The weather prediction came true. I had my doubts, but the temperature dropped drastically and on Monday afternoon it began to snow lightly.
After dusk the temperature plummeted and it snowed much of the night. By midnight it was 18 degrees (that's Fahrenheit, for those of you in Guam).
I was feeling rotten and there was no plausible reason to stay up, so I settled in bed around 7:00 p.m. - with an electric blanket, my laptop, and two cats.
Just when things were getting cozy, an icy wind made the bare trees tremble and the power went out.
It's a rather frequent occurrence, but this time I wasn't expecting it. I'm sure I mentioned this before: everything in the house runs on electricity. Furnace, stove......electric blanket......
It was gonna be one helluva cold night.
Even under the best conditions, this is the coldest house I've ever lived in. It's like being in an igloo with the air conditioner on.
I don't need a furnace. I need an exorcist.
I clumsily staggered around in the dark searching for a flashlight, candles, matches, and extra blankets.
It was one of the longest nights I can remember. Absolute agony. I shivered in bed - watching the candles flicker and listening to the restless shrieks and diabolical howls of hungry coyotes.
Tuesday, the first day of December. Only 24 degrees for the daytime "high". Thank God the power was back on.
I wanted to venture into the forest and take some snowy pictures but it was very damp, extremely cold, and I have an agonizing pain in my left foot (among other things).
So I only took photos from the safety of the front and back porches.
The Halloween jack-o-lantern is still surviving
The misty front "yard" on Monday when it first started snowing.
Front porch
My cats went outside for about thirty seconds, then ran in.
My car, with new tires....(see previous blog post)
Front yard (again) on Tuesday, Dec. 1st.
And I apologize for not being able to leave comments on some of my favorite blogs due to a computer "glitch". There doesn't seem to be any way to fix it.
Thanks for sending that snow up here! Yesterday sucked and we lost power, too.
ReplyDeleteWhen I heard that snow was predicted for Monday, I honestly didn't think it would materialize. We usually don't get snow this early in the season. I'll gladly send it to you if you'd like more...(lol)
DeleteThey keep predicting snow showers and such here in good ole Berks County, PA but so far A LOT of rain and the temps are gradually dropping each week as per usual for us. Maybe if you are lucky this will be the first of very few for you there.
ReplyDeleteYes, the new Blogger certainy does suck! I am too afraid to even attempt changing my blog around too much (background, etc.) because it is so hard to navigate and figure shit out that I KNOW I will just screw it all up.
Your photos look lovely none-the-less. Have you seen many deer lately? We have them EVERYWHERE here - espeically this time of the year being mating season.
Take care and KEEP WARM!
I didn't take our snow prediction seriously because they're usually wrong - - but this time they were right on target. I honestly wish the snow would have waited until Christmas Eve.
DeleteI've had nothing but blog problems ever since this new format came into existence. I was VERY reluctant to change my background, but didn't want to leave my autumn background up forever.
I haven't seen any more deer around, but I constantly hear gunfire from the cursed hunters...
I hate to hear about your power outage ... but these photos are wonderful! The pumpkin, in particular, is classic. Its expression! I'd like to share this on my FB page -- with credit back to your blog. If that's OK?
ReplyDeleteI don't want to tempt fate, but have you considered getting a good sleeping bag for any future power outages?
I'm surprised that my jack-o-lantern lasted so long. The inside is moldy, but he still looks pretty good. Feel free to use any photos or anything else.
DeleteFortunately the power outage only lasted one night. It was so cold that I thought I'd turn into a popsicle by dawn. A sleeping bag might be a good idea.
The snow is beautiful...from far away! ;) Those temperatures with no power would be excruciatingly miserable. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteFortunately the snow seldom lasts very long around here. It will melt in a few days. Snow is okay if you don't have to go out anywhere, but I wish it would have waited until Christmas.
DeleteIt a wonder what the snow will hide. The will backyard may drive you nuts, but no denying how pretty those pictures are. But yeah....keep the snow there...Im not ready for that just yet lol!
ReplyDeleteThe snow seems to be hiding all the wildlife. I haven't even seen a bird lately (but the coyotes always come around late at night). I wasn't prepared for such cold weather this early. We usually don't get snow until around January.
DeleteSorry. I would have taken the snow in an instant...and more. It's snowed about ten times here and nothing has stuck around. The last thing I want is a brown Christmas this year. ;) I hope the cats cuddled with you all night.
