New Year’s Eve 2007, 1:30 pm: Lots of snow today and it keeps on coming down. I thought I should get off my duff and actually write a blog. I’ve become irretrievably lazy as opposed to irretrievably broken, which means I would have been discarded.

Our trip to Augusta and Togus went smoothly. We saw a moose on the drive down and on the return trip, a bald eagle sitting atop a large pine tree in the median on I-95 a few miles south of the off-ramp to Medway. He politely ignored us while I tried and failed to get a photograph. Digital cameras don’t always compensate for operator error. We made it home about 4:00 pm and fortunately for us it started to snow just a few minutes after we unloaded our car. It seems it has been snowing ever since. I did buy a pretty cool two CD box set celebrating 50 years of Stax records.

My timing is off today. I was out with our snowblower about noon clearing our driveway and walkways, and of course our town’s snow plow came down our road about an hour after I finished. Unsuccessfully I tried to outwait him so I don’t have to redo part of our driveway. I lost - go figure that out. We’re a one snow plow town.

In any event: Guten Rutsch ins Neue Jahr!

Current values from our wireless Davis Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: 19.1° [F.], -7.2° [C.]

Barometer: 29.731 & falling rapidly

Humidity: 82%

Wind: Calm

Visibility: < ½ mile – snowing

Skies: 100% low overcast

Precipitation: ca. 4 inches of snow

Since midnight:

Low temperature: 10.8° [F.]

High wind: 3 mph at 10:38 am

Monday, 11:50 am: Yesterday was the first day, since the beginning of December; the outside temperature rose above freezing. Chunks of snow and ice slid off our roof throughout the day. Well into the early evening the temperature was still in the mid-30s [F.]. We were going to drive to Caribou for pizza yesterday, but the NOAA weather radio warned us about the possibility of freezing rain and slippery roads. Erring on the side of safety seemed like a safe bet, although pizza is a very tempting treat to test my driving skills. We stayed home and my skills untested.

On Wednesday we’ll drive down south for an orthopedic doctor’s appointment in Togus, Maine. Besides the medical issue, we plan on hitting the bookstores and eateries. We’re hoping the weather is on our side for the ride down and back. It is, after all, winter in Maine and anything can happen. I am [was] a fair-weather adventurer and any sort of daring needs to be done when the weather is much more pleasant.

If I can just get past all the biblical and Christmas documentaries on television over the past few days, and Christmas music on the radio I’ll be happy. It’s CD and DVD time. I think it’s time to watch Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life. I’m sure there something in it to offend just about everyone, including myself, but it is still funny! It’s not quite a Christmas classic, but it’s much more entertaining than what’s on the TV and radio. As always I try to do the unexpected.

Current values from our wireless Davis Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: 28.2° [F.]

Barometer: 29.463 & falling slowly

Humidity: 51%

Wind: 3 mph – Highly variable

Visibility: > 3 miles

Skies: Scattered high cloudiness

Precipitation: .18 inch – rain!

Since midnight:

Low temperature: 27.1° [F.] at 10:47 am

High wind: 28 mph at 5:40 am

Thursday, 11:20 am: What a week – snow and cold. Today is okay, it’s above zero Fahrenheit, so there’s not much to complain about. Yesterday was different, the low temperature was -18.4° [F.] at 7:30 am. Needless to say I wasn’t out bright and early clearing snow. I waited until it got closer to zero before I bundled up and ventured out into the cold.

Common Redpoll [Carduelis flammea]

On Wednesday we were in Limestone visiting pour friends Gabi and Jim. They have a recovering Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea [see photo above] who flew into their kitchen window and injured its wing. The bird has adapted well to living inside. Hopefully the wing will mend and it can eventually return to the wild. The bird is a character and seems to be in charge of anything near the window. I’m not certain, but it looks as though the bird has adopted them.

Ruth behind Gabi's orchid

My brother telephoned me yesterday from somewhere on the road between Schenectady and Buffalo, New York. I don’t envy the miles he drives in snow storms and everything else Mother Nature can throw at him. He seems to have infinite amounts of dedication to his work. He runs circles around me many times over. It must be all that youthful enthusiasm that keeps him going. Keep it up Frank! Now if I can just get out of my sweat suit and into some real clothes for the rest of the day – nah!

Current values from our wireless Davis Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: 13.4° [F.]

Barometer: 30.368 & falling slowly

Humidity: 70%

Wind: Calm

Visibility: Generally clear

Skies: A few scattered clouds

Precipitation: > 1 inch snow

Since midnight:

Low temperature: 7.6° [F.]

