Friday, 8:25 am: Spring has sprung, or at least forward elements of it have crept into our lives. The snow is barely registering on our snowstake. The flock of assorted wild birds that normally frequent our feeder are dining al fresco in the woods; no doubt organic and natural. I guess our sunflower seeds are their equivalent of junk food, but they love it. Yesterday on the Trans-Canada Highway we saw a grouse walking along the side of the road. He may have been hitchhiking, but we’re not certain.

As I write today’s blog the temperature has gone up two degrees. Either I am a very slow typist, or the outside is warming quickly. I hope it is the latter. I lost the owner’s manual for my new digital camera. So after telephoning Sony and talking with their friendly telephone representative, and minus $9.88, a new manual is on its way to me. According to my wife, I’d loose my head if it wasn’t screwed on. Hmm!

My ham radio software is working well and I’ve made many CW [Morse Code] contacts. Most people I talk to seem to think Maine ends somewhere just north of Bangor. In the end they take out an atlas and actually look at Maine, and discover there’s life up in the North Woods.

Current values from our
Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: 44° (F.)

Barometer: 30.04 & falling slowly

Humidity: 54%

Winds: SSE at 1 mph

Skies: 100% overcast

Visibility: > 3 miles

Precipitation: None

Since midnight:

Low temp: 33.2° (F.) at 5:46 am

High wind: 3 mph at 8:11 am

Wednesday, 6:00 pm: Today it definitely seems like we are on the weather short-list for spring. Temperatures throughout most of the day were in the low 50s, yet our low last night was 20.3 degrees (F.). We barely kept the fire in our stove going today. And we had our windows and doors open. We still have about seven inches of snow at our snowstake, but it is melting quickly.

If you continue reading throughout spring and summer you will see how our weather changes radically from January to July. A few months from now I will be writing about all the work around our property; clearing brush and planting trees. But not just yet, I’m sure Mother Nature has more meteorological curveballs in store for us. I’ll keep you posted.

Because of the prolonged warm temperatures, our road is a morass of mud and more mud. Living on a dirt and gravel road has some advantages, but not this week. It’s just messy. Until next time . . .

Current values from our
Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: 46° (F.)

Barometer: 30.01 & steady

Humidity: 29%

Winds: SW at 1 mph light & variable

Skies: <10% cloud cover – generally clear

Precipitation: None

Since midnight:

Low temp: 20.3° (F.) at 5:25 am

High wind: 11 mph 11:52 am

Sunday, 9:30 am: Here it is, Maine Maple Sunday. Most maple houses and sugar camps are opened to the public to sample their wares. Up here, on both sides of the border, sugar camps also put on a nice breakfast feed. Keeping with this local tradition, at our house we had pancakes with “real” maple syrup.

The weather is still overcast and above freezing, but not balmy or pleasant. I am still waiting for the whimsical days of spring. I know it’s out there, but not just yet. And it’s just cool enough, that I have to keep my fragile tomato seedlings inside near the kitchen window. In about six or seven weeks we will move most of our houseplants out to our porch, and we’ll start getting our garden ready for planting. Until then, our garden is covered in ice and snow. After it melts we still have to wait another few weeks until the soil has had a chance to drain and dry out enough so we can start working the soil.

At our birdfeeder this morning we had several Common Redpolls (Carduelis flammea) having a leisurely breakfast. I haven’t seen this many Redpolls, at one time, in several months. That’s it from the Saint John Valley, more benign observations next time.

Current values from our
Vantage-Pro weather station

Temperature: 41 (F.)

Barometer: 29.84 & falling slowly

Humidity: 43%

Wind: NNW at 8 mph light & variable

Visibility: > 3 miles

Skies: 100% overcast

Precipitation: None

Since midnight:

Low temp: 32.8 (F.) 5:22 am

High wind: 12 mph at 10:22 am

One of our regular visitors.

