In my area we have had a mild winter so far but we will be slammed this week with daytime temperatures around 11 degrees. For those of you living in 4-season areas, how do you prepare for the arctic blast? I have a primal need to run out to the grocery store to get food (especially to make home made chili). I stack straw around my roses. And I do everything I possibly can to ensure I don't have to stick my nose out the door for the next few days.

I know how you feel.

lotoole wrote: In my area we have had a mild winter so far but we will be slammed this week with daytime temperatures around 11 degrees. For those of you living in 4-season areas, how do you prepare for the arctic blast? I have a primal need to run out to the grocery store to get food (especially to make home made chili). I stack straw around my roses. And I do everything I possibly can to ensure I don't have to stick my nose out the door for the next few days.

That put a big smile on my face.

I live in West Tennessee and the weather here is rather mild usually in the winter, compared to those
in the Northern states. My complaint is usually in the Summer months because it gets very hot and
very humid here. We do get some snow in this area but some winters none at all and other winters
usually only a dusting or maybe an inch. It seems when the weather gets bad here in the winter, it
si due to ice but even so, it's not like happens every day.

The temps are only recently dropping for us in this area. The days are still in the 50's and 60's but
yep, this week, tonight and tomorrow night, it is suppose to get down into the teens. I plug the heating
pads up in the outdoor cat houses.

Food? Well, I am always prepared food wise. I live in a rural area and my main shopping offline is
done once per month at the local Walmart. I hate going to Walmart so I tend to go only once a
month and often have to make more than one trip into the store. Items like milk and bread, I may
pick up at the nearby dollar store. I have a chest freezer and keep it well stocked. My pantry has
plenty of can goods and dry goods. I have too much in regards to spices and seasoning.

I don't really have anything to cover up. I have the knock out azaleas several places at my house
and they bloom well and some times on through the winter.

valerie wrote: I don't really have anything to cover up. I have the knock out azaleas several places at my house and they bloom well and some times on through the winter.

I'm very jealous of your azaleas that bloom sometimes in the the winter. That would never happen here!

lotoole wrote:

valerie wrote: I don't really have anything to cover up. I have the knock out azaleas several places at my house and they bloom well and some times on through the winter.

I'm very jealous of your azaleas that bloom sometimes in the the winter. That would never happen here!

I have some dark pink azalea bushes at the front of the house on either side of the porch.
Today, they still had some blooms on them. They do start looking a little funky by Jan.

I planted several white azalea bushes this Fall. Most of those are small and do not have blooms.
Got a good deal on them at Lowe's end of season clearance so couldn't resist.

valerie wrote:

lotoole wrote:

valerie wrote: I don't really have anything to cover up. I have the knock out azaleas several places at my house and they bloom well and some times on through the winter.

I'm very jealous of your azaleas that bloom sometimes in the the winter. That would never happen here!

I have some dark pink azalea bushes at the front of the house on either side of the porch.
Today, they still had some blooms on them. They do start looking a little funky by Jan.

I planted several white azalea bushes this Fall. Most of those are small and do not have blooms.
Got a good deal on them at Lowe's end of season clearance so couldn't resist.

A question Valerie, do you live of your internet income only?

Hodusty wrote:

valerie wrote:

lotoole wrote:

valerie wrote: I don't really have anything to cover up. I have the knock out azaleas several places at my house and they bloom well and some times on through the winter.

I'm very jealous of your azaleas that bloom sometimes in the the winter. That would never happen here!

I have some dark pink azalea bushes at the front of the house on either side of the porch.
Today, they still had some blooms on them. They do start looking a little funky by Jan.

I planted several white azalea bushes this Fall. Most of those are small and do not have blooms.
Got a good deal on them at Lowe's end of season clearance so couldn't resist.

A question Valerie, do you live of your internet income only?

Sort of.

Something knocked over the water bucket during the night and when I went out this morn to feed
the crew, the water bucket was turned over and all ice in that area. I suspect the raccoons turned
it over.

Really really cold out today and last night. Its was in the teens. Tonight it is to get down to 16 degrees.

valerie wrote: Something knocked over the water bucket during the night and when I went out this morn to feed
the crew, the water bucket was turned over and all ice in that area. I suspect the raccoons turned
it over.

Really really cold out today and last night. Its was in the teens. Tonight it is to get down to 16 degrees.

We didn't even hit 16 for the high here today.
Down to 5 tonite, and 6 below Monday night, and then like 3 to 4 for the highs next week.

BRRrrrrrrrr!!

I hate it, not ready for it, and WAAAH!

OK not funny......

5 to 8 inches snow Friday and windy

23 below Saturday night

wombatqueen wrote: OK not funny......

5 to 8 inches snow Friday and windy

23 below Saturday night

Is that an actual temperature or a wind chill? Brutal.

Right now we have -7C and 8" snow which is not much to
what they got at my daughters about 80 km away where they have 30"
Next Sunday more to come. My early morning walks are a bit shorter
these days as sidewalks are very icy. Great days for surfing

I don't know what the temp is this morning but it's cold out.

I feed the cats outside around 7 to 8 am, give or take some minutes.

All the water outside is frozen. Raccoons must have turned over one of the water buckets last night
because not only is it upside down and empty, there is a big ice puddle.

I had to go back in and fill a jug of water and then brave the outdoors again.

Tomorrow the high is 70. Can you believe it! Weird weather. Freeze one day burn up the next.

The Arctic blast hit here yesterday. Day temp in the low 20s but wind chill around 2. Last night I watched the temperature sink to 11 until 6 a.m. then it went up to 12. Wind isn't as bad today, but tonight we're supposed to get snow. One station says 3"to 6" and another says 1" to 3". I love it! We'll just have to wait and see. The last time they predicted 1" to 3", we got 10". Yet next week, we'll have one day of 45-50 degrees in the day. The rest will be in the 20s-30s with nights in the teens.

How I love winter. NOT!!!

I can't really complain because winters here is extremely mild compared to where I grew up.

1967 made history in Chicago land as the worst winter on record. I remember it very well.
Since that time, they've had at least two winters that beat that one.

Obviously man has contributed to at least some changes in the weather. We're certainly good
at polluting it. Overall I think the weather is mostly the ever changing cycles of the planet.

I really don't mind winters as long as it's only mildly cold. I don't mind the snow but we
rarely get it here. It's the way below freezing and ice that I hate.

lotoole wrote:

wombatqueen wrote: OK not funny......

5 to 8 inches snow Friday and windy

23 below Saturday night

Is that an actual temperature or a wind chill? Brutal.

Actual temp, and there's a wind chill warning, I didn't even look at what they predict that will be

....and now they're saying 6-9 inches snow and 26 below