Pigeons have stayed up on the hill,
which is uncommon for the winter months.
A few starlings whistled and clucked from their perch by
the barn, but three crows were stealthy
and followed me in silence. There were many deer tracks
crossing the road which ended in a deep
trough through the cornfield; I imagine most of the deer
followed the snowmobile trail for a while,
as it would be easier than slogging through the deep snow.
Watch out for deer on the road as
well as on the trail; they will take the path of least
resistance this time of year. I see them
every night when I drive home from Boonville, and so far
have managed to miss them all.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Monday, January 24, 2011, 8:00 a.m.
- 9 degrees, calm, mostly sunny
The big news this morning is the bitter cold that
has settled over our neck of the woods.
Our overnight low was minus seventeen, and it was much
colder than that in the valley.
Thank goodness there isn’t any wind, as that would
be downright dangerous. All of the
schools around here have delayed their start time by two
hours, so that kids won’t have
to wait for the bus before the sun ha a chance to warm
things up a bit. Yesterday was also
very cold, with a high of only two degrees, and the north
wind kept up a pretty steady whoosh;
I stayed indoors all day. Now I have clean floors and
woodwork to show for my day of confine-
ment; I also took time to watch a mid-day movie with a
lap full of cat and dog, which was thera-
peutic for all three of us. We stoked both stoves before
bedtime but still heard the oil furnace
kick on just before dawn; our house temp had dropped to
fifty-eight, which hardly ever hap-
pens. Now we are toasty-warm indoors once again, and the
sun is working its magic on
the newfallen snow, reflecting light and a little heat
back into the still air with a won-
derful warming effect. As the sun grows stronger every
day, so does its ability
to chase away the deep chill that January often carries
in its pocket.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Sunday, January 23, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
- 4 degrees, breezy, mostly sunny
Oh my, is it ever a cold morning! The sub-zero
temperature could easily be made to seem a bit
warmer by the blazing sun, but a breeze straight from the
north pole has created pretty spectacular
wind chill. I can’t imagine being outdoors today for
anything more than the necessary short trips to the
yard with our dog. He sure got the job done in record
time earlier, reluctant to spend even one second
out in the cold longer than it took to TCB. I have
enjoyed skiing on many frigid sunny days, but if the wind
doesn’t die down I will undoubtedly find fun indoors
instead. Yesterday I skied in our back meadow, think-
ing that perhaps the snow would be windpacked into
submission. At first, I only sank in a few inches, but
there were plenty of surprises where all of a sudden my
skis dropped two feet down and came to a screech-
ing halt. I struggled one time around the spring, and
gave only a cursory thought to setting a track and mak-
ing the rounds a few times. Then I remembered there was a
perfectly good trail already laid down from
Saturday’s adventure over to the Evans Road, so I
headed off in that direction. There were plenty of
snowmobiles in the cornfield coming from both directions,
so I stayed close to the treeline and dove
into the trees whenever I heard a pack approaching. Our
trail had been mostly filled in by Saturday
night’s snowfall, but I could still make out the
faint outline of the long straight tracks, and when I
stay-
ed on them I only sank a few inches into the fresh powder.
I skied to the top of the road and into the
huge meadow for a few minutes, but the snow was
dauntingly deep so I retraced my steps and mosey-
ed on home. Skiing alone is much different than being
joined by friends... not better or worse, just differ-
ent. It allows time for personal reflection; yesterday I
spent much of the trek just appreciating the fact that
I live in such a beautiful place, and that my body is
strong and still works pretty well. Even the residual
sore-
ness I feel the day after a good adventure tells me that
I am alive and enjoying life the best way I know
how.
So if today’s wind and arctic chill keep me indoors,
I will accept the rest and recovery that such an oppor-
tunity affords. Maybe I’ll make some chocolate
pudding; that always seems like a good idea, yes ?
Have a great day,
Daisy
Saturday, January 22, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
8 degrees, calm, mostly sunny
The temperature has already come up sixteen
degrees from a very cold overnight low.
Hold onto your brass monkeys, the coldest night of the
year (so far) will be tomorrow. Take
precautions for your pets and plumbing, and put some dry
gas in your car. If you are driving anywhere,
prepare for the possibility that something might cause
your car to fail (like a dead battery), so put some in-
sulating blankets or a sleeping bag in the back seat.
