Winter always ends right around March 21 which is 6-7 weeks after Groundhog Day, so it really doesn't make any difference if the rodent sees his shadow or not. I have never understood the whole thing. But the movie with Bill Murray made the day great for me.
I am taking another "hip rest day". I'm burned out anyway and just want to be a slug so that works out good.
Thought of Roch when the plows went by last night. I had to go dig out the end of the driveway. There are some nice things about our upcoming move to a condo where everything is taken care of. Some things like taking care of the grass and landscaping will be nice to get out of. But the 16 tons of snow that get plowed into the end of the driveway during the winter will be the #1 thing I will not miss taking care of.
Dave, we're still waiting to get plowed out, and based on my drive out on some errands this morning we must be the last street in the city that hasn't been touched yet! But it is passable in an appropriate vehicle.
Resting this morning, but definitely planning on getting the skis out later when it warms up a bit (single digits right now, maybe up to 20F later).
Run if you can today, folks!
Doug, runnin' cycling in Rochester, MI
"Think blue, count two, and look for a red shoe"
Mornin' Dave and those to follow,
Did anyone see the clip of a groundhog (in Wisconsin?) that bit the town mayor's ear during their 'ceremony?' Why would anyone hold a groundhog that close to someone's face? The groundhog just took advantage of what was presented...
Tet, do you know your post yesterday was just two sentences, and the second was as short as the first was long. How you can pack some many thoughts about so many diverse subjects into one sentence and have it miraculously make sense (well, in an oblique kind of way) takes a special talent that I certainly don't possess!
I went out at about 3:30 yesterday afternoon to move some snow around, even though it was still coming down pretty hard. But I wanted to get a first pass of the critical parts of the driveway and walks done before dark. It was somewhere below 10 degrees and the wind was whipping and even with gloves inside of my heaviest wind-stopper mittens, I couldn't stay out for all that long before my hands started to go numb. I was out again this morning (4F, and a little less wind) to do a second pass of the driveway so we could get out and to work. Sometime later today, I'll have to go back to do the rest of the driveway and walks. I borrowed a roof rake, so I'll be doing some more of that as well. I can't remember the last time I've done this much upper body work in a week. My shoulders are reminding me that it has been a long time. Dave's move to a condo is starting to sound like it's not such a bad idea...
Have a greta Tuesday!
Jay
Without ice cream there would be darkness and chaos.
Sayhey! MM#130
Good Mornin' y'all!
Raise your hand if you are having a snow day? Beautiful full moon last night and into this am, then a glorious sunrise. We had brisk weather this am, in the 40s and feeling even lower, brrr.....expecting pictures of what you're baking and/or shoveling if you raised your hand.
roch, another example of youthful lack of wisdom; they totally misused the Harry Chapin song.
Is it really too cold for salt to work on ice in some areas?
Love the landscaping that our condo assoc. arranges for and the repairs. It's not a super-fussy group, so it feels all benefits and no downsides to us. Our set up is a lot of small buildings, most like ours, with a loft upstairs and skylight with 4 condos per building, so we all have doors to the outside and screened-in patios. I can envision moving to a more apartment like setting when we're older; this has been a good transition from having our own home.
"The Butler Did it!" ---love this SB quote.
People, there is one and only one true Groundhog with prognostication skills and that groundhog is from Punxsy. Wisconsin peeps ought to (otter) stick to badgers. Long Island peeps know traffic and sometimes clams.
A 10k for me in under an hour this am. Quite nice.
Heppy Tuesdays and be careful shoveling or hiking or driving. If all you snow day bakers have extras you don't know what to do with, email me for my address .
grins,
A
ps: anyone listening to "Blank Space" hear instead of "got a list of my ex-lovers" the line "got a list of Starbucks lovers"......
https://agratefullifedotnet.wordpress.com/ (for a piece or two of my mind)
Trails are hard!
I knew that there was a lower temperature limit, but the Wisconsin DOT (and they should know) had this to say:
Q. What are the limitations of road salt? The minimum practical application range for salt is a pavement temperature of 15-20°F and above. While salt will melt snow and ice down to a pavement temperature of -6°F, it can melt over five times as much ice at 30°F as at 20°F. Thus the effectiveness of salt is sensitive to small differences in pavement temperature. Counties will attempt to apply only the amount required for temperature, time and use. Too little and the roadway will refreeze, too much is a waste of money and resources.
When the pavement temperature drops below 15°F the effectiveness of salt is decreased significantly. At these lower temperatures, the county highway departments will typically cease straight salt applications and begin adding other chemicals to the salt such as calcium chloride or magnesium chloride that will lower the freezing point even further.
BTW, I just came across this. For those who concider regular TM's challenging.
Need a fast half for late fall. Then I need to actually train for it.
I got up this morning to see 3° for the outside temperature. The high today is supposed to be about 20°. A bout on the TM is starting to look like the least bad option. But, maybe I will polar bear up and run outside if the roads are not covered in ice.
