Bogieblog

February Snow Storm

This has been a fairly mild winter. Despite the 22" of snow that we got in December, most of the storms have been dustings, although we have had a couple that were 2-4". It also has been pretty mild with only a couple mornings under 0*F, with those days usually reaching in the teens for the highs.At the same time, we haven't had much sun and most days have been heavily overcast, so even on days that have reached above freezing, there hasn't been much meltage.

Groundhog day we got a decent amount of snow at around a foot of the white stuff. The first two pictures were taken at 4:30am out the bedroom bay window, and the total at that time was 8-10" (as measured by my handspan). The 3rd picture was taken at 5:20 am, after I had started snow blowing

This is after I busted out of the berm with the snow blower

I had gotten lucky and the roof on the front of the house dumped shortly before I started snow blowing and I was able to use the snow blower to remove most of it (if it has set for a while, it takes chopping up like making igloo blocks). Howeverm the back side waited to dump until that afternoon. Lucky timing with this shot, the shelf of snow dumped 5-10 minutes after taking the photo. And even luckier, it vaulted the ramp and railing. For perspective, the eave overhang is 3' wide.

The next day I took these pictures of the snow still stuck in the crabapple tree branches (despite temps in the mid 30's)

the berm beside the ramp from both shoveling and roof dumpage. The snow had drifted while falling, so I had to shovel about 6" off the entire ramp before I started snow blowing - I didn't want that snow on there when the roof dumped (not knowing, of course, that the dumpage would vault the ramp).

We've gotten a couple more inches of snow thru the week and more coming tomorrow. Yesterday I got out and cleared water routes down tom and along the back yard as it was supposed to rain after snowing for a while. But the rain didn't materialize. Despite the mild winter, we haven't had any real meltage. I even still have a decent amount of snow left from December, so places to blow the snow in the driveway area are getting scarce.

Last Pics of 2020

Yesterday morning it was raining again, but there is still snow to be had

Looking toward the shrub garden about 3:40 am while it was raining

The swamp side of the yard after the rain stopped, at about 8:30 am. I couldn't get a pic at the same time as the previous picture because that side was too dark.

Pictures taken on 12/27/2020. Spot relaxing in the warm area I left on the couch

Rainey watching Spot relaxing on the couch. Not sure why she was glaring unless she had just finished kicking her toy's azz (that pink thing is the tag to a SmartyKat Chitter Critter toy). Although in actuality, that is pretty much her Diva "resting face". As an aside - most pet toys seem to be made in China - their dog and cat toys are made in USA from recycled materials.

Hope the New Year brings nothing but good things to everyone!

Warm Temps and First Snow

December 1, 2020 was odd in that it was 60* at 3:30 in the morning. Although it did not get warmer thru the day, the temp stayed in the high 50's.

Later that morning, the news said we were the warmest place - I know it was snowing in NC and TN during that time.

However, by the next day, we were back in the 30's and 40's. Yesterday (12/5/20), we got our first measurable snow. It was a very wet, heavy snow. My place got about 4" before it started to rain (fun fact, it was snowing whilte the temps were 34-36*, then started raining when the temp lowered). The road plow went by right around when it changed to rain, so I went out to snow blow. The stuff was so heavy that I ended up dong most of the driveway berm and at the mailbox with a shovel.

Pic taken after it had been raining for an hour so a lot of the snow had dropped off and the stuff on the ground had compacted

It is amazing the amount of traffic my driveway gets that is not mine. For some reason it is a great place to turn around if you find yourself going down the wrong road after turning off 149. One would think they could take that cross road that is RIGHT FREAKING THERE not 10-15' further, and then take that next street to end up back at 149. But, no, that would be too easy for, in this case, a huge flatbed truck hauling a full size truck frame and cab (no bed) that had to do a 5 point turn.

Note that part of that turn went off the driveway. Although the driveway looks large in this picture, I assure you the paved part is just wide enough for the Explorer - so the two lane roads are more than twice as wide as my driveway.

After snapping that 1st picture - the truck drove by again, with the truck still on the bed. Then he sat at the stop sign and offloaded the truck frame (I watched it drive off). And I don't know how the driver got all confused, but he turned onto 149, then somehow came back down my street AGAIN! This time he did take that road and turned right at the next block down.

Oh, and earlier that morning, before it even started with any sort of precipitation, I noticed red flashing lights when I went into the living room from my office.