Yesterday a friend came up after lunch and we headed
out into what was a pretty good snowstorm to see how the
cross country skiing would be. We stayed off of
the snowmobile trail because visibility was not good at
all. We faced right into the teeth of the wind, and we
soon realized we were in the thick of a Tug Hill blizzard.
We went towards the Evans road through the neigh-
bor’s cornfield, and stayed close to the treeline;
we found a little relief in occasional lulls when the big
snow-
flakes didn’t scour our skin. I had on glasses, but
my friend did not, and she couldn’t keep her head up
to
see where we were going because the snow would pelt her
naked eyeballs. We both sank into the snow
up to our knees, and the first part of the trek was a
slow plod, a trudge, a real slog through the worst
snowstorm of the year. At one point we wondered if we
should turn around, but decided to ski all the
way to the Evans Road to see if the trail had been packed
down by a snowmobile or two. We saw a bright
yellow posted sign that marked the edge of the
meadow and made that our short-term goal. We tapped it
with our ski poles, and noticed that a tractor had been
up the road sometime between recent storms, so
we took a left and were suddenly in a calm place where
the snow fell softly and the wind wasn’t our ad-
versary. We skied to the top of the road into the broad
expanse of meadow, and the bluster was once
again all around us. We turned around and skied back down,
which was the only effortless skiing we
had found all afternoon. It was so much fun we did it all
over again, climbed up and skied down like
a couple of little kids with flexible flyer sleds. I
guess we proved, among other things, that you can
grow older but you don’t necessarily have to grow up.
We paused at the bottom of the hill to ad-
mire the great white expanse of snow, now deep enough to
cover all of the weeds and corn-
stalks that had been poking up until yesterday. The trek
back to the house was easier, as we
had already broken trail and the wind was at our backs.
We stopped at an old apple tree to
fill my backpack with dry twigs for kindling; now every
morning when I light the kitchen
fire I can remember a couple of hours spent having crazy
fun with a good friend.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Friday, January 21, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
13 degrees, breezy, partly sunny
Yesterday’s snow didn’t amount to much
in the way of depth, and left a glittering fish-scale
surface
everywhere it landed. It is a month past winter solstice,
and we are gaining about two minutes of daylight
with every rotation of the earth. I was thrilled to
notice that I could drive home from Boonville at 5:30 and
it wasn’t pitch dark. In spite of the cold and snow
of yesterday, it was quite pleasant when the sun was out,
and I enjoyed a brief walk up the plowed road after lunch
with both snowflakes and sunbeams on my face.
There was too much snowmobile traffic to head up the
Smith Road; I guess the weekend starts on Thurs-
day for some folks. At least there is finally enough snow
for everyone, and last night I blinked the porch
light at the groomer as it passed by. We have some truly
arctic chill headed our way for the weekend,
make sure your pets and barn critters are tricked out for
the sub-zero temps and carry extra winter
garb and a fleecy blanket in your car, just in case. If
the sun is out and the wind stays away,
we could have some very good skiing over the next few
days, especially if the
lake effect machine delivers another few inches of fluff
later today.
Bundle up, and have a great day,
Daisy
Thursday, January 20, 2011, 10:00 a.m.
11 degrees, calm, mostly cloudy, snow
Big perfect snowflakes sink weightlessly down to the
earth, covering most of yesterday’s tracks and
pathways with a delicate intricate lacework duvet. The
wind hasn’t been up yet, and I was able to take
a rare accurate measurement of the depth, which is a
little more than two inches of fresh powder. This is
storybook snowfall, the kind that appears once upon a
time and, one hopes, ends with happily ever after.
If you could write your own life story, would every
chapter have a happy ending? Or do the hardships, trials,
grief, and disappointments help to shape our character,
and make life more interesting? Stephen King, master
of the art of horrific plotlines, almost always achieves
that elusive happy ending, but only after a great deal of
pain and suffering for most of the characters. Every best-selling
book has a balance of good and evil, sun-
shine and darkness, bunnies and wolves. We have to learn
how to use the adversity that shows up in our
own storyline to become stronger, and through coping with
sorrow learn how to love even more deeply.
Have a beautiful day,
Daisy
Wednesday, January 19, 2011, 10:00 a.m.
