~
Wednesday, February 28, 2007 8:30 a.m.
30 degrees, calm, mostly sunny
We are perched high above valley clouds, and the effect
is similar to sitting on
a bluff by some vast sea. Lowlanders report beautiful fog
rime coats every little
twig and weed this morning, transforming the misty valley
into a crystalline fairy-scape.
Up here, however, trees are bare and yesterday’s new
snow glistens in the bright early
sunshine, almost too shiny to look at directly. For sure,
sunglasses will be the order of the
day for outdoor activities. Yesterday we walked along a
nearby snowmobile trail for a while,
relatively quiet now after the holiday week traffic. We
started out following a noisy flock of crows,
and as they peeled off into the deeper woods a drift of
pine grosbeaks took their place. These small
birds were silent, but the flash of fuchsia on their
breasts gave away their location as we passed some
new growth spruce. They were part of our journey for only
a few moments; next, a pair of chickadees
took up the task of escorting us for quite a while,
always keeping one tree ahead of us. If we lingered
too long to check out tracks (there were many) or just
admire the play of light and shadow on the
snow, these little guys seemed to urge us onward by
flying closer to scold for a bit, then showing
us the way once again. We heard a couple-three ravens but
never saw them; must be they
had nothing to say to us, and were just talking among
themselves. Starlings greeted
us as we returned to the yard, chattering away like
schoolgirls on a recess bench.
The view is once again full of birds, and I am looking
forward to this fine day.
Enjoy the day,
Daisy
~
Tuesday, February 27, 2007 8:00 a.m.
28 degrees, calm, overcast, flurries
Light flurries are floating nearly motionless in the
absolute absence of a breeze.
There is an inch of new snow in the yard, enough to show
the imprints of a dog or
coyote that passed through in the wee hours, wide-spaced
tracks, fairly fresh. Our dog
explored them thoroughly before sitting down to stare
intensely at what he perceived as a
true menace, a large chunk of frozen slush that had
fallen out of some wheelwell or other. The
neighborhood is full of birds this morning, all kinds of
birds making an amazing array of sounds.
The starlings which have been entertaining us all winter
with their eclectic collection of hoots, clicks
and whistles seem to be all meowing like cats or
screaming like a Hitchcock heroine. Crows caw
from the treelines, in flight, and as they perch on
nearby shrubbery, a constant hue and cry. Blue
jays are bugling, chickas are dee-dee-deeing, woodpeckers
are drumming, and from deep in the
forest I hear the ravens’ guttural growl. Critters
are beginning to rouse themselves as the temper-
atures become a little milder; even the houseflies are
beginning a drowsy exploration of certain
windowsills. As rain moves in for Thursday, take note of
the fauna in your neck of the woods.
I hope that the rainy spell will be brief; it would be
disappointing if, after waiting so long
for winter’s snowy gifts to arrive, they were
transformed into early spring mud.
Have a great day,
Daisy
~
Monday, February 26, 2007 7:30 a.m.
24 degrees, calm, overcast, flurries
What a pretty winter morning !
Snow falls directly to earth, not making any detours in
the still air, fat flakes
that don’t add much to the total depth but freshen
the view considerably as they
cover road sand and other debris. I drove through some
pretty good squalls down
around Richfield Springs early Saturday morning, with
lots of blowing and drifting snow
to slow me down. Wonderful sunshine followed the little
storm, and I hear it was fine here on
Gomer Hill all weekend as well. As I drove through Potter’s
Corners late yesterday, I glanced
up towards home, and saw a huge white dove made of clouds
hovering over the entire area. The
sun was lurking behind another puff of clouds, and just
as I looked towards the hill, rays slanted out
from behind that curtain and illuminated the vaporous
feathery wings and heavy opaque body of a large
white bird, wings spread and angled back a little in the
classic bird of peace posture. It was still high
in
the sky when I pulled into the yard; I quickly brought
our dog out for a stroll to better admire this odd
and uplifting sight until the avian apparition finally
dispersed into mere ordinary clouds once again. As
the sun lowered behind the balsam forest and added
streaks of opulent color to the already gorgeous
scene, I experienced a period of perfect contentment and
calm within, quiet happiness after a weekend
of intense activity and scheduled events that left little
time for simple moony wandering. It is important
to remember to deactivate our minds occasionally, and
just experience the beauty that surrounds
us without the background chatter that a busy life
generates; even if the script is only in our
own head, a brief intermission is often needed in order
to enjoy the rest of the show.
