Winter Storm

Thursday, the day I took the “moon over the mountain” photos, it looked like this midday:

Yesterday started beautifully clear with the setting, nearly full moon shining into the sunroom in the early morning. By 10:00, heavy clouds and freezing fog had moved in.

My friends at NOAA issued a Blizzard Warning from 5 p.m. last evening until 11 p.m. this evening – forecasting 3-7 inches of snow for Kalispell area, high winds causing drifting snow and whiteouts, and gradually dropping temperatures. Sunday’s overnight low is to be in the -20’s.

While often the snow part of these monster storm forecasts fizzles, they typically do not miss on wind and temperature. I had a morning appointment and stopped for a few last minute things at Costco. I wasn’t the only one making sure I had everything I needed and wanted – the place was packed! I overheard several employees rushing in ahead of me and saying that they had been called in on their day off.

At home, I got things in order for a cold, windy, snowy couple of days…

An auxillary heater for the fresh water bay of the motorhome. The furnace has ducts to the water bays so they get heat, but the arctic temps make it prudent to provide some extra help. The water bays are insulated but still, it is not a house. I don’t winterize it, although if they drop the forecast temps much more, I may reconsider. I keep rv antifreeze (potable) and it takes about 15 minutes to do. I’ve overnighted to -18 but it consumes a lot of propane to keep it warm enough to not freeze.

The snow thrower has fresh oil and gas. I started it up and ran it a bit. It is ready for action if needed.

But….this morning…woke to just a bit over 2 inches of snow. It is very windy and the temperature has been going steadily down all night and continues in that direction. It is now 12 at 9 a.m.. NOAA has regrouped on the amount of snow as well as the amount of wind and now showing partially clearing skies which WILL send the temperatures even lower. The driving in the valley is probably tough with wind and blowing snow – even a couple of inches blowing around is difficult. But, at my house, it looks like the “story” will be the cold, not the snow.

Twilight View

Last evening, I looked up from working just in time to notice the rising moon was large and visible over the mountains. I dashed out without gloves, hat or boots to the edge of my woods. The rising moon – not quite full – was brighter than bright and both it and the setting sun made the mountain tops glow a pure white.

I do hope I get another chance at a rising moon/alpenglow duel. The reflected light off the moon and the mountain top snow contrasted against a clear blue sky was magic. A winter storm is forecast for this weekend – blizzard warnings until 5 p.m. Saturday at the moment. If it storms and if it clears for Saturday night, the full moon view could be spectacular…

Sun on the Lake

I took a long lunch break to go for groceries. Karl was with me and we always walk on a path in Somers on the way. The road skirts the northern end of Flathead Lake – separated from the lake by hay and wheat fields. It was a gray, overcast day with very few cloud breaks…

…except one dramatic hole in the clouds across the lake…a hole that let wide bands of sunshine through. I have a fondness for rays of sun through the clouds – it feels like God’s particular show for me. Today, in addition to the rays through the clouds, the lake seemed to glow just to the green side of turquoise, despite the overcast sky. The contrast was surprising and beautiful.

Sun on the Lake.

Know when to fold ’em

“As the situation worsened, the facts changed…. And I will never apologize for changing an approach or strategy when the facts change”
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson

“And I will never apologize for changing an approach or strategy when the facts change”… Me either!

Comments are open! And thank you to those that have commented and those that emailed to thank me for opening comments.

I’m in a better place in head and heart these days. Looking forward to winter, which is December 21 Mother Nature! …and we would like a white Christmas so step on it! – please… Oh… weather is not the topic… Well, I did some internal housekeeping – read some of my own posts – if you’re gonna talk the talk, gotta walk the walk – and found my happy place which I wasn’t even aware I’d misplaced.

I will continue to post as often as I have something I want to share – writing or photos or both – that tell a story in my life or something that has inspired or motivated me. I’ll be happy to hear from you either in comments or by email.

Facts changed. approach changed. No apologies. Good lesson for life.

And now, because a post with no photos is generally not done here, gratuituous photos of Bob and Karl – my favorite topic:

This does not count

Every morning, I turn on the outside spotlight hoping to see snow on the ground…

…not exactly what I had in mind. I think it started with a bit of snow, but then changed to sleet and freezing rain.

Not a day to go driving about if you don’t have to and I didn’t have to.

I filled the wood stove and planned a day mostly indoors. Mid-morning, I split a bit of firewood just to do something outside. Karl was with me and started letting me know that he thought a walk was in order.

In addition to the slippery footing, it was misty-foggy – I almost didn’t take a camera, but grabbed my smaller S3 at the last minute and then had some fun trying to get macro ice photos…

Ice on weeds. A bit of operator error still – this little camera is capable of better. Maybe another day.

And then the mist and fog enshrouded mountains, with a bit of blue to add some color, showed themselves on the return.

It might not count for the first snow day, but it was still a beautiful day – in its own way.