19 degrees, windy, overcast, flurries
The past twenty-four hours has seen much in the way of
weather, from snow to mist to sleet to grauple,
more rain, and now finally back to snow. There was a
break in the action after lunch yesterday, and I was
able to walk a couple of miles with the dog, who pranced
happily along the roadside without complaining
of cold feet. We stopped frequently for him to sniff long
and hard at some invisible trace of man or beast,
and when we found some deep deer tracks he just about
disappeared into them nose-first. There were
many such deep impressions all around the open water of
Horsie Creek, as well as quite a well-worn
path through the cornfield next to the stream. The only
small tracks I saw were those of a pair of coyotes,
headed up an abandoned driveway and into the ruins of an
old barn. We walked along the snowmobile trail
for a bit, and only encountered one sled during our trek.
I think the skiing would be decent on this trail midweek,
before the onslaught of weekend warriors, and plan to go
out later this afternoon. There was a little fine mist in
the air, but overall the weather was quite pleasant,
although it didn’t appear so from indoors looking
out. By
the time I arrived at work later in the afternoon,
pellets of grauple were accumulating on the windshield,
and
the wind had picked up. I drove home in rain, which
fortunately did not freeze onto the road. Fog shrouded
the top of Gomer Hill, and the air was still for much of
the night. A nearly-full moon shone through the fog,
and bathed the meadows with a soft glowing light that was
the last thing I saw before drifting off to sleep.
Have a wonderful day,
Daisy
Tuesday, January 18, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
23 degrees, light breeze, overcast, snow
Heavy snowfall is unaffected by the light breeze that
occasionally wafts through the yard.
According to the forecast, some sleet and freezing rain
is supposed to mix in with the snow
at some point, which would generally improve conditions
for all non-motorized outdoor winter
sports as the recent arrival of deep fluffy powder will
then have a chance to settle. Now that we
finally have some depth of snow on Tug Hill, I reckon the
snowmobile trail groomer will once again
be a familiar sight every evening as it pokes along the
Smith Road and across the neighbor’s cornfield.
My friends who ride have reported that the trails have
been very bumpy so far this season, lacking the
cushion of a properly compacted base. If this snow does
eventually get a bit juicier, then it should pack
down nicely, and also give us some excellent material for
building a snowman or fort. The Folks that
organize the annual Boonville Snow Festival have had to
haul snow from nearby fields to build snow
bleachers for the last weekend of January, and are very
happy with the recent help from Old Man
Winter, who provided eight inches of snow right at
trackside for building up the banks. To view
a schedule of events for this year’s festival, visit
www.boonvillesnowfestival.com
. Every year
it gets bigger, and some new features have been added as
well. Now I see that the breeze has
shifted into almost a full-fledged wind right out of the
south; I believe a change is a-comin’.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Monday, January 17, 2011, 8:00 a.m.
- 6 degrees, calm, sunny
I just heard that it is twenty-two below zero in
Boonville, yikes! it is cold up here,
but not as cold as that. As the sun’s strength grows
day by day, it will make even the frostiest
of morns seem a little warmer when its rays fall upon us
as we travel outdoors. Yesterday I walked
a little distance on the Smith Road, but the wind was
very cold and swept the sunbeams away before
they could reach me, so it was a short trek. The biting
wind combined with an endless supply of fumes
and noise generated by hundreds of snowmobiles, creating
a most non-triumphant outing for those of us
on foot. The snow needs to settle a bit before it will be
very skiable; snowshoes are probably a better bet
unless one chooses to go on groomed trails, like those of
the BREIA system in Boonville. Even the deer have
kept themselves secluded in the forest, for there are no
tracks at all over any of the nearby meadows. The feral
cat that occasionally leaves a straight row of little
round pawprints around the house and barn has not been
here
for more than a week; the only footprints out there at
all are those of the dog, who doesn’t wander far
from the woodshed when the weather is this cold. I
thought I might take a walk this morning, but a squad of
snowmobiles
has just sped past the house (on what is supposed to be a
closed road...) reminding me that this is a holiday for
some, and there is likely to be an excess of sledders
getting in one last run before heading back to their home
state. Perhaps I will leave for work an hour early today,
and get my exercise by strolling around Boonville,
window shopping and enjoying the sight and sounds of kids
playing outside on their day off.
Whatever you do on this chilly day,
enjoy yourself !