Let’s all go to the lobby...
Daisy
~
Daisy is taking some time off so for today we have-
The Daily Om
Of Equal Worth
Humility
The notion of humility as a virtue brings numerous images
to mind. We tend to envision
those rare individuals who humbly bear life's struggles
while downplaying their own strengths.
Humility is not passivity. Rather, it is an utter lack of
self-importance. The individuals who embody
the concept of humility appreciate that each human being
on the planet occupies a unique place on
an infinite spectrum of development. Though they can take
pride in their own accomplishments, they
also understand that the people they interact with each
day are as valuable and have as much to offer
the world as they themselves do. To be humble is to
accept that while there will always be people more
and less advanced than yourself, those on all parts of
the spectrum of development can provide you with
insights that further your personal evolution.
Recognizing these insights is a matter of opening
yourself to the
fact that not only do others think and feel differently
than you, but their life experiences have shaped them in
a very different way than yours have shaped you. This
means that while you may have a greater understand-
ing in some areas, others will always be able to teach
you something. When you cultivate a genuine yearning to
know what skills and talents those you encounter have
been blessed with, you cannot help but learn humility.
You instinctively understand that emotions like envy
breed resistance that prevents you from growing, and that
being flexible in your interactions with others will help
you connect with unexpected mentors. When you prac-
tice humility, you want to become as accomplished and
evolved as you can possibly be, yet you are willing to
submit to the expertise of others to do so. You
understand the scope of your aptitudes yet you choose to
era-
dicate arrogance from your attitude, and you can
distinguish the value you possess as an individual while
still
acting in the interests of your fellow human beings.
Humility, simply put, is a form of balance in which
personal
worth can be celebrated while sincerely believing that
every other person on the planet is just as worthy.
~
Daisy is taking some time off so for today we have-
The Daily Om
February
24th, 2007
Acknowledging Your Growth
Foundations Of Evolution
Personal evolution is most often a slow and gradual
process. Yet it is important that
we regularly acknowledge our ongoing growth and reward
ourselves for the many wonderful
feats of self-improvement we have accomplished. At one
time, the abundance we enjoy currently
likely seemed like a far-off dream. Now it is simply
reality-a reality we created through our diligence,
passion, and unflagging determination. Whether our
progress is fast or slow, we deserve to congratulate
ourselves for our successes. Creating a written list, in
a journal or otherwise, of those strengths, aptitudes,
and inner qualities you now attribute to yourself can
help you accept that you are not the same person you
were one year ago, five years ago, or 10 years ago. Your
attitudes, opinions, and values were likely differ-
ent, and these differences have evolved from your
willingness to accept that you still have much to learn.
If you have difficulty giving yourself credit for these
changes, think about the goals you realized, the lives
you touched, the wisdom you acquired, and the level of
enlightenment you attained over the past years.
Recognizing growth is neither boastful nor immodest.
Evolution is a natural fact of life and becomes a
potent motivational force when celebrated. Knowing that
you are brighter, stronger, and more ground
ed than you once were, you can look forward to the
changes to come. In acknowledging your growth,
you build a sturdy foundation upon which you can continue
to blossom well into the future.
~
Friday, February 23, 2007 7:30 a.m.
9 degrees, windy, mostly sunny
Wind is blowing right out of the north, steady at ten
miles per hour with gusts up to twenty.
This hasn’t slowed down the crows in the meadow at
all; they have been quite active since
sunrise, their clamorous greetings soaring along with
them, louder even than the whoosh of the
wind. The pale blue sky to the north is awash with milky
streaks of high opaque vapor. There is
a huge roll of clouds hanging over the Adirondack
Mountains, looking as solid as a giant feather-
filled body pillow, a bolster for Atlas when he needs a
break from bearing the weight of the world
on his gigantic shoulder. Even mythical heroes must need
to kick back and chill sometimes. We took
a walk yesterday morning just before snow started to
fall, and were turned back by a slew of snow-
mobilers who don’t usually expect to see hikers on
“their” trail. From the amount of collisions
between
machines this season, they apparently don’t expect
to see other snowmobiles on the trail either. I felt
a bit like I was let loose on a game preserve in November
in a brown jumpsuit and antler hat. So we
headed up the Gomer Hill Road for a bit, but then the
snow started; we were headed right into it, and
the tiny wet wind-driven pellets stung. I guess we should
have seized the day earlier in the day...
