Another 2-3 inches so far, creating a winter wonderland of flocked tress and mounds of white. Pax loves bounding through it, occasionally scooping up a mouthful. But on our walk today we saw a dead bird and no daffodils. Isn't this the latter half or April?
Something about this snow, or perhaps the spring sunlight, that makes it incredibly white (the photo below doesn't do it justice). It reminds me of the actress on the TV ad who looks like she got a flashlight stuck in her throat or had her teeth replaced with LCDs. Luminous.
All the way up to 41 by afternoon, thanks to a bright sun. Some melting, causing icicles.
Here is a leaf debossing itself—alreay over an inch deep. Solar power in action.
And here is the original April fool.
...we might hope.
The Nik/Der/Ru contingent were able to get away, amidst snow showers and after more shoveling, and make it back to Mpls/St.P.
On the back roads to and from Fort, hundreds of birds along the shoulders, drawn, I think, by a bit of bare ground. On little Cravath Lake in downtown Whitewater many waterfowl, including gulls, mergansers, a loon, and others I didn't recognize. I suspect that a great many birds, especially those on the move, got stalled by the storm. We might hope that the storm did not result in high levels of avian mortality (or in plain English, that it didn't kill too many birds). Worried about those sandhills that went north weeks ago.
Here's the reply from Therese to my question, "How are things on Manitoulin":
Bad. But we are lucky to have power. Ice storm yesterday and snowstorm today. No going out on the roads. May have to get driveway plouged again! Cra-zee! Solar panels coated in ice covered in snow. Good thing we have lots of wood and propane!
Two weeks to our Manitoulin departure.
Nik, Der, and Ru unable to travel travel.
A day of heavy shoveling mixed with card playing (and reading, naps, and conversation).
The active front of this storm reaches, at the moment, from Havana, Cuba, to Winnipeg, Manitoba, and both Lake Huron and Lake Superior are completely obscured on radar by thick bands of mixed precipitation.
at the Nies residence in Oconomowoc.
Unlimited food and fun. Long, slow drive home through “historic” winter storm.
Nik, Derek, and Ru here in advance of tomorrow’s big family picnic.
Big warmup and a little rain last night.
Vi’s daffodils almost ready to bloom.
First spring peepers heard, first dandelions seen. Pax desirous of being outside all day. Nice evening, back-patio-sit in company with a multitude of robins.
Cover crop greening up one of the University gardens.
Helping out a bit at Fox Point as Will got hit hard by flu and then dehydration.
Weather moderating slightly.
No sign of it yet.
Light snow this morning. No sign of green in the prairie. Cold. Indoor projects.
...with Katy.
Good day for attending a “town hall” at the UAW hall in Janesville.
Substantial crowd. Featured candidate Randy Bryce who is going after Paul Ryan's seat. Organized and run by high school students. Lots of other politicians and candidates in attendance. I took advantage of the opportunity to slip candidate Bryce several documents full of what I consider election-winning ideas / talking points. Go Randy. Ryan has not had a townhall in his district for 915 days. He is, I believe, the largest single recipient of NRA money. And he is a scumbag.
Pretty much blown around our big Whitewater loop, Pax and me. The upwind legs were, as Pax would say, ruff.
And, speaking of poetry, here is something well worth watching, IMHO. (Okay, leave out the H.)
I think this particular program, and the whole series, is absolutely great.
After a day spent watching snow evaporate we decided it was time to go for a Rick Burger at Rick's Eastside Tap.
Doesn't get much more Wisconsin than this. Or this: Getting Smart.
...bring forth...who knows?
Manitoulin got clobbered. Kagawong web cam above. Mudge Bay is still frozen solid. And we are going there in a few weeks?
A chilling, misty drizzle riding an insistent east wind. Just enough above freezing to keep the moisture fluid. Snow, however, possible here...and certain farther north.
But this morning, a heartwarming assemblage of sausage, bacon, eggs, and world famous waffles. I'm about to pass the "world famous" torch to Ellie seeing as how I had little to do with today's scrumptious batch. Of course, we prepped by practicing "mise en place."
Also on today's menu—voting, and the three girls accompanied us to the polling place, helped us make our candidate selections, and slid the ballots into scanner.
(Thanks to Mimi for some of the shots below, from yesterday.)
Ellie, Maddie, and Becca for lunch, cooking, hiking, magic spells, dinner, and reading.
Ben and James here for a while at lunchtime.
At Milwaukee Athletic Club. Also with Tony, Abby, Katy, and Will. (And thanks to them for inviting us.) Scrumptious.
On top of that, the past week's two canine visitors have been returned to their rightful owners.
After some morning rain mixed with snow.
Squill at last.
In the woods to avoid the wind.
Basketball tonight.
And ice.
Fire on the prairie.
Ice on the iceboat trailer.
By rights, the iceboat should be tucked away in a barn, but with this spring's weather, sailing in May might be a possibility. The first ever (I do believe) Easter regatta is scheduled for this weekend.
Mostly cloudy, breezy, and chilly—and that's better than what the forecast holds.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
--Robert Frost