Daisy
Sunday, January 16, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
19 degrees, breezy, mostly sunny, flurries
We finally were on the receiving end of a fine lake
effect snowstorm yesterday,
and it may not yet be over. The band has drifted somewhat
to the south, but there
is a new system forming directly to our west, and if the
breeze kicks it up a notch we
could very well see another lovely dump as the day wears
on. We have about a foot and
a half of new sparkling powder, and a few motes carry the
gleam into midair in the rays of
bright morning sun. Yesterday’s snowfall was
accompanied by some hefty gusts of wind
which shaped the drifts into massive rolling forms,
resembling a pod of great white whales
swimming through the meadows. The town plows have been by,
and our yard is scraped
down as well, ready and waiting for the next wave. A few
crows flap noisily about
the property, but they are the only signs of wildlife
that have come out to ad-
mire the vast and dazzling vista that is laid before us
like a gift.
Have a wonderful day,
Daisy
Saturday, January 15, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
16 degrees, breezy, mostly cloudy
I can see the faint hint of sun glowing roundly behind
the clouds, but who knows if it will pop out to warm
us today? Yesterday we went to Little Falls, and the sun
was so strong down that way that snow and ice were
sliding from rooftops all over town, so careful where you
walk! It would have been a perfect day for outdoor
fun, and friends report that the alpine skiing at Snow
Ridge was very good indeed, but I was out of nearly
every baking supply that keeps our freezer full of
homemade bread. The Community Co-op has flour, sugar,
yeast, oats, wheat germ, and much more, sold in bulk at a
reasonable price, often cheaper than the big chain
supermarket. I also brought home a few organic yams,
something that I really love but have not tried growing
here in the north Country. Yet. The weather dude says
that we will probably get a good amount of lake effect
snow tonight, but as always, we will wait and see what
actually happens. By mid-week a little rain and sleet
is in the forecast, which at first seems like it should
be disappointing, but it certainly will help build a good
firm base for backcountry skiing. As it is now, the snow
is so light and fluffy that one sinks right down
to the dirt with nearly every stride. I am willing to
hunker down for a couple of days,
if that’s what it takes to make for better woodland
skiing.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Friday, January 14, 2011, 9:00 a.m.
12 degrees, calm, mostly sunny, flurries
A few streaky clouds sit over the Black River
Valley, but nothing stands between the sun and the fine
motes of crystalline snow that fill the air like fairy
dust. The new-fallen powder sparkles as well, and the
morning view brings to life the old phrase rise and
shine. It is cold but windless, so the sun has a
chance
to work its warming magic on a chilly traveler. Have you
noticed that the sun’s strength has increased just
a little more with the passing of each day? Even on the
coldest of single-digit days, at high noon there
is enough radiant power from our home star to set the
icicles dripping from the eaves.
Enjoy this gem of a day; the weekend looks to be a snowy
one (Yay!)
Have a wonderful day,
Daisy
Thursday, January 13, 2011, 8:00 a.m.
10 degrees, calm, overcast, flurries
It looks like the latest little storm left about eight
inches of fresh snow, enough to plow the yard
and hopefully fill the woodlands with some skiable powder.
A few lingering flurries slowly descend
straight to the ground, as it is a very calm winter
morning with not one whisper of wind. There are a
half dozen sparrows feeding in the detritus of the old
asparagus bed; they look like common house
sparrows, which is a variety that I hardly every see in
our yard in any season. Song, white-throated,
tree, and fox sparrows are common visitors during fair
weather, nesting under the forsythia and privet
hedges. At first glance, I thought our morning visitors
were juncos, but when I looked through the bino-
culars I saw the striped backs and dark little chest
splotch of the house sparrow. We let the asparagus
go to weeds last summer, and the area is rich with dock
and amaranth seeds; most of the little birds are
perched on the stalks and dining directly at the source.
Any sign of life is very welcome on a cold winter
morn, although I will shoo this cute bird away from our
bluebird nesting boxes if they linger into spring.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Wednesday, January 12, 2011, 9:00 a.m.
10 degrees, breezy, overcast, snow
Beautiful snow is coming from every direction,
although I believe the wind is mostly from the north.