Today I get to work from home. In part that will mean making a new batch of butternut squash hummus. If you have never tried the stuff go make some! It is amazing and unlike the standard variety very low in calories. So enjoy! Here is a link to one of my favorite variants. If you make it try to include the pomegranate seeds. They make a really big difference.
http://snackinginthekitchen.com/2012/10/22/roasted-butternut-squash-hummus-with-pomegranate-seeds-and-wasa-crispbread/
Live like you are dying not like you are afraid to die.
Drunken Irish Soda Bread and Irish Brown Bread this way --> http://allrecipes.com/cook/4379041/
DIng ding ding!
A+ to twocat for posting not only photos but also recipe for what he's making at home on his snowday. Yumalicious!
Hon. Mention for Kevin for amusing cartoon.
Marathon Maniac #957
I know, it almost looked like the person holding the groundhog sort of lunged at the Mayor's face with it....
Around here when it gets too cold for salt, they mix sand/fine gravel with the salt that they put on the roads.
Kevin -
5.2 miles for me on the TM this morning watching True Detective.
Life is a headlong rush into the unknown. We can hunker down and hope nothing hits us or we can stand tall, lean into the wind and say, "Bring it on, darlin', and don't be stingy with the jalapenos."
I am SO glad we don't have to deal with snow. SO glad!
Re the cartoon - The Hub and I went on a drive Sunday. Drove past some apartments near Humboldt State University, and a young man was tight-rope walking green "caution" tape strung up between two trees.
6 EZ miles this a.m. The legs are still feeling the effects of the race, but I actually got in a zone with my thoughts and prayers and ended up running about half a mile past my turnaround point. That rarely ever happens, so it was a nice surprise.
Have a great day, friends ~
"Love given needs no repayment." (Quoted from a post on The Animal Rescue Site)
Leslie Living and Running Behind the Redwood Curtain -------------
Trail Runner Nation
Sally McCrae-Choose Strong
Bare Performance
Bad faerie
We only got plowed out in the wee hours of this morning, and I was late to an early appointment when I realized I'd have to dig out the wall of plow-wake before I got anywhere.
We got close to a foot and a half. The snow piles on the corners of the drive and sidewalk are getting to be too tall to throw snow over. I'll have to borrow a kid to go and top 'em before it snows again tonight.
But it was bright, light snow; Sunday, my dog Hammie probably had the best day of his 9.5 years as he played outside with kids in deep fluffy stuff all day; we managed to keep ahead of the worst of it by taking another pass at the driveway every few hours; and yesterday was clear as a bell and a fine day to spend out digging and gossiping with the neighbors.
I could do with another snow day or six.
Sporting-wise, I finished the Tour of Sufferlandria on Sunday, after almost 13 hours on the trainer. Snuck down to the Y yesterday for a soft swim. Ouf.
Blogjoy
I just read that piece about the adopted feral cat! Such a sweet story, and I love that quote! (it was in response to someone asking why she adopted a cat who wouldn't let her pet it... something only a true animal lover would understand)
Jay, I've frequently been amazed at the length and complexity of Tet's sentences. Usually need a couple of readings to fully absorb.
As a rule, we don't salt the roads here. Or used to never. This year they started using a "brine" when we get precipitation during upper 20's and low 30's, aka freezing rain or icy snow. But we used to never get freezing rain in the winter, either, and now it seems to happen every winter at least once. Ick. For real winter though, the DOT spreads fine gravel on the intersections and hills. While this helps with traction, it's also a fact that very few vehicles here have un-cracked windshields or un-chipped hoods. Our truck looks like it was shot with buckshot.
Congrats on finishing that torture, Mustang Sally. I just couldn't imagine doing that... Loved the pic of Hammish on FB, romping in the snow.
When it seems like everything in the house is breaking or in need of shoveling, raking, cleaning, repairing, re-filling, sanding, painting, or whatever, the idea of a condo starts to look pretty damn nice. But it would really take an adjustment when we're so used to having so much space to spread out. This summer we want to clean up the woods behind the house a bit so maybe we can use the back acre of our 2 acre lot.
Our "warm up" sure was short lived. Back to -26° this morning on the drive in to work. Looks like a treadmill run tonight.
MM #5615
Hello everybody! Just another quick drop in to say hi. Oh...and one sentence...two sentences...it really doesn't matter...tet is old cool.
Oh...wrestling...I don't know about my grandson...he cries every time he has to wrestle certain kids...he just shuts down completely. I think this will be his one and only year as a grappler...
Okay--gotta go. See ya!
Butterfly hugs to all arms who are sore from shoveling snow!!!
A quick posting a-la MikeE. 8 miles with 4x1200m at much faster speed.
Felt great.
"Champions are everywhere; all you need is to train them properly..." ~Arthur Lydiard
MM#209 / JapanJoyful#803
thiry minute afternoon train ride to outskirts of Osaka
for 3-mile hike up to Mino Falls and jog back
. . . . . . . . . .
Hope it helps for the10-12 hours I expect will take me
with the Joyful's Office Manager in Sunday's
Hakone Pass Marathon . . . but I doubt it.
"Enjoy yourself. Your younger days never come again." 100yo T. Igarashi to me in geta at top of Mt. Fuji (8/2/87)
Tet - I wish your pictures were bigger because they look lovely.