Have a wonderful day,
Daisy
~
Thursday, February 22, 2007 8:30 a.m.
26 degrees, breezy, mostly cloudy
It is a bright cloudy morning; the sun is almost breaking
through a layer of high thin clouds.
We could use a little fresh snow to cover up the sand and
grit that the town snowblower flung far
and wide yesterday. The road is much better now, wider
and drift-free, and the mess in the meadows
is a small price to pay. Yesterday was one of the
prettiest days of the season, a perfect mixture of sun
and clouds, with almost balmy temperatures and little
wind. We headed over to Carpenter Road after
lunch and skied the State Trails there for a couple of
hours, circling the beaver pond and gliding effort-
lessly through all kinds of terrain, from broad meadows
to old-growth evergreens and hardwoods divid-
ed by deep streams. There are a lot of humongous maple
trees along the way, perhaps marking the sites
of old homes that have long since disappeared into their
moss-covered foundations. We saw several other
skiers, but the trails were by no means crowded.
Temperatures are due to plummet tonight, so make the
most of this beautiful day; our dog could certainly use
another good romp outdoors before the freeze sets in.
Enjoy your day,
Daisy
~
Wednesday, February 21, 2007 7:45 a.m.
22 degrees, breezy, partly cloudy
It was disheartening to see rain falling yesterday
afternoon in Boonville,
after finally receiving perfect snow for winter fun.
Imagine my delight at coming
home to an inch of beautiful clean white snow on Gomer
Hill, freshening the landscape
that had been smudged with road sand and windblown debris.
As soon as I started up our
road the rain-slick shiny paved surface turned white. We
were able to take a hike before work
yesterday, up the Smith Road that was mercifully clear of
snowmobile traffic while we walked.
Horsey Creek is buried under so much snow that the banks
are barely visible, at least from the
road, although I am sure that if I went down the gorge a
few hundred yards the shale cliffs would
show the true nature of the area. There are several deer
trails in the forest, and many hoofprints
along the snowmobile trail, much easier for them to
travel on that than in the deep snow. The new-
growth spruce plantation hid several chickadees, who
flitted from tree to tree as if to accompany
us for a while, silent but flying with such joy that we
could almost imagine a smile on their little
beaks. A pileated woodpecker swooped across our path with
loud wingbeats, sounding a
little like sheets flapping in the wind. We heard some
ravens, but, as usual, if they don’t
wish to be seen, they are not. All in all, it was a
pleasant little walk, a good format for
many of the random thoughts that have been bouncing
around my brain to begin to
come together into whole cloth, instead of shreds and
tatters. Any outdoor exercise
works so much more than just our bodies; it energizes the
mind and spirit as well.
Have a wonderful day,
Daisy
~
Tuesday, February 20, 2007 7:45 a.m.
25 degrees, calm, overcast
It is finally mild enough outside that I believe the dog
might be willing to take a walk
with me this morning. It has been so cold lately that he
gets as far as the end of the driveway
and then sits down and refuses to go any farther, holding
up a little paw and looking at me like
I’m nuts. So we play fetch with a sockball indoors
or he tumbles around with the long-suffering
(and incredibly patient) cats, getting a little exercise,
but what he really needs is a great big walk,
sniffing the snow and prancing proudly at the end of his
leash. I could use a hike myself, having
been so wrapped up in paperwork and appointments lately
that I have forgotten to take twenty
minutes to romp around. Until the snow settles I am
nervous about skiing alone in the woods;
falling into that blowdown hole last week gave me a clue
that it is pretty stupid to go out
alone when the snow is so deep and unstable. It has been
too cold and windy to ski
in the meadows, but after today’s busy schedule has
been tackled, I am looking
forward to the rest of the week, which is supposed to be
more moderate.
For now, a walk up the road will have to do.
It’s all good,
Daisy
~
Monday, February 19, 2007 8:45 a.m.
-5 degrees, breezy, sunny
It is a beautiful sunny morning, but the windchill is
brutal.
