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| Washington and Lafayette at Valley Forge John Ward Dunsmore (PD) |
I like the cold far more than I like the heat, perhaps it's a trait common to those born and raised in colder climes. I'm not saying it applies to all of us up here, there are many who head to warmer climes as soon as they can. Based on experience, Florida is not my cup of tea, too damned hot in the summer.
All things considered though, Little Rhody is far less inhospitable, weather-wise, than let's say, Buffalo. Did you see the amount of snow they had just a day or so ago? Been there, done that, don't really care for that sort of thing.
It's all about the extremes really.
I've weathered 110° and -40°, while it does get much more extreme in places where human beings dwell, those two boundary temperatures are about all I can tolerate. (For those who wonder, -40° will kill you, just as soon as look at you. DAMHIK)
But winter is on its way to to the north, it's already arrived in some spots.
When Buzz and his parents visited just a couple of weeks ago, the weather was incredible, 70s during the day, high 50s at night. Now we're down in the mid-30s at night and soaring to the mid-40s during the day. Tolerable enough if it wasn't for the wind. That stuff cuts right through you.
The yard work is just about done for the year (we still need to "winterize" the koi pond) and most (90%) of the leaves are down and dealt with. So it's time to go into "winter quarters." Which means that we'll hunker down (more or less) until the spring comes.
Haven't seen any snow yet, last year we had some in October, but I can wait. A couple of inches on the ground to make it look fresh and clean is nice, we've had our "Ice Station Zebra" moments around here, but fortunately that's rare enough. (Mind you I'm speaking of Arctic-like weather, no Cold War, heh, references intended.)
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Don't care for extremes in politics as well, I'll stick to the middle of the road thanks. Don't bug me, I won't bug you.
Carry on, enjoy your Sunday.
It's tough being "middle of the road" these days.
ReplyDeleteIn this "either with me or against me" time "middle of the road" isn't with anyone other than than the rest of the quiet "middle of the road" people.
And all they want to do is shout at everybody who is not them.
DeleteThat wind......oh man, when it comes out of the Northwest and being here in the northern part of the country layers are the answer. No leaf problem here, they're covered in five inches of snow.
ReplyDeleteIf they haven't been blown into the next town! (Ours do that from time to time.)
DeleteI never did like "middle of the road". That's where all the flat animals are. And straddling the fence is not a happy place either. Hard to get off it and the barbs are too hard on the dangle bits. Thanky, no. I guess I'm an open range type.
ReplyDeleteThat cold wind was your constant companion up in west Texas, too. We had Indian summer when I was a kid. Snow with drifts, and ice were winter's presents to us. Sitting on the south side of the barn in a pile of hay, while the north wind howled around was heaven. It was warm in the sun, but the air was like sharp icicles in your nose and on your skin. Standing out of the wind and sunning like a buzzard were normal childhood activities.
Happy Thanksgiving Sarge.
You too STxAR, hope you get to spend it with loved ones.
DeleteGlad we only got two inches of snow and not the five feet like they did back east!!!
ReplyDeleteYup, too much in Buffalo!
DeleteThere was an outdoor pistol match scheduled for today in your neck of the woods. I thought about going, looked at the forecast, and thought "Nah, I'm too old for that shit." The way the wind is blowing this morning, I'm really glad I didn't go.
ReplyDeleteWise decision, it's sunny and 40°, but with the wind it feels a lot more cold!
DeleteA good day to hibernate.
Eagan MN has lots of lakes, but none of them are large enough to create "lake effect" snow. We're having highs below freezing, lows above zero, and nasty wind chills. My weight loss has removed custom-fitted coat of warm blubber and I'm feeling it. That is a good thing, I tell myself as I shiver, snug in my 38" waint jeans.
ReplyDeleteProbably better all around to have shed the weight (something I need to get serious about), but that extra layer is great insulation!
DeleteSarge, spending some amount of time in two different locations now which in theory have some similar temperatures, it is amazing to me how different things can feel. A lot of it is due to wind and where it blows in from: in one place from a relatively temperate clime, from the other pretty much straight from the North Pole. Another difference is how well one is prepared for it (insulated house and appropriate clothing make all the difference in the world).