Friday, 2:00 pm: An overcast day again, and another night when the temperature stayed above freezing. We have lots of snowmelt, and I’ve put on my waterproof boots on almost a permanent basis. I think they have become part of my body.

Having an assortment of dogs and all this mud adds to the mess, and indeed confusion. Our dogs are experts at leaving little muddy pawprints all over the house. They can’t seem to wipe their feet before they come inside -- they just walk past us, and we dutifully mop up after them. I guess they know who is in charge, and it’s not us!

Yesterday we drove to Presque Isle for shopping, and a northern Maine dining-out experience, whatever that is. Once we left the Saint John Valley and were about halfway to Caribou on Route One, the snow started to get patchy. By the time we were in Presque Isle the snow it was almost nonexistent, save a few snowbanks here and there. At our house our snowstake measures about 11 inches and melting rapidly. But that’s our micro-climate of sorts.

Current values from our
Vantage-Pro weather station

Temperature: 41° (F.)

Barometer: 30.04 & steady

Humidity: 50%

Winds: 4 mph light & variable

Visibility: > 3 miles

Skies: 100% overcast

Precipitation: None

Since midnight:

Low temp: 33.8° (F.) at 5:01 am

High wind: 6 mph at 10:29 am

Wednesday, 2:00 pm: I got sidetracked yesterday, so Tuesday’s blog has evolved into today’s blog with tidbits from yesterday and today. Actually it worked out okay, because this morning about 11:00 am two young moose walked across our road in front of our house. There was lots of excitement for awhile. Our dogs were pumped up and barking at them from our porch. Naturally I forgot where I put my digital camera as the moose sauntered off into the woods.

Can you believe this weather again? It’s 43 degrees (F.), and the temperature seems as though it is still rising. With the warm weather it is difficult to keep our woodburning stove going, but not overheating the house at the same time. Besides keeping the stove cranked way down, I occasionally open the door for awhile to moderate the inside temperature.

Yesterday, I finally got my amateur radio software, computer, and my ham radio all synchronized. I had my fist Morse Code contact using a keyboard. I had a nice chat with a ham in France. In the "old" days I used a Morse Code key just like the kind you see in the movies with an old-timer pounding out code. I have a love-hate relationship with technology, I’ve become lazy, and I can’t live without it.

On Sunday I received an email aurora watch alert that was for the next few days. Aurora, if it actually occurs, is really spectacular. If the Northern Lights were visible to the rest of the world, we were socked in by clouds here the last few days. The Aurora watch is over now, and I didn’t see a thing except the bottom of clouds. It did wipe out my AM radio reception at night.

Current values from our
Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: 43° (F.)

Barometer: 29.72 & steady

Humidity: 49%

Winds: N at 2 mph & variable

Visibility: > 3 miles

Skies: 100% overcast

Precipitation: None

Since midnight:

Low temp: 30.4° (F.) at 1:38 am

High wind: 11 mph at 11:51 am

Sunday, 3:45 pm: I think seasonal weather has settled in, at least for the next few days. This winter it has been difficult to describe our weather. One day I write that it is bright, sunny and warm, and the next day I write it is cloudy overcast and generally dreary. Well today it is the latter. And I thought my long johns were put away until next autumn. When I juxtapose all the meteorological variations and extremes this season, it probably balances out into something that might make sense to me, but I just can’t visualize it at the moment.

We drove to Caribou late this morning to try some northern Maine cuisine – pizza. During the drive there and back we passed through some snow flurries. It was nothing bad, but just enough to add an additional coat of schmutz to our car. My wife has a colorful phrase to describe the dirty frozen snow and ice that accumulates on the bottom of our car and along the sides of the roads: She calls it snow snot. It’s maybe a little too graphic but appears accurate.

During the past week I’ve been busy trying to get some software working with my computer and the interface to my ham radio. The software is designed to send Morse Code using my keyboard, and receive, decode and display it on my monitor’s screen. It seems to transmit it okay but doesn’t receive too well. Currently it interprets incoming Morse Code signals as gibberish. I can copy more accurately by ear. More later, in the ongoing technological struggle.