High wind: 6 mph 9:27 am

Friday, 11:40 am: It’s snowing and not quite as cold as I expected, but then there’s always tomorrow. With about 2½ inches of snow, so far, it not quite enough to fire up our snowblower and clear our driveway and walking paths. Like the rest of the State, we’re expecting a major snow storm on Sunday. With the onset of freezing and snowy weather our dirt and gravel road has once again smoothed out. The potholes and washboard are filled in with ice and our road drives like a well-maintained paved highway.

A recovering Pine Grosbeak [Pinicola enucleator] - Photo by Ruth

On Wednesday a male Pine Grosbeak flew into our kitchen window and klonked his head and was dazed. Fortunately I was outside clearing snow [what else?] and managed to scoop him up and bring him inside where it was warm. I am not entirely certain he enjoyed my taste in music. After about three or four hours of sitting almost motionless, in a spare birdcage, he regained his wits and complained and squawked about his situation. My wife and I gingerly carried him outside and he successfully flew out of our hands and into the trees across from our house. Probably his mate is wagging her finger at him and scolding him about windows and humans. At least in my mind that’s what happened. Last year it was a Downey Woodpecker.

A departing snow squall in Saint Agatha Maine on Wednesday

Also on Wednesday we were in Saint Agatha, Maine enjoying lunch with friends when a snow squall hit, and visibility was down to just a few feet. We could see it approach, and for 15 or 20 minutes we watched the snow fly from the comfort of the restaurant. As the squall departed a distinct line of clouds and clear sky was clearly visible [see accompanying photo]. No mishaps occurred and we drove home safely.

Current values from our wireless Davis Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: 8.1° [F.]

Barometer: 29.897 & falling rapidly

Humidity: 72%

Wind: Calm – occasional light breeze

Visibility: < ¼ mile snowing

Skies: 100% overcast

Precipitation: ca. 2½ inch snow

Since midnight:

Low temperature: -10.8° [F.] at 12:52 am

High wind: 5 mph at 9:44 am

Monday, 12:40 pm: It’s cold and clear. It only climbed above zero degrees Fahrenheit after 11:00 am. Even our hardy dogs didn’t accompany me when I was bringing arm loads of firewood for our stove. They comfortably watched me from the window. Luckily for me my wife had hot chocolate waiting for me when I was done. I have to admit they did try for a short time, but it was too cold for the pads on their feet.

Van Buren, which is about 12 miles away, has a new Cooperative Weather Observer station located at their waste-water treatment plant. We both had extremely low temperatures last night. Van Buren’s temperature was -17° [F.] and mine was -16.9° [F.]. Just being outside early this morning wasn’t for the faint-hearted. I waited until it warmed up to above zero to bring in firewood. Warming up to zero sounds so strange, but true.

My wife’s niece, Claudia, and her husband Christian and their daughters will fly to the Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands over the Christmas holidays. It is days like today, that travel option looks really good. Gute Reise! I don’t have to say button up and stay warm – enjoy the sunny beaches and warm weather.

Current values from our Davis Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: 10.4° F / -12.0° C

Barometer: 30.20 in / 1022.6 hPa

Humidity: 51%

Wind: Calm

Visibility: > 3 miles

Skies: Clear

Precipitation: None

Since midnight:

Low temperature: -16.9° F / -27.2° C

High wind: 3 mph at 11:07 am

Monday, 9:25 am: The temperature has plummeted and we are bundled up for the storm that is supposed to hit us later today. The hallmark for northern Maine winter weather is cold and lots of it, followed in a close second by snow. We have 14 inches [35.5 cm] of snow on the ground and more to come.

I was out a few days ago clearing our driveway and pathways with our snowblower. I had many extra layers of clothing under by jacket. The wind chill was -5.8° F. which was numbing, promped this blogger to go inside for hot tea on a few occasions. Luckily my fingers were still attached to my hand. I don't think my brain has thawed out yet.

I’ve discovered Internet radio. My wife and I listen to German radio stations and keep abreast of happenings in the old country, including traffic conditions on the Autobahns. Mostly we listen to the music. Try listening to Radio Berlin or, my favorite, Radio Oberland. If you don’t understand the language, just enjoy the music – that’s international, and requires no additional skills.

Current Values from our wireless Davis Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: 15.8° [F.]

Barometer: 29.895 & falling slowly

Humidity: 75%

Wind: Calm

Visibility: > 3 miles

Skies: 100% overcast

Precipitation: None

Since midnight:

Low temperature: -5.6° [F.] or -21° [C.]

High wind: 2 mph at 4:37 am