Oh, well. Here we go -- Winter

[crfriend]

I just got through watching a positively wonderful video on YouTube that the chaps in the UK have likely already seen: Fred Dibnah's Made In Britain -- or at least the first episode of the first season.

Today's been pretty good; I was able to relight my "super-clock" (an NTP stratum-1 timekeeper with a GPS receiver attached to it that can keep my local computing environment to with a tenth of a microsecond of UTC as a long-term average), and other things are slowly lighting back up after a long slumber. There's still much to do, and much of that depends on whether I have a future or not, but stuff hasn't completely rotted away.

In any event, I got the first hint of winter a few minutes ago when I looked up from the video above after it ended. It was snowing outside. In mid-October. Yuck.

Warmer climes look better all the time... Fortunately it stopped snowing pretty quickly; I hope it was a fluke. I'm glad to be wearing one of my long Mouse Works skirts.

[skirtyscot]

No sign of it here. We're enjoying an Indian summer. I was out on my bike today, 35 miles in the sunshine. With the temperature in the mid-50s F and some long hills, I was working up a sweat!

Do you have as much snow-shovelling in prospect this year as last?

[crfriend]

Do you have as much snow-shovelling in prospect this year as last?

With any luck -- less. I'm in an apartment now and most of the snow-removal is supposed to be taken care of by the landlord not the occupants -- quite unlike when I was in charge of all of it when I was living in my ex-'s house.

There are some paths that may have to get done, but that'll be nothing like digging out the driveway, front walk, and paths to the various farm-related bits. I'll probably wind up helping out, though, as that's just the way I am.

Enjoy your Indian Summer. The US National Weather Service declared a formal end to the growing season for most of New England today, and we've been about 10 to 15 degrees below normal for the past week or so. I'm ready for Spring already!

[moonshadow]

It was snowing outside. In mid-October. Yuck.

Warmer climes look better all the time... Fortunately it stopped snowing pretty quickly; I hope it was a fluke. I'm glad to be wearing one of my long Mouse Works skirts.

Oh my God, better you than me big fella!

We normally don't start getting the white stuff until after Christmas, with a snow storm an average of once ever week or two until late March. Which is not to say it won't snow in October, November, April, or even early May, but it's very rare, especially in October or May. We may have some flurries, but nothing major.

And I'll flat you tell you that you folks in New England would laugh at us if you knew the amount of snow we closed schools over. (typically a light dusting on the roads will do it) I've even known schools to close on the THREAT of snow, only to have the sun shine all day and not a flake fall from the sky. The kids love it!

But that's not to say it don't get cold though. Oh yes, it gets cold, and we've got the heating bills to prove it.

[Kirbstone]

Yes, as SkS said, we've been enjoying something like a month now of high-pressure rain-free weather. Declining temperatures, though. My threshold for covering up my legs is about 17deg. C. In the last couple of weeks we've dropped below that in the afternoons. In the early mornings for me it's either jumping into a boat with other rowers or dawg-walking. For the former it's now bottoms over the bare legs and for the latter it's gloves & an overcoat.

No frost yet and MOH 'did' the lawns & paths with the 'Ferrari' today. I picked two helpings of late raspberries also this w/end and the eating apples are very good indeed. MOH could still find sufficient large flowers (e.g. gladioli and Micklemas daisies) for arrangements for the local church, but we're expecting Jack Frost to spoil all this ere long, but the forecast for this week is mild.

I think Winter is biding his time....

Tom.

[dillon]

Warmer climes look better all the time... Fortunately it stopped snowing pretty quickly; I hope it was a fluke.

Bring your sailboat on down to NC. It's a bit slower paced but the climate is better in winter, and you'll get used to the summers...eventually. It's not a bad place to live, and maybe a bit less expensive than MA. And you'll have a friend here for sure.

[Sinned]

Carl, Fred Dibnah was a popular typical Lancastrian of a previous era. A steeplejack by trade there are examples online of his method of demolishing chimneys. Also involved with traction engines. Had some success with series on both. Died 2004 and is generally fondly remembered. I can see why you may like him.