ReplyDeleteI wish the snow would have waited until the end of December. I agree that I don't want a brown, warm Christmas. The two kitties sleep on my bed every night. It can be a little crowded at times but I love them.
DeleteThe misty front yard photo and also the wild back yard photos are stunning. I love the snow but would find it difficult to enjoy it without light and warmth. Hopefully you won't have too many of those long agonizing nights. It is a shame you don't have a fireplace. Maybe you should think about investing in a battery operated heating blanket. I know they exist because I've seen them on camping trips. Don't know how expensive they are, though.
ReplyDeleteI wish I would have taken some snow photos in the forest, but the porch photos turned out okay. Ironically, I had a fireplace in Texas where I didn't really need it. It would be much better to have one here. Perhaps a wood-burning stove would be nice.
DeleteI never knew there were battery-operated blankets.
Ok, Jon, I am envious that you have had snow and the only thing we’ve had lately is rain and warmer temps and this is in NH. While I enjoy a good snowstorm that’s when I am safe and warm inside and not in the midst of a power failure and cold, so definitely no envy there. The snow scene from your porch did look nice and I too would like a white Christmas since we will definitely be home for the holidays. Sorry to read about the issues with blogger.
ReplyDeleteThis snow was really a surprise because it came so early in the season. I was hoping it would wait until Christmas. It would certainly have been more enjoyable without the power outage, but at least the power came back on the next day.
DeleteI enjoyed seeing all your beautiful holiday decorations on your recent blog post!
Thanks, Jon, it was fun creating the various trees and I sort of got carried away and knew there was only limited shelf space to just fit in the dollar store snowmen. This was my first major crafts project and sure kept me busy. But, of course, the problem later will be storing them!
Deleteyou can get a small propane heater fueled with small cylinders of propane in the camping/hunting dept of wallmart. It would keep 1 room of house warm in an emergency.
ReplyDeleteBe sure to buy battery powered carbon monoxide detecter with it, just as a precaution.
I had thought about getting a propane heater, but the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning admittedly scares me. Perhaps I should consider a small wood-burning stove.
DeleteI would never have made it as a pioneer woman in winter. One year, about 11 years ago St. Louis had a bad Ice Storm and we were without electric for 4 days in super cold temperatures. I withstood it for 3 nights and then the house was down in the low 40's inside. Luckily we have a gas stove and we kept the oven on with the door of it closed for hours at a time and would the turn it off for a while all during the four days. Our pipes didn't freeze, but all of my indoor plants died. The final day and night of it we stayed with my daughter and her husband overnight and my husband came back home and ran the stove a couple of times enough to keep pipes from freezing. My stove was made back in 1956 so it doesn't have electronic ignition pilot lights.
ReplyDeleteI hope you can find some alternative heat sources for in your home for when the snow and Ice storms come. I hate Ice storms more than any other weather. Aren't cats funny when it comes to snow. When the Persian cat we used to have was young he loved it. When he got old he hated it so much you could not put him outside unless you wanted claw marks that would last two weeks. And oh the ugly faces he would make about the snow. They are the same ones I make now.
Few things are as annoying and scary as a power outage - especially in cold weather. Ironically, I had a fireplace when I lived in Texas - but don't have one here. I'm admittedly a city sissy at heart, I initially thought rural life would be simple and uncomplicated. Unfortunately I have more problems here than ever before.
DeleteMy cats really got a shock when they went outside in the frigid weather. They love being on my bed with the electric blanket.
Jon,
ReplyDeleteI still haven't figured out how to change my blog background on the new Blogger format. So much for "upgrades." Always enjoy seeing photos of the changing seasons of your sylvan retreat. Problem with living in the woods though is the power going out, often. I had that problem when we lived in Pennsylvania on seven acres of wooded land. Beautiful property but power went out at least once a month. I may live in a boring flat coastal landscape now but at least the power doesn't go out. Stay safe and warm!
Ron
This new Blogger format has given me nothing but endless problems. I was very hesitant to change my blog background, but didn't want to keep the autumn leaf theme through the winter.
DeleteWhen I first moved here there were surprisingly few power outages, but lately they have become frequent.Strangely enough, they sometimes even happen on mild, beautiful days.
That is a lo of snow... Fingers crossed it will miss us here.
ReplyDeleteI'll try to keep the snow away from your area....my toes are crossed...
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