The vehicle closest to the house is a Heavy Rescue squad, and the one head-on, at the side road is a smaller rescue vehicle. I don't know what towns, but if I had to guess the smaller vehicle was from Deering and they were handing off to the Hillsborough Rescue.

There were two vehicles parked behind the Rescue Squad (no, there wasn't a wreck there). I could hear the people talking to the rescue/ambulance so I think they were giving background. The smaller vehicle left first, then the larger, then the two cars.

First Snow of the Season

With the drought, when it has been cold enough for snow, we just haven't had any moisture. Up north is a different story, they are not in extreme drought and have had several snows, whereas my area is still at least 11" behind in moisture. When there has been moisture, we have gotten warmer temps (not complaining). At the beginning of last week, I had 3 days of drizzle and rain, which finally added up to 1/2" of moisture. Then Thursday morning, the conditions allowed us to get 2" of snow. It started about 7am and by 8:30 snow had blown onto the geraniums

White breasted nuthatch sitting on the birdfeeder. To the lower right, is an Angel Wing begonia that I don't have room for in the house (I have 3 inside, so no big deal)

At 1:30:

The geraniums and Angel Wing were fine with the snow and 28 temps. However, they weren't fine with the 20* temp Friday night into Saturday morning so it is time to get those off the back porch.

Rain and Autumn Colors

We finally got some decent rains. October 13-14 we got a nice slow rain that left close to 1.75" of precipitation.

All of it soaked in preparing the ground for the next system. October 16-17 we got another 2.25+" of rain.

Although we were in severe drought at 12-15" below normal, that will help put a dent in our needs. The new drought monitor doesn't come out until the middle of the week but I hope the whole state went to Moderate. Heck, the North Country might have gone to Abnormally Dry since they received  the edges of systems that stayed up that way. They also got snow yesterday - some places getting 8".

Last pictures of Autumn Blaze as it lost most of its leaves yesterday from the wind that appeared after the rain yesterday. Picture taken 10/15

Athough the burning bush still has most of its leaves, it was at its peak on 10/15

This big maple is next to the shed and drops its leaves later than the "junk" maples out back.

Yesterday I dropped off some cat food at the ARLNH, the rescue that I got Rita from. While driving thru Goffstown, I had to stop and get a picture of these maples.

Two weekends ago I primed the pressure treated wood that makes up the new frame for the garage door. The frame was put up in mid July, but the PT was green so I gave it 2 months to dry. Actually, the handyman was supposed to come back, but since he didn't, and hadn't contacted me at all, I figured I would do it myself since it is getting close to being too cold to paint. Last Sunday I put on two coats of paint. Next year I will repaint the concrete block so the white overrun will be covered.

We haven't had any rain in two weeks. After months of only getting abut 1" of rain per month, we are in a severe drought with parts of the state in extreme drought. With state rivers and streams down to 1% (99% of years they have been running higher at this time), and lakes down massively, I have only been watering the four new plants I put in a couple of weeks ago. All other gardens have to deal the best they can on their own. Last I heard on the local channel, at present we are at the driest month of September ever, with 0.19" of rain. The month could move down in the list if we get the much needed rain that is forecast for tomorrow.

One of the black cherry trees has decided to show a bit of nice color anyway.

It has been since the early 80's that I last had to change a car tire. Yesterday I got to test my skills as I blew a tire in the driveway; a really good place for a tire to go. It was totally my fault  as I got distracted by my garage door being open (I was returning from the store). I always close the garage door when I leave the house, and I was trying to see if everything was still in there or if anyone was inside.Well, as I was rubber-necking, I hit a sharp rock on the retaining wall and the tire let me know it was not happy. No, no part of the car hit, just the tire.

I've never used a scissor jack before, or lifted from the frame, but I got the spare donut on and drove to the local dealer. I was discussing putting on two front tires with the advisor when she told me that Thursday some good rebates are coming out if I could wait. Since I have the truck (and don't have to drive to work either), I don't need the car right now, so I told her I would wait - and possibly just go ahead and put on 4 tires. I left the car in their parking lot and they gave me a ride home.

Rain, Glorious Rain

Yesterday, my place received 1" of rain which is fantastic. That 1" equals the amount I had received in the last 5 weeks; consistently there has been 1/4" of rain each week except for about 3 weeks ago when I received none. From the UNL Drought Monitor :

Sure, we aren't as bad as some areas, but the average for the state is somewhere around 8-10" below normal (after a mild snow winter).