It will remain fairly cold all day; if the breeze dies
down it will
raise the comfort level for outdoor activities
considerably. Yesterday
we traveled south to Lee Center, across Mohawk Hill.
There was a little
snow falling, but the stiff wind produced whiteouts every
time we drove by
open fields bordered by high snowbanks. It snowed pretty
hard during the
afternoon, and we ran into a heavy squall as we drove
home through Ava.
Once in West Leyden, we came into view of one of the
prettiest sunsets
I have seen this winter. I had to pull over for several
minutes to be able
to safely admire the huge clouds that were bathed in
multiple shades of
pink and orange as the sun slowly disappeared behind them.
By the
time I reached Gomer Hill the whole sky was bathed in
soft purple
haze, a wonderful welcome home from the powers-that-be.
Bundle up today,
Daisy
~
Sunday, February 18, 2007 7:15 a.m.
14 degrees, breezy, overcast, snowing
Big snowflakes drift across the scene, gradually picking
up the pace and giving rise to
the question of whether we should alter our traveling
plans for today. The forecast indicates
that the worst of the snow will be over by noon, so we
will wait a few hours before making a
final decision. I am comfortable driving in the snow,
with my all-wheel drive and new snow tires;
I worry about close encounters with others on the road,
the less experienced, the cellphone-yakking,
coffee guzzling, ipod-embedded folks that are unaware of
things going on outside of their own vehicle,
even on a sunny day. Heads up if you are on the road
today; turn your lights on and keep your eye on
everything. No autopilot allowed. Meanwhile, the sun has
just made an appearance, and the snowflakes
are extremely vivid under the intense illumination of
early morning sunbeams. Each flake leaves a little
moving shadow, and it looks like a dark river flows over
the meadow, very subtle. The breeze plays
tricks as well, with the flurries closest to the house
drifting slowly east while the bulk of them head
west. I could gaze at this lovely view all day, but will
resist the temptation and get on with the day.
Have a great one,
Daisy
~
Saturday, February 17, 2007 8:30 a.m.
14 degrees, windy, mostly cloudy, flurries
Flurries fill the air blowing from west to east, and then
the sun comes out for a bit
and the snow stops, and it starts up again, a seemingly
endless tape loop playing over
and over outside our window. We had one heck of an
unscheduled squall yesterday, with
the road drifting nearly closed and about a foot of new
snow arriving in blustery sideways sheets.
The plow came through after dark and could barely roll
back the windpacked drifts; some serious
snowblowing needs to be done, and soon. With banks five
or six feet tall, every time the wind picks
up it looks like it is snowing here on Gomer Hill even if
it isn’t. Several roads north of here are closed
this morning, as state and town snowplows try to keep up
with still another band of lake effect snow
that is pounding areas from Martinsburg northwards. We
have had calls from friends and family all
over the country who have heard Tug Hill mentioned on the
national news during the past week;
our fifteen minutes of fame is finally here ! What a far
cry from the rain and ice that showed up
just a month ago. Our wish for snow has been answered
tenfold; thank you Lake Ontario !
Have a great day,
Daisy
~
Friday, February 16, 2007 7:30a.m.
6 degrees, windy, partly sunny, snowing ?
It may indeed be snowing, or it might merely be large
quantities of snow moving
around, whipped into a frenzy by winds that are blowing
steady at 10 mph and gusting
up to 25. The sun is obscured by a white curtain, and
drifts are slowly marching eastward
across the meadows, moving slowly like gigantic
shapeshifting slugs. As the fine sugary snow
sifts across the tops of the drifts, it creates subtle
layers like ripples on a pond, fascinating to
watch, as if these big old lumps were living beings.
Farther afield, snow swirls and lifts high into
the air like steam from a huge cup of coffee. A couple of
vehicles that spend the winter parked
behind the house are buried, acting as anchors for vast
amounts of snow and looming large like
beached leviathans. Schools to the south of here are
closed, some of them since Wednesday’s
nor’easter. New snow that landed on top of stuff
pushed off the roofs reaches halfway up the
windows; if we fell off the roof today, it would be
little more dangerous than jumping off a
chair. If it warms up a little, I might do a little
exploring on skis later today; but for now,
the windchill has me content to do a little work snuggled
up next to the wood stove.
