Day Two

The temperatures rose to above 0F/-18C and my temperature seemed still normal so armed with my favorite weapons against snow I ventured forth.

A norse shovel (made in China) and a Japanese Suburito (also made in China)

The enemy really wasn't all that much, I have faced worse.

I made short work of this. The snow was fluffy and light.

Actually, I semi-cleaned off two other cars before I was done. Now, I'm back to drinking lots of fluid, resting, and staying warm and cozy.

And what of the snow goddess?

I love her hat!

She made short work of clearing a path from the garage to the alley. And then, having freed her red chariot she went into work.

I found out a little while ago the Courts are closed again tomorrow. I am grateful. It will give me another day to rest up and get ahead of the curve on this pesky virus.

Heaven knows I could use lots and lots of beauty sleep.

Real Winter

And so it begins.

It started later than predicted, but once it got here it began to dump the snow.

Since the temperature was still 23F/-5C and the predicted wind hadn't yet manifested itself, we decided to walk over and see if the Cafe was open.

There wasn't much traffic moving.

We had the place pretty much to ourselves. Not long after we arrived word came the Starbucks across the street had closed for the day. While we were there a few more folks came in, but I suspect it won't be long before they close it up too.

The snow plows were out on the snow routes. The City doesn't plow the side streets. This makes for quite the adventure whenever there is snow. I moved here in December of 1987 and this may turn into the biggest snow event I've experienced since I've been here. It may be awhile before I can get out of my street.

I considered taking the Symba out into the alley and to play a little, but just after we got home the wind came up. Listening to its howl gave in the idea it might just be best to hunker down.

Yes, like Steve I decided it was a good day to spend in the company of a trusted friend.

The projection for total snow accumulation continue to go up and the projected high temperature for tomorrow continues to go down. Right now the forecast is -4F/-20C with a windchills as low as -33F/-36C. This is not the type of weather people are accustomed to in this area. I've been hearing the sirens from emergency vehicles way too often this morning. Folk here, while they panic at the slightest forecast of snow, don't really have an appreciation for how dangerous Real Winter can be. I grew up with it and still at times miss it, but I know it can be a killer. The good news it is snow and not ice. Those with heat will have heat.

There is a man who literally lives on the street behind the Courthouse I work in. He is no bother. He is in his own world carrying on a running conversation with those unseen. People watch out for him and I suspect he's been "picked up" and will be where it is warm, but there are others. So many people at risk when the weather goes cold. I hope and pray there are none who end up giving a gruesome twist to the old tag Episcopalians used to be given, "God's Frozen Chosen."

Christmas Eve 2013

When I'm riding the most wonderful things come to mind. I compose amazing and possibly insightful prose, but then I get home. My "Riding Mind" becomes Cinderella  and the marvelous spell cast by two wheels unravels. By the time I can sit myself down at the computer I'm lucky to have one slipper. It is much like trying to remember a dream. I can almost, but not quite. It is very frustrating.

Today I saw a couple of those "Happy Birthday, Jesus," signs planted in folk's yards. I cannot tell you how much I dislike those signs. Hello! We don't know when Jesus was born. Christians didn't really need to celebrate his birthday until it became important to confirm his humanity after much time emphasizing his divinity. "Yes," Christmas says, "Rejoice, Jesus was born. He is truly human." And what better time to affirm this great joy then when the light is once more overcoming the darkness.

As I was pondering this, my "Riding Mind" was remembering the Jerusalem Talmud saying the Messiah would be born on Tisha B'Av, the Ninth Day of the Jewish month of Av, which usually falls sometime between late July and early August. On Tisha B'Av both the First Temple and the Second Temple were destroyed. On Tisha B'Av, in 1290, the Jews were expelled from England. On Tisha B'Av in 1492, the Jews were expelled from Spain. Tisha B'Av has become the day when all the tragedies experienced by the Jewish People coalesce into a profound sadness. Here the Messiah doesn't come bringing light into the darkness, but rather hope into the sadness.