ReplyDeleteThat said, I find that my most favorite place is simply in front of a wood stove, watching the weather.
Also - reminded by the picture - we got to visit Washington's Winter Quarters at Valley Forge. We went in July; I cannot imagine what it was like in the dead of Winter.
DeleteTB #1 - It always surprises me to get away from the coast and into the interior of New England, not as windy but far more cold. Just 60 miles north of us is Worcester, MA where all three of the progeny went to college. Not unusual to have snow there (and lots of it) with temperatures in the mid-40s along the coast. Get up to New Hampshire and it's colder still!
DeleteTB #2 - Your trip to Valley Forge echoes my trip to the Hürtgenwald to take some pictures for my great uncle who fought there (and was wounded) in November of '44. We were there in July, HUGE difference.
DeleteNo snow down here yet in east central Florida. In fact, the leaves are still green and on the trees. Of course, we rarely lose those before some time in February...
ReplyDeleteFrom what I understand, this time of year in Florida is something I could enjoy.
DeleteJust finished the Remembrance Day parade in Gettysburg for the umpteenth time. At seventy years old I just barely made it to the end humping the 12 lb. 1861 Model Springfield. It was 21 degrees when I left the house and I don't think it got above 40. Windy too. Not sure how many more times I can do this.
ReplyDeleteOuch! Betcha that rifle gets heavier the longer you march!
DeleteI can remember being quite cold in Osan. As I've said here before (I think) we'd cock the Deuce in front of whatever was carrying the blivot for peace. Sometimes just inside the hangar, sometimes not. I'm told that they had to cycle the various hydraulic systems on all of the aircraft to keep the "O-Rings" from cracking. Isn't that what happened to the Challenger? I had the highest regard for those kids on the ramp (still do for all those who somehow let me borrow their airplane and helped me stay alive). Like others say here - the wind is the hardest to deal with. I agree.
ReplyDeleteKunsan was similar, the wind off the Yellow Sea always picked up in winter as well!
DeleteBack in 1989 when it snowed in Gainesville, FL, enough to stick to the ground and actually layer, I played in the yard with the dog for an hour or more. In shorts, t-shirt and bare feet.
ReplyDeleteNow? Below 60 is cold, below 50 is very cold and I don't want to even think about below 40s. Brrrrr.
Funny what age will do to a fellow ...
DeleteNot born in, but raised in Texas, cold weather was not too bad. Korea was an excellent demonstration of what COLD meant. Returning from a mission, with flight suit dripping wet from sweat, opening the canopy and climbing down the ladder was especially exhilarating. But that was enough fun, games and cold for me. That having been said, this past week down here, while not reaching freezing yet, has refreshed my memory on why I don't like cold weather. 120 outside is countered by a dip in the pool. Haven't found a comparable fix (outside) for freezing weather coupled by 20-30 K winds.
ReplyDeleteOh, and by the way, there are two types of drivers down here. Those that KNOW they don't know how to drive on ice and so don't and those that don't KNOW that they don't know how to drive on ice. The latter usually self-identify by attaching themselves to the rear bumper of your car or visiting the bar ditch on the side of the road. The latter are about evenly split between TX Tags and out of state ones.
juvat
It's never ceased to amaze me just how many people don't belong on the roads in inclement weather. Clueless most of them are.
DeleteBack in the 80's, the first snow left the 15 miles of Highway 2 from Grand Forks to GFAFB with both ditches lined with 4WD pickup trucks. It was like an early Christmas present for the tow truck operators.
DeleteGoing is easy, stopping, not so much.
DeleteNo cold or snow out here on the CA coast, but we have to put up with heavy left leaning winds, gusting to extreme most of the time.
ReplyDeleteWhich tends to suck the money right out of your bank account ...
DeleteYeah. A friend moved to Tennessee and that was an automatic 40K raise.
DeleteWow!
Delete