Tuck in and stay warm,
Daisy
~
Thursday, February 15, 2007 9:00a.m.
4 degrees, breezy, mostly sunny
The morning view is dazzling, with bright sunshine
bouncing from drift to drift;
one can practically see the path that light takes,
shimmering trails of pure brilliance.
Yesterday’s nor’easter left us with another
foot of snow on top of what we already
had from the lake effect storm. This was an entirely
different kind of snowfall, however.
The lake effect snow was full of air, and the flakes were
huge, flat, and lacy, sliding across
each other with the ease of confetti on the breeze. One
hard footfall and the light powder
would scatter; it was fairly easy to break trail with our
skinny skis. This new stuff was tiny
as it fell, almost invisible at times, and dense as sand.
The town plow made light work of
clearing the roads, but shoveling paths and plowing the
yard with the pickup truck was a
challenge. Snow piled up on the southern-exposure roofs;
thank goodness our barns’
eaves run east and west. Make sure you arrange to have
your roofs cleared off
before the next wave of weather moves in, which looks
like it might be tonight.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Wednesday, February 14, 2007 8:30a.m.
4 degrees, breezy, overcast, snowing
Everything in much of New York state is closed today due
to snow. I must say, I have seen
much worse snow than this; visibility is good, we only
have had about four inches, and our road is
even plowed. The kicker is that Snow Ridge is one of the
businesses that is closed; what the heck ?
A ski area closed due to snow ? I guess the weather south
of here is much worse, and the mountain
manager doesn’t want folks on the road. But what
about the locals who have the day off and are
looking forward to skiing fresh powder? At least my
outdoor activities today don’t depend on
anything other than my own two feet, just like Fred
Flintstone. As long as the wind doesn’t
pick up, it is a lovely morning to ski along the Smith
Road. It is midweek so there will
likely be few snowmobiles zipping by, and the roadway is
protected
on both sides by tall trees that keep the breezes at bay.
Bundle up, and enjoy the day,
Daisy
~
Tuesday, February 13, 2007 7:30a.m.
-6 degrees, breezy, mostly cloudy
After sporting a very colorful pre-dawn palette, the sky
has become overrun with sheets of
silver clouds, which barely allow the sun’s rays
sift through the thin spots. The metallic sheen
lends an especially frosty aspect to a morning that is
bone-chillingly cold to begin with. A bit of
a breeze drives the cold right through the seams of my
heavy coat, so for any serious outdoor fun I
must be certain to don an extra long-sleeved layer or two.
My daypack has an assortment of scarves,
a down vest, an extra hat, dry socks and gloves, just in
case. In case of what, I am not really sure. One
of the most important things I carry in the winter is a
few pieces of chocolate or a hunk of cheese, valuable
for the fat calories that will help heat a chilled body.
It is a fact, if your hands and feet get cold while
enjoying
a winter activity on a frigid day, eat something with a
high fat content. Not the entire one pound Hershey Bar,
just something the size of a Lindt Truffle Ball should do
the trick, or a string cheese stick. Fuel up well before
heading out on a cold day as well. A piece of wholegrain
toast with peanut butter and a dab of honey is a good
start to any day, with a second piece if the morning will
include an active winter sport like snowshoeing or skiing.
Have a great day,
Daisy
~
Monday, February 12, 2007 9:30a.m.
15 degrees, breezy, partly sunny
My goodness, what a busy weekend! We had all kinds of
great fresh snow and a houseful
of cross-country skiers, so we took advantage of the
conditions and the weather to cover a lot
of ground in three days. On Friday two of us broke trail
in knee- deep powder through the forest
and puckerbrush from Gomer Hill Road to the state trails
that originate at Carpenter Road. It was a
windy day but once we were in the cover of trees it was
warmer, with the gale soughing through the tall
pines like the rush of the incoming tide. In fact, it was
an incoming tide of lake effect snow, which moved
in for Friday night and part of Saturday morning. That
first trip through the snowcovered trails was the most
treacherous, with deep holes camouflaged as sturdy ground
by a deceptive layer of fluff. One such trap was
created by a spruce that had blown down last fall, and
was invisible until I skied over it. My skis became
entangled in the hidden branches, and as I tried to find
solid ground to plant my pole and regain my feet,
I kept sinking lower and lower into the hole as the poles
uselessly hit thin air beneath me. If I had been
skiing alone, I might still be there. I flopped over on
to my back, eased my skis out from under the branches,
and my friend offered her pole to give me a helping hand
from where she stood five feet away on a safer spot.