So far about three inches has arrived, and it looks like
it will keep up for a while. I had planned to go
to the Valley today for supplies, but as there is a
Winter Weather Advisory posted for every route I
would travel, I think I will stick close to home. I
suppose it is time I reclaimed the great room from
the holiday season. Our tree is still fairly fresh and
green, but I just might be the only person in the
country that doesn’t take off the lights and haul it
to the curb (or in our case, the hedgerow) as soon
as the new year begins. Most years we have festooned a
balsam, and after I take off the decorations
I would beat the needles out of it to use in pillows and
sachets. This year’s tree is a spruce, so I will be
able to simply roll it in a tarp and gently escort it to
its resting place, where I am sure generations of little
rodents will find shelter during the hardest gales of
winter. In late April I will see it there, all bony
and brown, surrounded by feral daffodils, trillium, and
trout lilies, a perfect portrait of the great
wheel of the seasons doing a slow spin, never missing a
beat. For today, let it snow !
Have a great day,
Daisy
Tuesday, January 11, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
10 degrees, calm, mostly cloudy, flurries
Big fat snowflakes float and hover in the absence
of any significant breeze.
Radar shows a small patch of precipitation right over the
middle of Lewis County,
and nowhere else in upstate. The only break in the clouds
is directly above the Black River
Valley, and that is so be-dazzled with silvery light that
it is hard to look at directly. Sometime
during the night there must have been some fog or other
fine mist which has coated every
surface with glittering rime; branches, twigs, shrubbery,
weeds, vines, all touched by Jack
Frost’s magic wand. It is very cold outside, but
since there is no wind I should be able
to ski for a bit and surround myself with this very
special kind of wintry beauty.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Monday, January 10, 2011, 9:30 a.m.
10 degrees, breezy, mostly cloudy, flurries
It is a very cold morning; the temperature dropped
into the single digits last night,
and there is only a slight chance that it may soar out of
the teens by afternoon. A pale
sun is barely seen through high clouds; blue sky is hard
to find on this cold winter morning.
We had planned to ski yesterday but the northwest wind,
cold temps, and ofttimes blinding
snow made up our minds to stay indoors. The short time it
took to haul kindling from the barn
to the house showed that the decision was sound, oh boy
was it blustery! If we could have skied
in the shelter of the woodland trees, the wind
wouldn’t have been too bad, but there still
isn’t enough
snow to traverse anything more than mown meadows. The
tracks I laid down on Saturday have blown
over, and the only marks in the fields this morning are
those of the deer, who have left hundreds of deep
hoofprints in the sparkling snow. I am amazed that I
haven’t seen more deer; they must feed while it is
still dark outside. I haven’t even seen any around
the huge round bales in the neighbors field. In fact,
the only times I have seen deer at all lately have been
in the early evening when I drive home from
work; I almost always have to slow down or stop as they
cross the road, unpredictable and
appearing out of nowhere. I even saw one right at the
edge of Boonville,
strolling across Post Street as if it owned the night. Be
careful!
Have a great day,
Daisy
Sunday, January 9, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
16 degrees, mostly cloudy, breezy, snow
Some pretty good snow is borne on a stiff west
breeze, having all of the earmarks of lake effect weather,
but there has been no mention of it on any weather report
this morning. The sun has just peeked out, and
the air is alive with glittering snowflakes; how can
anything be so beautiful! The flakes closest to the house
are riding the envelope of escaping warmth and floating
back up into the air, a graceful ballet with an appre-
ciative audience. The fresh snowy lawns and meadows are
all sparkly; it is almost too much to take in all at
once. I love the way the morning sun lights up the view,
no matter what time of year it is. The yellow-greens
of spring are springier, the jades and emeralds of summer
more summery, and don’t even get me started a-
bout the hues of autumn in the early morning light; I
might tear up. Yesterday I skied around the neighbor-
hood and ventured into the woodlot. I discovered that
there still is not enough of a base to navigate through
the forest with ease, and took a header over a small log
that had just enough snow over it to conceal its pre-
sence. Fortunately, my knee landed in the soft snow right
next to the log, so no harm done. I skedaddled
out of the woods, retracing my tracks to avoid any other
obstacles. I saw scads of deer tracks; their
poky little hooves went right down to the duff, and some
revealed dark ice at the bottom that froze
after the deer hit the slushy earth. I plan to explore
the meadows and swamps that border the
Evans Road today; with any luck the sun will stay bright
and the gliding will be perfect.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Saturday, January 8, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
18 degrees, calm, overcast, fine snow
Snowflakes so tiny that I thought I imagined them against
my face are perfectly formed hexagonal crystals.
I spent a little while letting some fall on my sleeve and
looked at them through my pocket magnifying glass.