Current values from our
Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: 26° (F.)

Barometer: 29.75 and steady

Humidity: 45%

Winds: NW at 3 mph & variable

Visibility: > 3 miles

Skies: 100% overcast

Precipitation: None

Since midnight:

Low temp: 6.7° (F.) at 4:45 am

High wind: 10 mph at 12:11 am

-- Local wildlife --

Thursday, 11:25 am: As I type, we are having snow flurries with occasional wind gusts above 20 mph. My Davis Vantage-Pro weather station is forecasting clear skies, at least that is what the icon indicates; yet it is completely overcast with blowing snow. In this case, I think technology has failed me. Interestingly, as my wife talked on the telephone earlier, the weather changed in mid-conversation from sunshine to snow. No she didn’t talk that long, the weather changed that fast.

We still haven’t seen any large wildlife this year. With the exception of birds, the only animals we saw were a raccoon waddle across the road a few days ago, and the regular squirrels at our birdfeeder, bickering who gets the best spot to eat. Wait until the snow finally melts and I’ll be telling you a different story.

Because I have blogger writer block this morning I’ll keep this entry short. I need a jolt of espresso to unclog my brain, which seems to be working at the speed of wet sand. Of course it could be late-middle age creeping up on me again. In that case it’s all down hill, and I’ll soon grind to a stop propped up in front of our television. Yikes!

Current values from our
Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: 23° (F.)

Barometer: 29.56 & rising slowly

Humidity: 60%

Wind: NNW at 6 mph & variable

Visibility: > 1 mile, 100% overcast

Precipitation: Snow flurries

Since midnight:

Low temp: 19.5° (F.) at 5:40 am

High wind: 21 mph at 9:47 am

Wednesday, 9:15 am: Hmm, it snowed last night leaving light dusting of snow, but during the day yesterday, we had over a half an inch of rain. I think the weather gods are having some epic duel in the skies. Needless to say I am as confused as the weather again.

The loggers have finished their harvesting down our road for this winter. Over the past few days they have been busy removing their large equipment and hauling it out on flatbed trucks. They were under the gun to quickly get it out. If they waited too long they would be stuck, both literally and legally; because with all the warm weather and the melting snow the logging equipment would become mired in mud deep in the woods. Also our dirt and gravel road becomes very saturated from snowmelt, and the large heavy trucks would damage the road, so our town posted weight restrictions. The loggers face stiff fines if caught using the road after it is posted. So until next winter we have peace and quiet again, and some trees can survive a few more years.

My wife is from Germany, so we follow the weather in Germany on Deutsche Welle television via satellite. It is interesting to watch their temperature variations throughout the entire country. Normally there are only a few degrees difference between temperatures from north to south, or east to west. And frequently it is “partially cloudy” or partially sunny”. I am sure there is some fine line that differentiates the two weather conditions. I’ll have to look it up sometime. For today, at least, our local weather is much like typical German weather, or like my overcoat – drab and gray.

Current conditions from our
Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: 30° (F.)

Barometer: 29.13 and steady

Humidity: 80%

Winds: NW at 4 mph & variable

Skies: 100% overcast

Visibility: ca. 1 mile

Precipitation: occasional light snow

Since midnight:

Low temp: 27.8° (F.) at 6:08 am

High wind: 13 mph at 8:53 am

Sunday, 8:15 am: What a sunny morning! Our temperature went below freezing last night, and all is seemingly well in our world. I need some snappy catch-phrase to describe the "rugged" pursuit of weather observing here on America’s frontier. Yes, really we are on the edge, geographically; at least here in the Northeast. We could fall off the edge into Canada, and the next thing you know I’d be playing hockey. Not being bureaucratically inclined, I shy away from jargon that paints me as a button-down shirt and Dockers kind of a guy. How about the Northern Maine Dawn Weather Watch? Nah! It sounds like I am Sergeant Preston of the Yukon with his team of dogs mushing through the wilderness. I’ll eventually think of something creative.