Even with help, it was difficult. We proceeded with
caution and completed our journey without further mishap.
When we reached Mill Creek, we could barely find the
stream under all the snow, but since I remembered
where the best crossing was from last year, we made it
safely to the other side. Saturday found thirteen of us
following the same trail, happy that the lake effect snow
had fled the scene (as if by magic!) before we set out
after lunch. Many folks on the outing hadn’t seen
this kind of snow in a long time, mounds of it draped
grace-
fully over every tree branch and totally obscuring some
of the smaller balsam and spruce trees. We passed
some gnarled twisty larch trees, bare of needles but with
all of the little bald knobs sporting frosting-hats, like
thousands of miniature marshmallows stuck along the
branches. We were a merry crew, and didn’t sneak up
on any wildlife, but we saw scads of little trails going
every whichaway. The creek was particularly lovely when
viewed from the bluffs above that give Mill Creek Trail
its name. The pools were deep and dark, surrounded
by high banks of white snow, picture-perfect. The group
reached the top of Snow Ridge Ski Area just as the
lifts shut down, and was made welcome by several members
of the National Ski Patrol who were expecting us.
The return trip was zippy due to falling temperatures; we
made it home well before dark, happy to gather in the
warmth of the great room to tell our tales of the day’s
adventure. Sunday’s outing was on the Carpenter Road
trail from Timberview Lodge to Jack’s Track, through
some young-growth balsams that were buried in cascades
of fresh snow, several feet of it that rounded every
contour and buried most of the usual landmarks. We were a
little footsore and skied-out by yesterday, so we had a
leisurely stroll on skis with plenty of time to admire
the
details, tiny pawprints to the beaver flow and the
pungent scent of balsam resin rubbed between our mittens.
We saw no one on the trails but each other; many of the
marked paths were untracked and pristine. For all
of the lamentable snow-free days in December and January,
this past weekend more than made up for them
in quantity as well as quality. After a few days catching
up chores and putting in time at the part-time job,
I can’t wait to get back out for some more great ski
touring.
Have a wonderful day,
Daisy
~
Saturday, February 10, 2007 7:00a.m.
14 degrees, windy, overcast, fine flurries
Why I Need the Birds
by Lisel Mueller
When I hear them call
in the morning, before
I am quite awake,
my bed is already traveling
the daily rainbow,
the arc toward evening;
and the birds, leading
their own discreet lives
of hunger and watchfulness,
are with me all the way,
always a little ahead of me
in the long-practiced manner
of unobtrusive guides.
By the time I arrive at evening,
they have just settled down to rest;
already invisible, they are turning
into the dreamwork of trees;
and all of us together —
myself and the purple finches,
the rusty blackbirds,
the ruby cardinals,
and the white-throated sparrows
with their liquid voices —
ride the dark curve of the earth
toward daylight, which they announce
from their high lookouts
before dawn has quite broken for me.
~
Friday, February 9, 2007 8:00a.m.
4 degrees, calm, overcast
Yesterday was beautiful and sunny, and a little ski
outing proved to be hard work breaking trail
but worth it for the sight of the forest, tucked deep in
a quilt of winter white. The wind picked up
later in the day, but for a while it was quite pleasant
outside. More snow blew in at dinnertime last
night, and the town plow left a five foot hedge of snow
at the end of the driveway. The barn roof has
a full load that must be scraped off at some point today,
before the next wave hits. Fortunately, it is
fluffy powder, fairly easy to push around with the
plowtruck and a good old fashioned snow shovel.
At least our daily amounts can be measured in inches, not
feet like to the west of here. We have
been on the receiving end of six or seven feet of snow a
couple of times, and that really is too
much of a good thing. We are still under a winter storm
warning until Monday morning, and
we could see a bunch more snow before this current storm
system runs out of steam.
Keep a weather eye out,
Daisy
~
Thursday, February 8, 2007 8:00a.m.
