Curse the Wind

So this will be a really short one. For one, I do not have a single photo to share. I laid kinda low this week. Still battling a cough, which I think is bronchitis. So I figured I would not do too much extra this week and see if that helped. It seems to have, as my body finally seems to be able to fight a winning battle and the cough is gradually going away.

We did have a pretty good week of weather up here. Not as much snow as I would have hoped for, but hard to complain about getting 13″ of snow in the past 7 days. Plus the forecast looks quiet good for more. The potential for double digit system snows Tuesday and Tuesday night and then lake effect to follow it up for Wed-Thur. Maybe some more system snows for next weekend to boot.

There was a period the second half of this week that we could have gotten buried by snow had the winds not been blowing so hard. Much of the day on Thursday and part of Friday we had optimal wind direction and OK atmospheric conditions for a dominate band to set up across the Keweenaw. The “Bayfield Bomber” as I like to call it, but the winds were blowing so strong, it did not allow the air to stay over the lake long enough to get fully moistened enough to produce big snows. We still got a few inches in that time frame, but coulda gotten feet. To add insult to injury, it was so windy that it was not very pleasant to be outside either. Our temps were not bitter, but were cold enough that when combined with the winds, made it just to nasty to be out for very long.

I would have to say that the majority of the problems created by the January thaw and rain have been done away with. The trails could still use some fresh snow, but the groomers have been out and doing their magic to the trails and the only news I have gotten from riders is good news. The snow off trail is OK. I have not been out on the sled, but when you live in the woods, you get a pretty good feel for how things are like there! We probably have around 8″ of fresh on top of the old snow left over from the thaw/rain a few weeks back. So with more on the way this week, next week could be one of the best riding weekends we have had all season so far. A very solid base of 2-3 feet and then another 1-2 feet of fresh on top of that.

As mentioned, I have been laying kinda low for the past week. Not lying around doing nothing, but just kinda being in a more relaxed mode when I am not doing my regular work duties. It has been kind of nice to just hang out by the fire and either watch it snow or read a magazine, or both. I know I am looking forward to the days spent out on the screened porch relaxing. I have to admit that there is a part of me that is getting excited for the drab days of April. I have not done anything in the wood shop for quite some time now and am getting the itch. I could work in it now, but would either have to work in it with the air temps in the upper 40’s, which is where I keep it all the time, or crank up the heat to get things more comfortable. It does not take long to get it warmed up to around 60, but I guess I just feel like it is a bit of a waste of energy to heat it up and then use it for just an hour or two. In the spring when the temps start to get warmer, I can heat it up early in the morning and I can spend some time out there in the morning and it will remain warm through the rest of the day. Sometimes even overnight! I do have a list of projects waiting to get done, mostly for my office.

So believe it or not, that is about it for this one. I need to get over to the ice rink to clear off the 5″ of snow we picked up yesterday afternoon and overnight and then get back in time to get ready for our Super Bowl extravaganza! Actually, it will be just Nora, Gracie, my brother Jim, the pup and I. Gracie is also making it a Welcome Home party for her uncle Jim, as he was away for about a month doing art shows in CA and FL. None the less, we have quite the spread of appetizer-type things to munch on and I suppose I should be able to make it through the first quarter before having to go to sleep! If all pans out as it should weather wise, then I should have some great photos and stories to tell next time.

Good night from the Keweenaw..
JD