In the meantime my wife is frying bacon, I’ve filled up our woodstove and our dogs are barking at unseen animals in the woods. Our water puddles that froze last night are now thawing. Could life be more [un]complicated? If I’m not careful I’ll start reciting poetry. I better leave well-enough alone.

On to something that might be actual weather. Yesterday while driving on Route 1A in Hamlin I saw a type of very light wispy cloud known a Mare’s Tail. Within the cloud there is a general downward movement of air that creates this unique appearing cloud with its delicate strands that resemble long hair. It frequently precedes precipitation.

Current values from our
Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: 34° (F.) and rising quickly

Barometer: 30.01 and steady

Humidity: 76%

Wind: S at 1 mph and variable

Visibility: > 3 mi. and clear

Precipitation: None

Since midnight:

Low temp: 23.9° (F.) at 5:42 am

High wind: 6 mph at 12:02 am

Saturday, 10:45 am: It’s hard to describe our weather over the last week. Either Mother Nature is confused, or I am totally confused. It’s probably the latter. Whatever the case, it is in the high 30s now, and yesterday the high temperature was in the low 40s. Last night our low didn’t even get below freezing. Our weather is pushing the envelope for unpredictability.

Along with the unusually consistent warm temperatures comes snowmelt, and lots of it. Our snow stake has lost about four inches and currently is at 20 inches. Today when I brought in firewood, I had to wear my rubberized boots while I slogged through large and unavoidable water puddles in our backyard. If they freeze we’ll have nice slick patches to slip and fall; maybe even ice-skate a few feet if I were coordinated. Ouch!

A side benefit for us with the recent weather is the ground has become so soft and soggy that logging trucks have been noticeably absent from our road the last few days. Obviously it hinders their work and livelihood in the woods, but creates quiet for us. Speaking of trees, we ordered eight poplar hybrid trees for spring planting near our house. We were originally hoping they would arrive in mid-May. Normally at that time we would have snow for just another few weeks, so we would keep the trees dormant until planting. Now, however, we may have second-guessed ourselves.

Until my next blog, stay snug as a bug in a rug!

Current Values from our
Vantage-Pro weather station

Temperature: 39° (F.)

Barometer: 29.84 and rising slowly

Humidity: 55%

Winds: NW at 11 mph variable

Visibility: > 3 mi. partially
cloudy ca. 75% overcast

Precipitation: .17 in. rainfall

Since midnight:

Low temp: 34.9° (F.) at 5:10 am

High wind: 27 mph at 5:13 am

Thursday, 7:55 am: During the past few days our weather has been unseasonably warm. For us that means it has been above freezing by a few degrees. Eventually last night the temperatures dropped to below zero and back to normal. I got out my long johns again.

While in Presque Isle on Tuesday we tried to get our car washed, but everyone else with wheels had the same idea and the line of cars snaked around the carwash and out to the street. I had to admit it was a nice sunny day, but we gave up on getting our car’s coating of mud and road grime washed off. Our car remains unclean.

My brain is off-kilter this morning and seemly is not connected to my typing fingers. Interesting weather blogging is elusive today. I need more coffee, so I can blunder haphazardly outside to chip ice and carry in firewood. That should clear away the cobwebs and any remaining functional brain cells.

Our current weather values
From our Vantage-Pro weather station

Temperature: 4° (F.)

Barometer: 30.15 and rising slowly

Humidity: 73%

Wind: NW at 3 mph

Visibility: > 3 mi. generally
clear with a few scattered clouds

Precipitation: None

Since midnight:

Low temp: -5.6° (F.) at 4:50 am

High wind: 3 mph at 7:55 am

Our Border Collie supervsing
in the kitchen
-- The Boss --

Sunday, 10:15 am: I started today’s blog much earlier than yesterday. It was probably the three cups of coffee, and the blueberry pancakes my wife prepared for breakfast. I feel like I need my chainsaw and flannel shirt today. How stereotypically Maine is that? I’m really a city-slicker "from away". Please, no more Monty Python jokes.

