Winter Solstice week!

Christmas is over and I'm ready for Spring!

This winter is going by fast!!..It's hard to believe I'll be out Pruning/Fertilizing my Clematis and Roses in 45 days!!...Valentine's Day...Sun is out and will be nice today....Jeanne

Jeanne - I think they are already doing that in New York, lol!

LOL..I hope not..You know Mother Nature..once she lures you into a false sense of spring-time security..BOOM..a Freeze and Snow storm comes...I think my kindred gardeners up North will get a shock this week...Jeanne

I'm sure! Unfortunately, I hear the grass is turning green, things are starting to bud (I think in Chicago & DC as well) and that could cause them alot of trouble real soon. On Thursday it is supposed to drop in the low teens for highs and single digits for lows, here in Spokane. I am not looking forward to that one bit! Brrrrr!

Karrie, same here on the west side of the mountains - possible snow, too. And more wind!!! We have had five power outages so far this year - I think that is at least four more than last year!!! We have lived on Whidbey Island for four years - one year we had no power outages at all and we wondered if we should have bothered buying that generator. Well!!! Yup. We are glad we did!

I know you've had wind, but didn't know you got as cold as we did on that side! Ouch! You people aren't set up for winter driving! We've had so many outages over here this year I can't count and they expect another one to hit at about 10:00 am here with sustained winds at 40 and wind gusts up to 60 to 70 mph - that's where we get outages, from the downed trees over powerlines and the transformers. It hasn't happened to me directly this year (knock on wood) but I certainly remember dealing with it during Icestorm - 7 days of freezing cold and no heat or power - just a battery radio - got adopted by a family after the 4th day. The power companies have known for quite some time that there are trees in need of trimming, over their lines, but they wait until it happens for insurance purposes. Doesn't seem right, but that is how they operate.

Karrie, this year is an exception for us on this side of the mountains in many ways - the winds, the snow, the cold temps. While in a "normal" year we may occasionally have a cold spell and often have wind (but not so strong), we rarely have snow. The forecast is still for snow tonight and/or tomorrow, but then sunny and very cold for quite a few days. The weather patterns are definitely changing - last year (2006) we had six inches more rain than 2005. The Seattle area had 13 more inches!!!!

Oh my! That is ALOT for you!

Many Dger's think that because I am from Washington that I get constant rain and don't get that cold. I guess that is because the greater population is from your side of the state. Yep - it gets cold and snowy here, and very very hot and dry in the summer. We get very little rain here. I think we are considered "high desert" where I live. Hold in tight there girlfriend - the storm is blowing! Just got here! Closing my windows! (I keep them open a little because regardless of the cold outside, it is too warm inside this apartment due to boiler system in the basement). Oh! I have two big huge OLD trees outside my window that already have wind damage. I am hoping and praying that none of them come flying through one of my windows. I kid you not! They need to cut both of them down and start over - they are old and decrepid.

Karrie, stay away from those windows!!!!!!!! Much as I love trees, there does come a time when they need to go!! We had high winds yesterday afternoon from an unusual direction, and again lost power (came on around 5:00 this morning).

And Spring is due WHEN???!!!!

hopefully in the very near future! lucky for you that you will see it before I do! I have all my windows closed now because that cold is just setting in. I woke up this morning just freeeeeeeezing! Brrrr!

Karrie, it's cold here, too. It's supposed to possibly go down into the teens tonight (it did once before this Fall or Winter). I had thought the roads might be icy this morning, but they were fine. My boss called me, though, when I was with my first client, to tell me to cancel everyone for the afternoon - he wanted to err on the side of caution and was concerned the roads would be turning icy as the afternoon wore on. So I came home and started cleaning my house. Need a LOT more time to make it presentable!!! Still haven't recovered from the holiday mess.

Yep - several days later - just went online. Yes you indeed got it bad. I heard about it - so sorry! Hope you are all ok and safe!