March Snow

March has come in like a lion. 

Almost two inches of snow fell Sunday. 

The high temperature today was 23 degrees; the normal high is 49 degrees. 

Twenty-three degrees is the lowest high temperature for March 5. 

Snow flowers covered in snow. 

The daffodils are not looking happy. 

We have one more day of temperatures below freezing. 

Thursday may bring more seasonable temperatures. 

Miss A with her snow man.

How cute is that?

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Hueston Woods

Knowing that snow and cold was in the forecast, we drove up 

to Hueston Woods for the annual maple syrup festival. 

We started the morning with a plate of pancakes with real maple syrup,
sausages, orange juice and coffee.
We even had a second pancake.
Then, we walked from the beach area along the lake to the maple syrup cabin.

South west Ohio has had almost twice the normal six inches 

of rain so far this year. The residual debris shows how high the water was 

on Acton Lake. 

Volunteers were setting up for the day's activities. 

The standards to the right describe different ways the pioneers

and Indians boiled off the maple syrup. 

Traditional methods of collecting syrup. 

Trees had been felled before broken branches would fall on visitors. 

The broken branches are called 'widow makers.'

Modern methods of collecting maple syrup. 

You can almost see the blue collection lines. 

Heading back along the lake.

We made a stop at Tractor Supply.
One of us checked out batteries for the John Deere.
I looked at the chicks.

A young man told me they had received twice as many chicks as they had ordered...

March has come in like a lion.
The prediction was for 4 - 6 inches of snow, then
changed to  2 - 3 inches of snow.
It's late in the afternoon and the grass is covered...
This week the high temperatures will be in the 30's.
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Snow Flowers in Full Bloom

Snow flowers in full bloom.

Daffodils, growing in spite of the cold, frosty weather. 

Precipitation for the month of February is 7.15 inches
making this February the fifth wettest February on record. 

Normal precipitation for the month of February is 2.71 inches. 

Year to date precipitation: 11.26 inches. 

Normal year to date precipitation:  5.71 inches. 

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Snow Flowers

Snow Flowers

Can Spring be far behind?

Daffodils poking their little heads above the ground..

As I post this, a very fine snow is falling....

Ground Hog Day

We woke to a frosty, foggy morning. 

The temperature was a toasty 28 degrees.

Later in the afternoon, we walked out back. 

It was fun to see where the wild life had gathered. 

Tracks of deer, hopping the fence to cross the street. 

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Neither Punxsutawney Phil nor Buckeye Chuck saw his shadow today!
Will we have an early Spring?
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Atlanta

I had the opportunity to travel with my brother Fred and his wife Liz. 

They were headed to Port St. Joe on the Florida Panhandle to escape the Minnesota cold.
Fred agreed to drop me off in Atlanta to visit a friend who had recently moved.

We met Ruth at Applebees for dinner. 

Ruth moved to St. George's Village to be closer to 

her son, daughter-in-law and 6 month old grandson. 

We checked out the pool. 

Ruth and I  had spent many mornings carpooling to the GE Fitness Center. 

She for water aerobics, me to swim laps. 

Each morning, I swam laps in the far end while Ruth exercised.

Ruth took me on a tour of the grounds on Tuesday.
There is a quarter mile walk around the beautifully landscaped garden.
The weather was perfect the two days I was there - temperatures in the high 60's.

Residents may grow vegetables or flowers in a small garden.
Often residents share their garden plot.
Barb had been out cultivating her plot earlier.
In the background is the church that Ruth attends.
There is also an elementary and high school within walking distance.

Daffodils!    In February!

After the tour, we sat on the 'deck' reading the paper and chatting with Barb.

The formal dining room.
The lake and gardens can be seen through the windows.

The Bistro. A less formal dining area for lunch. 

The Bistro also has windows over looking the gardens. 

Wednesday evenings before dinner, 

 residents are treated to free beer or wine, popcorn or peanuts

here in the Bistro. 

For Wednesday dinner, a themed buffet is set up.
Our buffet included barbecue, potato salad, baked beans, hot dogs and hamburgers,
assorted vegetables, watermelon, corn and brownies.
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Thursday, I would be riding the MARTA red line to the airport.
Wednesday we drove to the station to purchase our Breeze tickets.
Ruth will be flying to Florida next week.
This was a 'dry run' for both of us.

Not content to just purchase our tickets,
we had to check out the trains.

And use our tickets.

Which invalidated our tickets.

The 'Breeze' ticket gets a rider in and out... we had gone in and out...
but had not ridden the train..
Oooops.
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Thursday morning I purchased a new Breeze ticket,
helped an older gentleman purchase his ticket
("How does this work?!?" he asked me.)
and was on my way to the airport.
A couple of very fun days with Ruth.
Thank you!    Thank you!
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Polar Vortex

We woke Wednesday to temperatures that fluctuated between one degree above zero

to minus three degrees below zero. 

The sun was out, there was a dusting of snow on the ground,

the wind was blowing, schools were closed. 

Folks whose mail was delivered by walking postmen/women 

did not receive mail.

The high for the day was five degrees. 

Had to have set some kind of record for this part of the state. 

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Today we started out at zero degrees.

At noon, the temperature is already eight degrees.

The sun is shining, schools are cancelled, 

the wind is not blowing. 

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Global warming has disturbed the polar vortex 

and allowed it to meander south.

Brrrr!

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