Thursday, February 3, 2011

ice, ice baby


I've refrained from writing about how cold it is because as these things go it's not nearly as cold here as most of the country is experiencing and I don't want to appear to be a whiner but I've had about enough of this frigid weather now, thank you very much.

water collector

It's not bad enough that we're experiencing a week and more of temperatures ranging from nighttime 20s to daytime 30s but now they are saying we will get snow and sleet tonight, that there should be snow on the ground when we wake up. That it's already up there in the sky falling only it's not making it to the ground yet. I go out and look up and don't see anything. It's not raining so I don't know what happens to it. Gets blown to Timbuktu I guess.

birdbath

Tap, tap, tap. Excuse me. Mister? It snowed last winter. And the winter before. Snowing two years in a row doesn't happen. Has not happened ever before. And now you are telling me we are going to have snow three years in a row? I'm sorry, but that was not in the contract. I agreed to endure miserably hot summers in exchange for mild winters.

water plant tub 1

It only snows down here about every five years or so, or that used to be our weather pattern. I'm beginning to see how those mammoths got trapped in ice with the contents of lunch still in their stomachs. That noise I hear at night may not be the freight train that passes by but the sound of the approaching glacier.

water plant tub 2

Everything that has water in it is frozen except for the turtle pond. The recirculating pump and filter is enough movement, I guess, to keep it from freezing, or maybe it's the sheer volume of water. The water barrel..ice. The tubs with my water plants...ice. The bird bath...ice. Fortunately for the birds they can stand on the island in the turtle pond and get water. In the grand tradition of closing the barn door after the cows have escaped, I went out today and wrapped the three exposed pipes to the outdoor faucets. This was after two nights of temps in the 20s but a broken pipe at my sister's house decided me not to tempt the gods further.

my frozen daffodils

I'm guessing I was a little premature with the roses.



20 comments:

  1. The only person I know who isn't SICK of winter is my sister who lives in Eugene where it has been dry and warm - it's driving her crazy.

    One of my DC friends says, "any day from now on when it's less than 50F can kiss my ass."

    Yeah!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow Ellen - that is some serious ice, but glad to know the turtles are good. :)

    I bet the roses will be just fine. Hope so, we are all looking forward to seeing them [as I am sure you are.]

    We have had hardly any snow, and a bit of ice this year - and I feel for Reya's friend b/c since I live in the same place - she has a lot of a** kissing coming up. Hopefully no more precipitation, but our days won't warm up for another month, month and half. It IS February after all. :)

    Stay warm and keep the water flowing.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I know, I don't wanna whine either but goodness gracious great balls of ice. The kids have been home all-week-long. Somebody save me. And SM was home with them today....shoot me now. I am worried about my turtles...they don't hibernate very deep and this cold has lasted far too long. ENOUGH ALREADY. stay warm my friend. Linda

    ReplyDelete
  4. Over here it is just grizzly ... only another 4 months and then we'll have our month of good weather and then we'll be heading for autumn!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!Enough said!!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

    ReplyDelete
  6. ellen - i live with someone who hates winter, hates the cold, curses every morning when she walks outside and it's twenty below again and the snow is blowing sideways and the only green in her life is my eyes! hang in their ellen, it'll melt!!! steven

    ReplyDelete
  7. Global warming will do that, you know.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Um...you had better flip that birdbath and anything else that fills with ice that can be flipped, because otherwise they'll crack.

    ReplyDelete
  9. This really shouldn't be happening in Texas, now should it? Not good for pipes or business.
    We are expecting snow through April here. Personally, I enjoy snow, but not through April.
    Stay warm!

    ReplyDelete
  10. It's been snowing 3 times a week here in Maine. I'm up to my butt in the stuff! Enough, already!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Like you, I have had enough, but it is suppose to snow tonight and tomorrow. I stil have to shovel away the two foot snow drifts at my back door so the dogs can get out. We thought we left this in Minnesota!

    ReplyDelete
  12. While I am getting pretty tired of it too, I cannot allow myself to go to that place or I will get very depressed with the fact that we still have a couple months of this left to go. My heart does go out to those of you that are not used to the snow and cold...although 20's and 30's are like a heat wave for us, I know that is unusually cold for you and many others.

    My parents live in Texas during the winter and she told me last evening how unusually cold it's been there...and she went on to say that she had been feeling really homesick before the cold hit but the cold chased that homesick feeling right out the door...lol...if they were here, they would stuck in their home out in the middle of the country and my father would be driving her crazy by now...lol. Stay warm!

    ReplyDelete
  13. It does seem really rude doesn't it?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Beautiful ice...too bad we can't see ours because of the foot of snow on top. This is the year for an ice rink in our parts.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love steven's comment "the only green in her life is my eyes"! Yep, it's darn cold. Did you come over & take a photo of my bird bath? It looks exactly like yours! Hang in there maybe it will be over AFTER NEXT WEEK'S freeze. :-) Lizzy

    ReplyDelete
  16. Sorry, my dear, but I'm having a giggle here. Blooming roses? In February? Serve you right!

    Just think, you'll be sweltering in unbearable heat again soon.

    I am sitting here, upstairs in my study, which is at the windy end of the house, listening to the storm howling and buffeting the walls of the house and all I can do is keep my fingers crossed that the roof doesn't blow off.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Global warming sucks, doesn't it?

    ReplyDelete
  18. It's been colder than a well digger's Rear-end here in Alabama too! What's the deal with that?

    ReplyDelete
  19. You do crack me up though, so thanks for the humor. I know it is a struggle sometimes to have snow and more snow and so darn cold. Most of the time I just don't want to go outside when the rest of the year I don't want to be inside. Ha.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Ah, Ellen my friend... welcome to my world! And here you thought you could escape it all by living in Texas! (I wish we could have daffodils in February, though.)

    ReplyDelete

I opened my big mouth, now it's your turn.