Finally got some shots of a cardinal that has been hanging around for most of the summer. He has been very skittish and bolts anytime I open the door . Since most of the summer has been extremely hot for this area, the door and shade is normally closed. However, it has been cooler and cloudy for a couple of days, so the shade has been up on the door. With the lights off in the kitchen, and moving slowly, I could keep from startling him. Although in the last picture, he must have caught a reflection off the phone, or I moved, so he played peekaboo.

I am leaning toward a color mutation for the pinkish, although it could certainly be a young male that hasn't come into it's final colors (none of the young males I have ever seen look like this though).

For the last couple of weeks I've also had a female Ruby-Throated Hummingbird hanging around the planters of flowers on the back porch railing. I finally put a feeder out for her last Monday since those flowers probably don't have much nectar (geraniums) and there aren't many other flowering plants around because of the dry conditions and the goldenrod hasn't opened yet. Haven't seen a male around though so don't know if she is a transient or what.

And that is pretty much the exciting news around here - everyone have a great week!

Hurricane Isaias Remnants

The morning prior to the hurricane remnants hitting us, I saw a dark blob in the back yard. I thought it was a turtle, but when I got the binoculars out, it was a bird. It took me a while to figure out it was a juvenile robin that had jumped, or fallen out of the nest. It was not yet at the stage it could fly (or maybe just hadn't figured it out yet). (following three pics taken about 9:30 am on 8/4/20)

After a while, I saw Mom and Dad in the area.

That afternoon, I got alerts from both my personal and work phones - tornado warning!The local channel had Hillsboro in the warning area also, just can't see it in this picture. The tornado was indicated by radar (not by sight) and at that time was in Peterborough area, but the storm was moving 50-70 mph (so they said). I let my boss know I was logging off from work, then grabbed the youngsters, put them in their pen, and rolled it into the hallway (closing all the doors around it). Then I grabbed Rita and put her in the basement (she respects the gate at the top of the stairs.

My side of town saw only about 1/4" of rain (as has been usual, 1/4" of rain per week since the 4" more than a month ago). and very little wind. However, at higher elevations there were lots of trees and electrical wires downed, although no tornado or straight line winds.

A couple hours later, I looked around and finally found two juvenile robins. Both were beside the red rhododendron at the side of the house. Before I could grab my phone for a picture, one had gone behind the rhodie or under the burning bush that is behind it, so I could only get a shot of one.

We must have gotten more wind that night, because the next day I found some large limbs had come down. Thursday evening, since the dump is open late, I gathered all the limbs and took them to the shrub pile

I haven't seen the juvenile robins around, and I've only seen one adult robin, so it is hard to say if they got taken by the neighborhood fox, a cat, or are fine and on their own (or even being taken care of by parents somewhere in the swamp). And, previously I had rarely seen both mom and dad robins at the same time, so all I have a questions.

Just looked it up and it seems that the fledglings take a couple of weeks before they fly. They are taken care of by dad while mom lays and sits on more eggs, so I'm going to go with that explanation :)

 

Tornado Warning 5-15-20

Had a tornado warning last night as radar indicated some minor rotation south of me and bow echos directly in my area. This picture was taken about 15 minutes after the warning blared on my phone - as you can see, the worst had already passed my area.

Earlier, they had predicted a low to medium chance of tornado, and winds up to 60-70 mph, along with torrential rains. So I was prepared when the warning came out. Rainey was already in the pen (at lower left, in shadows) so I only had to corral Spot and Rita. That way I could roll the pen into the hallway, keeping the cats safer, if the weather warranted it.

My area got the torrential rains, but the wind did not amount to much, not even howling as it has most days in the last couple of weeks. So after the warning expired, I opened the pen. They all came out, but 10 minutes later, the youngsters had gone back in. Rainey is now on the top, left bunk and Spot on the right.

Rita was up on the couch with me begging for pets

Pretty anticlimactic, but I'm not complaining.

One of my clusters of creeping phlox is blooming. The other clusters, in the tiers above, are different colors and get more shade so they are only now setting flower buds.

Yesterday was cold, raw, very windy and snowy. The high was 42 - and like most of May so far (except 1 day), the high temp was way below average. The ground was warm enough that the snow pretty much melted as it fell, but there were some spots it tried to accumulate. I looked out at the side window and at first thought the invasive roses over in the swamp were blooming. I thought it was rather early in the season. Then I realized that the "blooms" were clumps of snow sticking.

Next weekend it will probably be time for the first mowing for some areas of the lawn.