No two alike, some very simple, some so complex the mind
boggles. This is the kind of snow that will pack
together well to make a firm base for the lighter fluffy
stuff that is due later from the lake effect machine. We
are beginning to accumulate a respectable amount of snow
here on Gomer Hill, deposited a couple of inches
at a time. I hope to ski into the woodlot later today, if
the twigs and toolies are sufficiently covered. I would
like to see if I can find where the barred owl has been
hanging out; I still hear it nearly every night. Tall
weed and grass stubble remains sticking up in the meadows,
but now there is enough snow-covered
surface so that the larger patches of vegetation can
easily be avoided. I must remember to
take my camera along; it is all charged up and ready to
go. And so am I !
Have a great day,
Daisy
Friday, January 7, 2011, 7:30 a.m.
20 degrees, breezy, overcast, snow
Some pretty serious snow has moved into our
neighborhood from the southeast,
a non-typical direction for weather events. A couple of
inches of fresh powder has
obliterated all of my nice cross-country ski trails, but
it won’t be a big deal to make
some more later today. The snow hasn’t slowed down
the ravens and crows, who
finally seem to be sharing the same airspace without much
bickering. The starling
choir was absent this morning, and the larger black birds
have filled the air with
conversation rather than tunes. It is a different
soundtrack, but still a merry one.
Yesterday we went to Rome, and fog accompanied us for
much of the trip. In
many places it had completely coated every twig and
branch with thick white
rime, lovely to behold and making our ride more
interesting. Today’s beau-
tiful snow will make winter sports enthusiasts chomp at
the bit for work
to let out early today, so they can get outside and play.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Thursday, January 6, 2011, 7:30 a.m.
11 degrees, calm, mostly sunny
It is amazing how just a few strands of clouds can turn
an ordinary sunrise into a fabulous light show.
I think I’ll put the Pink Floyd channel on, Pandora-wise.
Oh, a perfect song for today, Money ! I am
headed to the Social Security Office in Rome, an
experience that I am sure will rival a visit to the DMV
for sheer bureaucratic idiocy. For now I am comfortable
sipping coffee and gazing at the gorgeous sun-
rise as it highlights the little snow-dunes and long ski
tracks that cover the meadows. Yesterday I finally
got out on skis, and even though there still isn’t
enough depth to head into the woods I had a fine trek
around the mown hayfields. Since I was alone, the first
trip was a bit slow as I sank down through
about eight inches of dense powder. The third time around
the trail I fairly flew on the downhill runs,
and the uphill sprints were zippy as well, with good grip
and no drag. The only other tracks in the fields
were those of deer, who are still able to scrape away
enough snow to get at the green fodder beneath.
I wonder where the mice and voles are? Perhaps if I were
to head into the puckerbrush I would see
sign of rodents and hares. I took the dog for the first
thirty yards or so, but the snow was too cold
for his feet so his trip was short, made up for by a romp
in the barn after I returned from skiing.
Today will be spent in the city and then at work and
meetings, but tomorrow looks like
more snow is on the way and the promise of adventures for
the weekend.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Wednesday, January 5, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
18 degrees, windy, partly sunny
There are some fairly dark patches of cloud in a
beautiful blue sky, and to the southeast I can
actually see snow falling from one of them, much like a
passing thundershower in warmer seasons.
Right now the sun is behind a long cloudbank, but a
brilliant dense silver beam connects those clouds
to another mass a hand’s breadth away and running
parallel to the first. All in all, it is a stunning
morning,
worthy of further admiration while I enjoy a second cup
of coffee. We plowed a good five inches from
the yard yesterday, and since then an additional three or
four has fallen. I drove home from Boonville
through some blinding snow just past Talcottville last
night; the road hadn’t been plowed and it was
a little hard to tell where the pavement ended and
meadows began. It was slow going, and I was
happy to finally arrive home, grateful that there
hadn’t been many other vehicles on the road.
Take it easy when the visibility is poor, and watch out
for the other guy.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Tuesday, January 4, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
24 degrees, windy, overcast, snow
Some beautiful snow flows across the view, and so
far we have received about five inches of fresh powder.