The wind was blowing much of the night and continues as I type. The outside temperature remains in the mid-20s (F.) but the wind chill frequently drops into the single digits. For this time of year it is actually a nice day. This winter has been good to me – I haven’t slipped and fallen on ice . . . not yet.

Our tomato seeds have started sprouting in our indoor peat containers. They are my own variety; a cross between Early Girl and Brandywine tomatoes, the latter being, to my taste buds, rather tasteless and blah. Last summer one of my Early Girl plants was accidentally pollinated by a nearby Brandywine plant. The resulting fruit tasted good, like an Early Girl, but had the appearance of a smaller-size Brandywine tomato. I’ll keep you posted on my dabblings in horticulture.

Current values from our
Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: 28° (F.)

Barometer: 29.70 and rising slowly

Humidity: 69%

Winds: NW at 10 mph and gusty

Visibility: > 3 mi. 100% overcast

Precipitation: None

Since midnight:

Low temp: 23.3° (F.) at 6:36 am

High wind: 25 mph at 9:53 am

Saturday, 4:00 pm: Good afternoon. I am on the mend and seem to be feeling much better. What a great day; there were a few times when the temperature peeked above 32 degrees (F.). I even saw snow and ice melting for awhile. As I write, it is 32 degrees.

The Can-Am sled dog races are going full throttle in Fort Kent and surrounding areas. The mushers know cold weather, and it seems their dogs thrive in it. Our “outdoor” dogs we have at home prefer the creature comforts of a warm house and plenty of dog snacks. There is no com-petitive drive in them. Well they are not that bad, but certainly lack ambition.

We drove to Caribou this morning for a veterinary appointment. The roads were free of snow and other weather related hazards. I brought along my digital camera in case we saw wildlife; but no luck today. I heard on the radio on the drive down to Caribou about the recent snow squall near Bangor and Waterville and the major disruption to I-95 traffic. Sadly I think there was even a fatality.

I am seemingly back up to speed and will write more quips and assorted off-the-wall comments about anything that passes near or through my brain. If I had to do all of this by hand, you, the reader, would see a rather blank page: Occasionally my mind is like that too.

Current values from our
Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: 32 degrees (F.)

Barometer: 29.53 and slowly rising

Humidity: 51%

Winds: NE at 5 mph and variable

Visibility: Partially overcast

Precipitation: Occasional light snow

Since midnight:

Low temp: 13.3 degrees (F.) at 1:14 am

High wind: 17 mph at 12:52 pm

Wednesday, 8:30 am: Wow, when I awoke this morning the outside temperature was -19 degrees Fahrenheit. Luckily there was no wind or my fingers would probably be stuck to my keyboard and my eyelids frozen shut. Listening to the NOAA weather radio’s current local temperatures, I thought we were living somewhere near the Artic Circle, but it’s just northern Maine.

The snow at our snow stake still measures about 24 inches, which surprises me because I thought we received much more snow in the last few days. We did have a lot of snow that has drifted, or was blown into our pathways around our house. I really need to get out our snowblower and clear our paths, but my cold still leaves me laid up for at least the next few days.

Yes, I’ve been drinking plenty of fluids which, by way of a quick detour through my sinuses, are running straight out my nose. I don’t look or feel like the cheerful and smiling people on television after taking some really wonderful over-the-counter medications. Try Ebenezer Scrooge, at least for today and maybe tomorrow. Bah!

Our current values from our
Vantage-Pro weather station

Temperature: -8.7 degrees (F.)

Barometer: 29.67 and steady

Humidity: 54%

Wind: Clam

Visibility: > 3 mi. light overcast

Precipitation: None

Since midnight:

Low temp: -21.7 (F.) at 5:09 am