Our Bare Winter

Central & Southern parts of New Hampshire have had very little snow this winter. When we do get snow, it warms up and turns into ice instead. Our driveway is boiler plate. The beaver pond is frozen enough that I could brave almost walking to the beaver lodge, but I didn't go all the way, being cautious. There are over one hundred stumps of trees leftover by the beavers. It seems odd not having more snow. Throws my timeclock off. I keep thinking it is early March instead of early February. In the meantime in the Colorado and Kansas and Nebraska they had record snowfalls this week.

New Year - No Snow

It's 2012. There has been so little snow this past month that snow mobilers are not able to ride, yet. We did have a white Christmas, by chance, up in the White Mountains where it snowed all Christmas day, but during the week the rain washed it away now we are back to just patched here and there.
The beaver has been very active as a result of being able to get around easily and has cut down some size able trees nearby the pond.

Climate Change Comes to our Backyard!

This November and December has seen some record high temps. It is more like early spring than heading towards winter, though we have had two big snowstorms already with rapidly melting snows. We have had more than our share of heavy rainstorms and with the beaver's hyperactivity and volume of water, it has caused further flooding over our dirt driveway. The latest storm delt the final blow and a torent of water rushed over driveway like a mightly river. It has since been repaired with two truckloads of gravel!

Winter

The day before Halloween brought our first huge storm of the season, 24 inches. A shock to all in the North East. It was, of course, a Nor'easter and came just before we journeyed off to Jamaica. We had a lot of trouble getting out of our driveway.
The second storm, not quite as big was the day before Thanksgiving...more mush and slush than a hearty snow. Now it feels like spring again and everything is "mud-licious!"
Ah! climate change is alive and well.

Summer-Fall Day

After over a week long of rain, rain, rain, followed by colder than usual temps, it is warm like summer. Columbus Day weekend....the last of brilliant colors dazzle the eyes. Creatures are scurrying about, taking advantage of the lingering warmth. Snakes, chipmunks, lake larks, tadpoles and newts.
A day that begs for longer lingering.

Z the Cat

Z., nearly 17, lover of treats, coffee, corn husks, chili pepper and savory salmon (not all at once) succumbed to liver disease, Sept. 1, 2011.
We miss his comedy routines and unusual tastes, his loud and melodic purrs and I especially will miss the feel and smell of his fur against my neck as he would crash down beside me while we watched Animal Planet, his bouncing meows as he would come scampering down the stairs to greet us as we came through the door. Rest in peace, little one. Those who follow you will have big paws to fill.

Irene Long Gone

Irene is long gone, but in Northern parts of the state, in NC, NJ, upstate NY and many parts of Vermont flooding was severe. In some cases people were cut off due to the new paths of streams, rivers and brooks. Vermont had unprecedented flooding. The governor and congressmen there are pointing fingers at climate change and urge policymakers not to turn a blind eye to all the changes in climate that have occured around the country this year and in globally:
record heat in Southwestern and Southeastern parts of the U.S., huge tornadoes, more frequent flooding in other areas.
In our town we got off relatively mildly with some washing out of roads and small culverts which have been quickly repaired.
For a while the beaver pond flowed across one portion of our driveway like a river, but the morning after Irene it was gone.
More tropical storms etc...on their way now...one to the Gulf states, the other perhaps up the East Coast again.

Hurricane Irene

A huge hurricane, Irene, is moving up the East Coast, Category 1, but probably will be weakened to a tropical storm by the time it reaches New Hampshire tomorrow. It's very wide so many states will be affected. Right now it is leaving North Carolina and in Maryland. NYC has unprecedented evacuations due to possible storm surge in low lying areas.
We are provisioned up and worried most on our side about power outage and lots of flooding due to heavy rains that are forecast. Stay tune.
Here is a photo of calm before the storm.