Tuesday 17 April 2018

April 17th The Aftermath

Yes, we received some weather. It rained, and then the rain froze, and it froze while it was coming down in the form of nasty little ice pellets, and then it snowed and snowed and snowed. On Monday, buses were cancelled to schools. Universities closed. Businesses closed. Much of the world stopped either during the weekend, or after. We did not lose power, but lots of places did.

Here is what my world looks like. I took pictures on my drive home from work.




For those of you who live in more southern / mild climates, this is something I will be happy to not have to keep in my vehicle!!!


I am referring to my trusty long handled ice scraper / snow brush, not my lunch bag. It is hard for me to imagine there are people who possibly don't even own one of these. We have several.

Anywhere there is a little bit of open water, whether it be a river, stream, or some seasonal flooding in a field, the Canada geese have congregated. I took a picture with my phone which didn't really capture it. There were other spots with far more geese. I'm sure there is a scientific adaptation why their little goose feet don't freeze in the water.



It is the robins that I have been feeling sorry for. They have been scittering across frozen solid surfaces, barely able to keep upright in this weekend's wind. They are worm eaters and they can't find any open thawed soil. We have a compost pile in the yard and a bunch of wrinkly grapes were thrown out recently. I looked out the kitchen window to see a robin picking away at them. I'm quite certain grapes are not their first choice of food. I actually filled up the bird feeder with the last of the seed when I got home from work today.

Here's some more evidence of bird activity. I found this in snow on the front porch. Try to image how this image was created.


I think it looks very phoenix -ish.  Here are some other prints very close by. I don't think they all happened simultaneously.







Husband told me that the weather forecast says it will be up to 14 degrees Celsius by Monday which is in six days. It made me laugh and think of the great Rick Mercer bit about seven day forecasts (see above) For anyone in winter climates similar to ours, you will enjoy and be able to relate.

30 comments:

  1. Every time we see the warmer temps in the forcast way down the line, Michael imitates Rick Mercer!
    All of the bigger things eat smaller things. Have you seen any owls?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No unfortunately I haven't seen any owls but I'd love to. Others have said they have seen snowy owls in the area, but I haven't.

      Delete
  2. Oh brr Jenn. It looks so cold. I will say I enjoyed the plus one forecast. LOL. I know you use that long handled ice scraper. Can you imagine scraping your windshield with a credit card? LOL I have to laugh every time I think of that. Stay warm sweet girl. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, a credit card wouldn't do much good on freezing rain unless you had the car running for a while first! I have to go and read your latest post now, Susie.

      Delete
  3. The end is in sight - I actually saw some sun today. I have been out digging a channel for the expected runoff to the nearest storm drain.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Chris, I imagine you are and I are about 3 hours apart, but there wasn't a single ray of sunshine here today. In fact, there was just more snow. How'd your channel digging go?

      Delete
  4. This has been our spring since I moved here, 15 years ago. We never get spring, per se. Lots of snowflakes and mud though. And somehow, our critters outside still run about and play. What a bunch of nutters.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I feel like I should know, but where do you live, Whisk? (approximate location, not prying into your life) Sometimes I feel like we go from winter, to a day and a half of spring, and then directly to summer.

      Delete
  5. It looks as if a gust of wind struck you little bird, either coming or going. I watched that happen before the tornado warning came along. It's cold, it's wet, it's mizerable. It will be summer before spring.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I imagine whatever it was, it wasn't graceful.

      Delete
  6. I could have used my winter boots today but on April 17, I refuse. This is getting ridiculous. My countryside looked liked yours.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nope, full-on boots today. There's so much grit and salt spread everywhere it would wreck any normal shoes. Sorry you're stuck in winter, too.

      Delete
  7. HAHAHA! I had never seen that Rick Mercer clip. That is hilarious! And I would not be surprised one bit if it was actually true :) This has been a horrible spring up until now. Let's hope it gets better soon. We also still have our scraper/snow brush in the car. So Canadian :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh yes, you Eastern Ontario gal, no doubt you still have your scraper in the car!

      Delete
  8. If you hadn't said what your scraper was, I'd still be guessing. Hold out for the +1, it's just around the corner!...Very pretty bird prints. Much more soothing than seeing snake prints in dirt, which is more like what we might see in these parts!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In your defence, you can't see the brush part of it, it's pointed down toward the floor mat. I can honestly say I've never seen snake prints here.

      Delete
  9. Ugh I HATE freezing rain the most. It’s treacherous. It’s supposed to get to 21C here today which I find hard to believe as I’m still inWinter Boots! Poor birdy snow angel. I think something got it!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Let’s have a referendum and see if we can get winter to be over for you.

    Why don’t geese feet stick to the ice. I have never thought about that before, probably because it rarely freezes here and just rains non-friggen-stop. But now I want to know.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I just don't understand how they can stand to have their feet that cold. When my fingertips too cold outside, they Hurt!

      Delete
  11. Feeling chilly just looking at that!
    We're forecast 15 C today..it wont feel like that with high winds,even if it does reach that.
    Interestingly I learned the name of the snow pellets from Susan Waughtal of Squash BlossomFarmblog..."graupel"

    ReplyDelete
  12. It was the historic storm they had forecasted. Our area is covered in downed branches & trees. Luckily we have only the little branches, nothing too major. Our forecast (which is close to yours) is snow tonight (Wed) and again on Thursday. It just will not end. Springter for such. I agree, the great Rick Mercer, who's rant I will miss.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Brrr, that looks cold. Today in England it is warm and sunny, for a change!

    ReplyDelete
  14. On Monday, the day of the Boston Marathon, it rained, snowed, sleeted, thundered, lots of lightening. This weather is crazy this year. I don't know whether Spring will ever arrive. Have a wonderful week, Jenn.

    ReplyDelete
  15. This is definitely a winter that just needs to behave itself and go away! I woke up to snow - again - this morning. I am so over it, and the ice and the wind! I am still feeding the birds, too, as I feel for them. Let's hope this is the last hurrah.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Isn't this weather bizarre?? 33 here - ugh! The bird wing pattern is beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Same here, I'm so over winter! That's a bizarre snow print...I don't want to think of how it happened. I also feel sorry for the robins...and this past week I see what I think are a bunch of Flickers in my back garden trying to get something out of the soil - poor things!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Note to self: Don't bitch about the weather any more because Jenn has it so much worse. Weirdest winter ever but I think you have me beat. Spring will come -- it WILL. It MUST!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I really must stop whining about dampness and being quite cool, and gray skies, and etc. I really must stop!!!!!!!!!

    Courage!

    ReplyDelete