I was pleased to drive into snowfall on the way home from
work last night, with some pretty good action at
Potter’s Corners, but it didn’t start
accumulating on the road until I reached downtown Turin;
with every foot
I climbed up Gomer Hill it became deeper. The plow
followed me up, and left a pretty good sized bank at the
end of our driveway. There is some snow in the forecast
every day this week; hopefully we will be able to ski
into the backcountry by Saturday. I have a full week of stuff
on tap but should be able to get out to play to-
morrow afternoon, if only for a swift glide through the
meadows. There were no birds to greet me this morn-
ing, but last night I heard the barred owl calling from
across the road. I had stepped outside to see if there
were any stars out, as the annual Quadrantid meteor
shower was set to take center stage, but there were
clouds all across the sky. I awoke at 4 a.m. and took a
quick peek out the window, but instead of stars
I beheld beautiful snowflakes; in my opinion, it was a
fair trade. And now, off to Lowville.
I hope the roads are plowed.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Monday, January 3, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
20 degrees, breezy, mostly cloudy
A scant half inch of snow fell overnight, although
the forecast was for much more.
A band of lake effect snow is passing to the south of
here, and I just might see some
of it later in the day when I go to Boonville. There is
still a lake effect snow warning through
6:00 tonight, but I can’t help but picture a bunch
of meteorologists sitting around somewhere
with their pants on fire. A small flock of snow buntings
just passed by the window, and in their
wake a few motes of snow accidentally fell from the sky.
Dozens of pigeons flap through the grey
sky like a big mandela, slowly turning in unison,
wheeling their way across the road to the cornfield.
It has been a few days since I saw any deer, but there
are tracks passing through the back yard and
the strawberry garden. Perhaps they were feeding on some
of the leftover parsley that still grows
green and sweet. I picked a big bunch yesterday and
thoroughly enjoyed its fresh flavor; I think
it will probably overwinter and shoot up some flower
stalks next spring. The sun just came out,
and clouds are beginning to disperse; the promise of snow
has all but disappeared. For now.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Sunday, January 2, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
28 degrees, windy, partly sunny
The temperature has dropped three degrees since we arose,
and the wind is blowing hard from the west. A fine
dusting of snow
has softened the view, and it was with utter disbelief
that I watched the
town sand truck drop more sand than there was snow on our
road. I appre-
ciate their zeal, but I wonder what prompted this
unnecessary trip; perhaps there
was a greater depth of snow farther up the road. I will
find out, as we are headed out
for a walk in a few minutes. Yesterday we danced our way
around the meadow paths,
splashing up great gobs of juicy mud in many places. The
dog was off-leash, and show-
ed his appreciation of freedom by snuffling at every
mouse tussock and deer hoofprint,
digging with great glee where the earth smelled extra
rodent-y. We went into the wood-
lot for a short distance, but thawing muck was everywhere
so that was a short trek.
We plant to hike up the Smith Road today, and see if
there is enough snow left
to make a good base for any additional snow we may
receive later today.
There is a lake effect snow warning through tomorrow
evening, but
I wouldn‘t put even two bits down on that bet.
Fingers crossed...
Have a great day,
Daisy
Saturday, January 1, 2011, 8:00 a.m.
46 degrees, calm, mostly cloudy
The morning view is very different, with most of the snow
gone, remaining only where it had drifted.
A balmy overnight breeze just ate it up, and rain later
today will finish it off until changing over to snow
for tomorrow. Wouldn’t it be nice to wake up to a
bright white landscape tomorrow? We have been
enjoying this spell of mild weather, and have had some
great long walks with the dogs rather than lament-
ing the dearth of snow. Yesterday we walked up the Smith
Road, and were joined by several chickadees,
who would fly a bit ahead of us and then stare at us as
we passed, hopefully welcoming us, although it is
hard to read the intention behind those glittering black
eyes. I always feel welcomed by the ravens, as they
nearly always call out in greeting when we pass through
their neighborhood. There were many ravens and
crows that dotted the sky as we hiked, and I had the
feeling that they were enjoying the mild afternoon as
much as we did. About twenty pigeons disappeared into the
old silo by the wrecked barn, like they were
being hoovered in against their will; not one came back
out. Perhaps that is where they have been roost-
ing, although it was early for them to be heading in for
the night. We don’t usually see pigeons up here un-
less they are hanging around a working farm. Maybe they
have been feasting on unpicked corn, and will
leave when the last kernel has been devoured. The sun has
just poked a hole in the clouds, so I think it is
the perfect time to head out for a morning walk. If I
wear boots, we can trek along the meadow paths.
Happy new year!
Daisy
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