12 degrees, calm, snowing
The sun came out for about ten minutes earlier this
morning, and now it is hiding
behind a thin layer of snow-laden clouds. We got a mess
of snow yesterday afternoon
and evening, no telling how much, as the wind was
ferocious and rearranged it into big drifts
and bare patches. I let the dog out after dinner, and
there were parts of the yard where he
disappeared into snow well over his head. He looked like
a powdered-sugarcoated cruller
when he came back inside. We may see a little more snow
before this storm system
blows itself out, hopefully leaving us with a great
weekend of winter sports fun.
have a great day,
Daisy
~
Wednesday, February 7, 2007 7:30a.m.
-5 degrees, breezy, mostly sunny
The eastern edge of yesterday’s lake effect storm
gave us a couple of inches of new snow at dusk,
where the wind continued to blow hard and make for a slow
drive home from Boonville. I’ve seen
much worse, but it is wonderful that the trip can now be
done in half-light instead of total darkness.
I would like to remind folks at this point that
headlights must be turned on when driving through
white-
out conditions, to make your vehicle visible to other
drivers. I was astounded at how many unlit cars
I saw yesterday on my trip into town; a dim bulb behind
the wheel, perhaps. Fierce west winds have
slowed to a mere breeze this morning, but it is still
enough to make for an uncomfortable windchill factor.
The blackbirds don’t seem to mind the cold, and are
sharing a fine morning song with all who will listen,
finally able to be heard without competing for airtime
with the howling wind. Although there is more
snow in the forecast for a couple of days, I believe the
heaviest dumps are behind us for a while.
Have a great day,
Daisy
~
Tuesday, February 6, 2007 7:00a.m.
3 degrees, windy, partly cloudy
We missed most of yesterday’s snowfall, but the air
was a blinding tide of white anyway
as the wind whipped stuff from bank to bank. It is still
windy, but yesterday we had gusts
of 40 mph, and that combined with temperatures that never
rose very far above zero kept us
snug in our house. We watched snow-spouts rise a hundred
feet in the air, swirls of white that
almost seemed to assume human form at times. Perhaps it
was Jack Frost’s posse stopping by
to say howdy, thanks for the invitation. We
had to reschedule appointments and I was lucky
to find a colleague to fill in for me at work. There was
a travel ban for Lewis County, which has
recently been lifted. Schools south of here are closed
again today, and that is the direction most
of the dark clouds lie, covering that part of the valley
with dim shadows. It is possible that we will
see more lake effect snow later today as the band once
again lifts to the north. For now, the sun
is beginning to squeeze some peachy beams through clouds
encroaching from the east, and all
of the wind-sculpted ripples and ridges on the snowpacked
surface of the east meadow cast
long purple shadows that make the morning view surreal.
Birds have come out of hiding, the
usual assortment of jays, crows, and starlings, active
but silent. There are no tracks in the
snow that I can see; perhaps there were, but the wind has
erased them. I would guess
that deer have gathered deep in the shelter of the forest
until things calm down a bit,
and smaller critters are denned up together for warmth.
That sounds like a plan, at
least until the wind dies down and the temperature climbs
into the double digits.
Have a cozy day,
Daisy
~
Monday, February 5, 2007 9:00a.m.
1 degree, windy, overcast, snowing
After a gorgeous sunny day yesterday with bitter cold
wind gusts that kept me indoors, lake effect
snow finally moved into our neck of the woods at
suppertime. It roared in like a big old freight train,
dumping a whole lotta snow during the night which has
been pushed around into some huge drifts in the
yard. Schools are closed all around, and the winter storm
warning has been extended until tomorrow night.
The snow machine doesn’t seem to be running out of
steam at all, probably because the earlier part of the
season has left Lake Ontario warmer than usual for this
time of year. The snow is taking a little break for
now, zipping past the window as speedy fat flurries
rather than a blinding white sheet. The wind has been
so fierce that the striations in the bark on the west
side all of the trees in the yard are plastered
flush
with snow, and the spruce trees are more white than green
at this point. No birds, no deer,
no nuthin’ is moving out there this morning,except
for the plow truck.
Bundle up and enjoy the day,
Daisy
~
Sunday, February 4, 2007 8:30 a.m.
5 degrees, windy, sunny
It looks like the far northern portion of our county got
the biggest part of last night’s lake effect
snow storm, with as much as two feet falling in some
areas. We had some flurries off and on during
the morning, but no significant accumulation overall.
