How is your winter so far?

[SouthernKevlar]

Merry Christmas to all, and may your presents take you outdoors.

Here in south Carolina yesterday it reached 66 degrees and I took my newest acquisition, a Bell FlashFIRE, out for a bit of play in a local lake. It is always fun to test out a new canoe, especially at a time of year you do not expect to. I might have to look a bit more into the sport (art?) of Freestyle Canoeing.

The lake had been drawn down so there were a few new creeks meandering through mudflat that aren't there when the lake is up. The highlight of the trip was having a young Blue Heron approach within 15 yards of me. I was not remaining particularly still after spotting it around 50 yards up the creek, and I paddled and sculled until I was about 35 yards from it. It did not seen nervous so I got out my waterproof camera and found the battery was dead. As I was doing this, the Heron started walking down the creek towards me while hunting and catching fish. I remained in place while mostly averting my eyes (they will get closer if you do not look directly at them, so I've heard) and when it was at around 15 yards away, I decided to slowly backpaddle and let the current take me down the creek. It then left the creek and started walking along the mudflat. I turned, paddled back into the lake and poked around some old stumps where I found two lost fishing lures, so I cut them out of the stump to bring home. When I looked up the Heron was approaching me again and at about 25 yards from me caught a fish of about six inches; it was eating well that day. It was time to head home so I said my goodbyes and paddled back to my put-in and loaded up.

A bit of a different Christmas Eve.

 

[UCanoe_2]

45 degrees today at sunset. A bit of rain forecast for the next couple days, which we need badly. Our creek is bone dry. The ground is so hard that when I attempted to pull up metal fence posts with the front end loader, the posts stayed put and the rear of the Kubota lifted off the ground.

After successfully dodging the pandemic thus far, SWIMPAL and I are on the mend from mild episodes of Covid. We both tested positive this afternoon, so our holiday travels are curtailed. Hopefully by the end of the week we will be fully recovered and able to visit the grandchildren.

 

[Bob B.]

We were cold, river was solid but thin. Wide open now, 50 degrees and raining…ugh. Have to heat with LP as it is too warm for the wood stove. Ground is soft,wet slippery mud. Hiking kinda sucks . Waiting for a solid freeze … looks like it’s gonna be a while …

 

[Alasgun]

Since Saturdays post; we’ve received another ft of snow and it looks like some pretty low temps thru the week. It’ll all be fine; we’re warm and dry and the bird feeder’s full!

 

[Mihun09]

Normal for here would be highs of -12C and lows of -22C. It was in the plusses last week and the next 3 days the high will be -2C. Next to no snow but the folks are out on the lakes fishing. Not sure I would trust Lake Winnipeg yet but they are driving on it.

 

[tomo]

Raining in Duluth with no snow to speak of....

 

[Ralph]

+6 C at noon as I write this. We have virtually no snow on the ground. The lakes are frozen - the one I checked had about 25 cm (10") of ice. The forecast is for more of the same - warm temperatures and no snow. I'm really missing cross country skiing.
We were able to skate on local ponds and lakes for a while then it snowed a tiny bit and the snow stuck to the ice so the skating got ruined. It snowed a little bit more and we were able to ski on the lakes but then it melted and that got ruined. About all that's left is walking - not my winter thing.

 

[JohnSand]

Fog the last three days. Paddled an hour and a half on the Peconic yesterday.

 

[kahel]

since weeks al lot of liquid sunshine.

wet - wet - wet

 

[snapper]

Here in my part of central NYS we've had one 4" snowfall which stuck around a few days but that's been it other then the occasional flurry; which hasn't amounted to much but a dusting. Today my wife and I went to the movies and when we came out, the rain had stopped and the temperature was 60 F according to my truck. We're getting lots of rain, which would be wonderful snow if it were colder, but not much else.

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper

 

[stripperguy]

It sucks!!
But that's actually ok, since I'm waiting for my bionic shoulder to fully heal.
I would have gone lift served skiing quite a few times before Christmas, but as Snapper described, we've had (capital district, upstate NY) much rain and warm temps.
In fact, we're currently almost 8" over average yearly precipitation of about 40". Yup, 20% over average. It's been a wet year...

 

[Dave Bober]

So far, winter sucks in east central Saskatchewan. We had a brown Christmas, the last one was in 1997. My favorite winter sport, x-c skiing, is a no go. The ground is froze up good but many days it has been getting up to
the freezing mark. Even Flin Flon, Manitoba, doesn’t have enough snow to groom their great trail system, but the die hards are skate skiing on some lakes. Water levels will remain extremely low unless we get some decent snow or heavy spring rain.

 

[Mihun09]

So far, winter sucks in east central Saskatchewan. We had a brown Christmas, the last one was in 1997. My favorite winter sport, x-c skiing, is a no go. The ground is froze up good but many days it has been getting up to
the freezing mark. Even Flin Flon, Manitoba, doesn’t have enough snow to groom their great trail system, but the die hards are skate skiing on some lakes. Water levels will remain extremely low unless we get some decent snow or heavy spring rain.

And we need snow to cut down the fire risk next Summer. Bad enough this year. We here in Warren have a couple inches at best and none in the forecast a week out.

 

[memaquay]

Still no snow up here, found open water yesterday, feel like I'm in Twilight Zone episode.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

In northwest Connecticut, no snow yet where I am. Lots of rain, drizzle, overcast skies, and a sun that rarely appears.

But that doesn't suck as bad to me as snow does.

I once liked snow when I was young and healthy and had kids and dogs and money. But now all it is is something no one will plow on my 600', rutted, driveway. So, I have to go out and try to plow it with a rear grading blade on my Kubota, which usually results in expensive breakages and welding repairs. And slips on ice and snow are really dangerous for old folks. Then, when I finally emerge from my driveway, I'm greeted with ugly plowed piles of salted, dirty and slushy snow on the streets. How anyone can like any of this is increasingly beyond me.

You go, no snow!

I can look at pictures of Switzerland on my computer. Actually, I do, right on this very site, and there's not much snow there either. Well, such is the world of interglacial climate improvement. All the great civilizations and empires on every continent arose and flourished in warm to hot climates. But, ultimately, the universe is inevitably destined for a final death at absolute zero for you worshipers of Boreas. You'll have to be patient, though; it may take 10 to the googolplex power years.

 

[Keeled Over]

So, for the folks up north, how is a trip on the Missinaibi looking for next spring? I see the snowfall is a bout 1/2 of normal.

LONG way to go with plenty of precipitation possibilities, but my mind wanders.

 

[clemency]

Several nights in a row where it hasn't gotten below freezing here in the Upper Connecticut Valley. And rain. Blah.

 

[Alasgun]

-13F here this morning and for a couple more it looks like? And for anyone clamoring for snow; send me an address and i’ll ship you all you’d like!

 

[Alan Gage]

All of our local lakes have reopened except for protected bays. I don't ever remember seeing them freeze and then open again mid winter.

One local lake has a large boat that gives tours all summer. About 20 years ago I can remember a very mild fall/ winter where the lakes hadn't froze yet and they started selling tickets for a possible new year's cruise around the lake. But the lakes froze between Christmas and new years so it didn't happen. They could do it this year though but I don't think anyone saw it coming.

The dog and I are loving all the walks in mild temps.

Alan

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Since Saturdays post; we’ve received another ft of snow and it looks like some pretty low temps thru the week. It’ll all be fine; we’re warm and dry and the bird feeder’s full!

How do your rabbits survive the cold and snows?