During the past week a friend died. It was the end of a long and truly heroic struggle against the darkness of a number of ailments. Another friend's mother suffered a stroke. Another friend is in the midst of a long standing custody battle which once again turned for the worse. Another friend's sister chose to end her life. Darkness and sadness.

My "Riding Mind" embraced all this, knew all this, and could explain how both Christmas and Tisha B'Av point us to the really big truth: The two times we are most profoundly open to the Holy are at times of great joy and at times of deep sadness. Of the two, sadness seems the more well worn path. Personally, I'm not sure joy has every opened me up to experience Life at its most profoundest. I know sadness has. The Holy has entered my life on the wings of healing. I'm still waiting to encounter the Whirling Wonder through joy.

My "Riding Mind" was overflowing with wonderful things to say to support my friends in their struggles and griefs. Then the ride ended and clarity slipped away. It always seems to.

For the Birds

Isabelle, my Kymco People 250S, hadn't been out of the garage since before Thanksgiving Day. That is too long. I took a vacation day from work and the weather was incredible. I wrote some about the ride over at Did He Ride Today?

There was a definite bird theme happening on my ride.

First I spied this beauty.

Then later,

there was this really neat wind vane.

And last, but not least...

Have a Holly Jolly Flamingo-mas!

It Snowed

It snowed.

To my Michigan sensibilities where I'm located it didn't snow much , only 3in/7.5cm or so. Some areas recorded 5in/13cm or more. It was a wet snow. All during the snowfall the temperature hovered just above freezing. As I walked I could hear the sound of the snow packing underfoot. Snowball weather!

Many events were canceled today. There seemed no reason. Even the side roads were no more slippery than if it had rained, but probably better safe than sorry.

No one home in this nest.

As we walked over to the cafe the biggest danger we encountered was the nasty spray, a combination of de-icing chemicals, road grim, and slush. We survived.

It is said colder temperatures are on the way, but only for a couple of days then we will have a warm up. This was a perfect snowfall for an area still recovering from drought, a blanket of wet soaking into the thirsty grateful soil.

A Touch Or Two Of Color

Went out for a nice little urban ride on Saturday. I was out for about an hour and a half. The temperature was right at freezing or a little below. The sun was out and made it feel a little warmer.

There is still a touch or two of color, but it is pretty much done for the season. Tomorrow there is even talk of wintry mix. It may be my first not ride day of the year. We'll see.

Mostly Lucky

When Heather and I came home from my gig on Saturday night it was raining.

The following morning it seemed to be clearing. The forecast was for possible storms and a wind advisory was in effect. The big thing was how warm it was. It was in the 70'sF and humid by 0800CST and that just isn't normal for this time of year. 

By lunchtime the wind had picked up dramatically and it was clouding over. The leaves were dancing in the streets and when I took the above photo it still felt more sunny than cloudy.

Ten minutes later just as I parked it looked much different.

And it felt different, too. The Yaris was shaking. Four minutes later it looked like this:

Even for someone used to the capriciousness of Midwestern weather this was dramatic. Just as it cleared my phone beeped with a Severe Thunderstorm Warning. They got that right, but a little late for me.

I finished my errands which was  more of an adventure than usual. Many stoplights weren't working including one near where I live. It seemed easier to make a right hand turn rather and come home the "back way" rather than do the unplanned four way stop thing one more time. I'd had my fill of this game of post storm roulette.

As I turned on my street  this is what I saw ahead of me:

If I'd tried to come home my normal way the street would have been blocked. After I unloaded my groceries I went out to examine the damage.

Surprisingly of the two cars damaged this one came out on the better end. It's windshield was smashed and the driver's side mirror was broken off.

This car had its rear window taken out totally and the roof was bent in. Sad.

These wonderful old trees are beautiful, but . . .

Still, as the news came in of the damage done in other places we were very lucky here. Even the folks who were unlucky enough to be parked where they were will drive their cars again.