Monday, February 20, 2006, 19:47
Frosting on the Windows
One thing about below zero temperatures -- the windows develop lovely frost patterns.
I figured I had better take pictures of the windows before the weather warms up and the frost melts.
This morning it was 14 degrees above zero. Quite a difference from Saturday's morning low of 18 degrees below zero Fahrenheit with a windchill of 25 below.
Sign Board -- I thought I had my sign board with the cow collage all figured out for the craft sale next Sunday. Then I found another calendar with more cow pictures (Guernseys and Jerseys, too!). Plus, I found one of those foam board "science fair" thingy-dingies. The foam board is a little bit bigger than the painted piece of plywood I was going to use. Or rather, it's a little bigger when it's folded up. Unfolded, it's much bigger. I'm still debating whether to use it unfolded or folded.
The foam board also is easier to push tacks into to hold the pictures on. With the plywood, I've got to use tiny nails hammered into the board.
So, it's back to the drawing board for me, so to speak. Maybe not completely back to the drawing board. Just a little more back to the drawing board to figure out which other pictures I want to use. And whether I'm going to leave the thing folded up or unfolded.
Who would think things like this would have to be so complicated?
LeAnn R. Ralph
Saturday, February 18, 2006, 20:35
How Cold Is It?
Last night when I went out to take care of the horses before going to bed, it was 18 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. And the wind was still blowing out of the north/northwest, so it felt more like 30 below zero.
The weather forecasters say this is the coldest air mass we've had in two years.
I don't need weather forecasters to tell me that, though. While I was outside, I carried our little Illuminator windup flashlight with me. It was so cold, the switch on the flashlight froze while I was outside. I could not turn it off. I had to bring it in the house and let it warm up for a few minutes before I could turn the flashlight off.
Also, while I was outside last night, the train went through. The tracks are about a mile away, but because the air was so cold, the train sounded more like it was running through the pasture rather than running along the tracks. Even Isabelle stopped eating long enough to look up to see what was coming -- and then wondered what it was when she couldn't see anything at all.
This morning, by the time I went outside with Pixie, it had warmed up to 14 degrees below zero. The wind had died down, and it felt downright balmy!
Unfortunately, the wind has picked up again, so now it is back to feeling like it is 20 or 25 below zero.
Seeing as we have not had cold weather like this for a while, it has taken some trial and error to figure out how to dress for it again, but I think I've got it figured out now: sleeveless shirt, a sweatshirt, hooded sweatshirt, windbreaker, fleece zip-up with another fleece zip-up on top, stocking cap, hood pulled up, scarf around my face, gloves and chopper mittens, long johns, heavy pants, heavy boots, multiple pairs of socks.
I do not walk when I go outside -- I waddle.
The good news is -- the sun is shining! After the three weeks of cloudy weather we had at the end of December and the beginning of January, sunshine is a welcome commodity.
| What's the weather like where you are? Click on the comments link below to tell us how cold -- or warm-- it is where you live. . . |