Even if today’s squall line dips to the south, it
has
a good fifty miles to go before it hits us. The big story
on Gomer Hill today is the wind, gusting up to
35 mph so far with a steady blow between 15 and 20. The
surface of the snowpack in our meadows
is rippled with frozen whitecaps, and there are several
little frosty whirlwinds lifting from the field every-
where I look. Six blue jays are busy down by the garden,
their bright spring plumage faded to a dull
slate blue. They have been hanging around for a month or
more, and have denuded the rose hedge
of its hips and the spruce trees of their cones; I would
suspect they have also put a big dent in the
local rodent population. Normally a noisy bird, they are
oddly quiet during the coldest of the winter
months. I see them in the forest all year long, but this
is the first winter they have spent so much
time near the house. They get along with the resident
starlings, often sharing a branch in the big
maple tree by the barn when I take the dog out first
thing in the morning. Unless it warms up
and the wind dies down a bit I will enjoy this fine day
from the inside looking out.
Stay warm,
Daisy
~
Saturday, February 3, 2007 9:00 a.m.
10 degrees, breezy, overcast, snowing
Snow fell all night long and blessed us with an
additional six inches on top of our steadily increasing
base.
Snow still falls steadily, but in a user-friendly way,
not yet wind-whipped and blinding. Yet. We took a
little walk up the road after breakfast; Horsey Creek has
become a snow-filled gully with no visible run-
ning water. If I didn’t already know there was a
creek there, I wouldn’t suspect it based on what I
saw
this morning. The rate of snowfall has picked up in the
last five minutes, and it appears that we will
receive quite a bit of lake effect snow from the band
that is presently located directly to the west
of us. I believe I will trade in my skis for snowshoes
until the new snow has a chance to settle.
Perhaps I should put a snorkel and periscope in my
daypack too, just in case.
Have a great day,
Daisy
~
Friday, February 2, 2007 8:30 a.m.
22 degrees, calm, overcast, flurries
The morning sky is bright and pearly grey, suggesting
that the sun isn’t stuck too far
behind a thin layer of clouds. Light flurries are
falling, tiny motes of snow that have given
us an inch or so of new coverage. In stark contrast to
this fresh white blanket is a flock of
black crows that are gathered by the spring, lighting in
the apple trees and making frequent
forays to the trickle of runoff for drinks. I have
noticed that our previously fast-flowing creeks
and streams have become closed in by ice and snow, so
wildlife is finding water wherever it can.
Even the steady runoff from the springbox will eventually
disappear under a thick layer of snow;
I wonder how wild critters quench their thirst when open
water becomes scarce in the dead of
winter ? As humans, we are lucky to be able to turn a
handle and get instant water. Remember
that we need to drink plenty of water every day, and that
any outdoor adventure should include
at least a pint container of water carried in an inside
pocket or insulated holster so it won’t freeze.
Believe it or not, I have seen folks suffer heat
exhaustion when cross-country skiing. Any activity
that is vigorous enough to produce perspiration will
require ample water to re-hydrate, or the
body’s temperature will climb. Have a good drink
before going out and after arriving home
as well. A large glass of water before the apres-ski beer
or wine is a good idea as well.
Just call me...
Doctor Daisy
~
Thursday, February 1, 2007 8:00 a.m.
14 degrees, breezy, mostly cloudy, flurries
The clouds are parting after a particularly lively day of
winter weather yesterday. We were
stuck in the middle of a narrow band of lake effect snow
for most of the day, receiving well over
two feet of snow; it is hard to measure exactly how much,
as the wind has rearranged it into lovely
drifts and ripples. A few lingering morning flurries don’t
make much of a difference, but do add a
certain charm to the overall view. There was a bit of
irony in the fact that yesterday offered some of
the best alpine powder skiing in the East, but the roads
were so poor that no one could make it to
Snow Ridge. Schools all around closed early, but once the
kids were home there were few that were
willing to brave the storm to venture out again. Those
that managed to bully their way through blinding
driving conditions to get to the ski area were happy to
float downhill, weightless through snow so deep it
flowed up into their faces and made it a little hard to
breathe. I imagine there will be more than a few folks
taking the morning off today to get first tracks through
the lovely fluff. Looks like winter is finally here !
Have a great day,
Daisy
~
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