BRRRRRRRRRR

This week has been a real deep freeze in MI.  Or as a quilter friend of mine would say "It is freezing hiney cold".  As I type this, it is a minus 4  minus 7 degrees F.  I'd like to get up early (6ish) and go take some pictures if the light pillars are visiable again.  Friday morning they were absolutely beautiful and I didn't have a camera with me. 

Light pillars are a phenomena that happens when it is really cold and the humidity is just right.  It makes the lights beam straight up into the air like search lights but with a really narrow beam.  Really a cool sight.  I don't think I've ever seen them as beautiful as they were on my way to work.  I'm hoping Saturday morning will be like that.  But come sunrise and it can warm up.  We are due for a heat wave.  The forecast is 20 degrees.  

It just keeps on coming.

I took the day off as a vacation day -- use it or lose it. Another winter storm came through. Probably another 5" and that was as of 4:00. I met a friend for lunch at Logan's Steakhouse. YUM. We spent about 2 hours there enjoying the food and conversation. From there I went to visit my folks and shopping. Then it was home and attack the driveway again.

The problem with the driveway is that when I blow the snow into the front yard, it fills in the sidewalk that leads up to the front steps so then I have to blow that out but I can't blow it high cuz it would go in the neighbor's driveway or my front sidewalk. As I looked out across the back yard, a lot of the snow is piled chest high (I'm 5'7"). It's DEEP.

Tomorrow they are calling for rain. NOT GOOD!!!!. I'd rather have the snow. Rain will bring on flooding and then ice when it freezes.

Looking out my windows

Looking out my front door.

Frost on the front door.

I love the snow on my neighbor's side door. ( I love photographing doors.)

Looking out my kitchen window.

Looking out the back door.  This does not show the show that has since become an overhang.

 

Basically it is a nasty day.  They are saying on TV to please stay off the roads.  They have even pulled most of the snow plows because they can't keep up with the blowing snowing.  The airport is open but it is a challenge.  I'm glad I'm on the inside looking out.

Winter has officially arrived

Although here we think it arrived a month ago. Today it blew in with a vengence. It is snowing and blowing like crazy. I am afraid my driveway is going to be drifted full by the end of the day and tomorrow may be a challenge blowing it out before I can go to work.

I think all churches in Allegan, Kent and Ottawa counties are closed. It is NASTY out there. And cold -- temp 16 with chill index of 2. Yup, a whole 2 degrees. I'm staying inside today for sure.

Winter already???

What is the deal?  Last week up through Thursday it was shirt-sleeve weather.  In fact, we set a record for 4 70-degree days in a row in Nov.  By Saturday evening we had snow on the ground!  It didn't go away until yesterday during the day.  Tonight we are having sleet. 

The good news from the weekend is that Calvin Women's Soccer team are MIAA champions!!!  They beat Alma 4-0 for the championship.  Regionals start Friday on their home field.  It is always good to have home field advantage.  I just hope the weather is better than last weekend.  They won the championship in COLD rain.  Go KNIGHTS!!!

I did see something kind of cute yesterday.  Geese usually fly in a V.  Well, they walk in a line.  There were about 30 of them walking across the field at work all in a nice line.  I sure wished I would have had my camera.  Got to get one to carry in my car or pocket.

God's beauty

It snowed overnight (nothing new) and it stuck to the trees. It was so pretty this morning when I pulled into work. I had brought my camera so I pulled it out and took pictures as best I could considering it was still snowing and I didn't have time to put up the tripod and do it right.

We are at 93.7" of snow for the season. We are way above the average for the whole season.

An afternoon at the beach

Yah, I know, it is the middle of winter but the sun was shining and it was warm -- well relatively speaking. It was about 32 inland and probably about 5 degrees cooler over at Grand Haven. I love going over in the winter to see the ice mounds along the shore. I walked out to the first one but decided not to go down the other side. It was a high mound and a steep descent and I didn't have my ice cleats (DUH!). There were tons of people out there. I think cabin fever had gotten to everyone and they were all ready for a day at the beach. Lots of snow, some sand here and there, and really cool looking ice.





The top picture was taken as I was just coming up over a sand dune. The next picture was taken from the top of the dune. Where all the people are (except for the guy in the front) is ice.



The picture below is out in the lake showing the ice mounds. The picture gives you an idea of the height of the mounds.