ScarletTricycle said: Get better soon!

🙏🙏🙏
and


Arturo

I'll be heading out here shortly. Before all the crazy weather flies I need to get kids to school, get gas in the car, get money to the bank and then home to finish Christmas gifts and laundry underway. All things I want done in case we lose power. Last week outside of town did for 3 days. Ugh.

And then when I finally find some quiet in my day - I'll be starting to noodle my dahlia bed layout! If I have to deal w the potential of 16" of snow then I'm going to think of spring instead.

So stay safe all and batten down the hatches.

Wishing a Merry Christmas to all my fellow dahlia aficionados! I hope no one's plan are affected by the weather. Forecast snow totals for here change by the hour. They've shown a Friday/Saturday total of anywhere from 6" to as much as 12". And of course, they always throw in the "blowing and drifting" part. Our family always exchanges gifts on Christmas Eve. I hope those plans don't get buried in snow!

Weather Underground's extended forecast is showing highs of mid to upper 40s by late next week. Wish I could believe that!

Seems the USPS has figured out what created the bottleneck problems with mail delivery a couple years ago. What a headache that was! I got a few bills a day or more after they were due. I mailed a book to my aunt in Va. that took almost 2 weeks to arrive. Last Friday, I mailed her a package and she got it Monday. So hopefully, those PITA issues have ended.

I did a quick, random tuber check yesterday. There are some that I will likely have to pitch. But overall they seem to be doing okay. The softer ones are those I washed after digging and it's still a mystery as to why they turned out like that.

Kathy, I hope you and your husband are over with covid soon and that no Christmas plans are shut down.

Scarlet, your wintry photos are freezing me! Reminds me of the bare-chested ice fishing photos I used to send to my wussy brother in Va. LOL

My sweet tooth is running in overdrive this morning and I need a fix. I think I'll bake some cranberry/walnut cookies or carrot bread. That will be my reward for finally getting the Christmas tree decorated yesterday! (It will probably stay up till February! LOL)

Thanks for the good cheer, everyone.
Yes, when weather predicts snow, my dahlia summer photos come out. My version of denial!

Hey, I'll take one for the dahlia team when it's 16" and blowing and drifting and then I'll ship it east.

Who knows what we'll get but I hope it keeps moving on. As of right now it's 2.5°F. Something about those numbers is wrong for this time of year. They say the temps are from Siberia. Frankly they can keep their lousy temps. I don't need them.

My quilt top is about done! So happy!

Beautiful blooms!

With all the weather today I thought we could use some lovelies!

Stay warm and safe all! No doing doughnuts in the snow!

Did you pick those today, Scarlet? Lots of African violets blooming here. Puts some color into the scene.

Hah! No! I'm just tired of the snow. It can go. I'm thinking great thoughts for 2023. Of course I did happen on one of my loaded w JB photos but didn't post that. Man if I could come up w something to eat those as soon as they'd enter my airspace …

But enjoy the bits of color you can find today. I'm off to the basement to see what's up down there.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood! (Grrrr!!) High temp yesterday was 47. Right now it's 4, which is also being shown as the low tonight. That will likely change. Winds are gusting to 49 MPH but the forecast shows they could reach 65. Potential snow totals are 4-8" today, 3-5" tonight, 1-3" tomorrow, 2-4" tomorrow night and 1-3" Christmas day. In other words, we've become Buffalo, NY! Biggest worry right now is a power outage.

The forecast includes every kind of "watch" and "warning". Even shows waves on the lake reaching 17-22' and advises mariners to stay in port. Do ya really think?? Hopefully, no one needed to be told that!

Yesterday, I happened to remember a 1.5" tree branch I'd seen last summer that was almost laying on top of the electric line coming into the house. I managed to get a ladder up and cut it off. That's one of those jobs that I ask myself, "Why didn't you do that back in the summer"? If I'm not the world's greatest procrastinator, I'm at least in the Top Ten!

We've always exchanged gifts on Christmas Eve. But I've talked to some of the family and asked that we wait and celebrate Christmas and New Years next weekend. It would be insane to try driving right now and it will only get worse. There are near white-out conditions at times and the wind chill is -22.

On a brighter note, Weather Underground's long range shows highs of 47-53 next Thursday-Sunday. I can hope!!

Scarlet, did PV honor their prices from last year or send you an invoice for more? I'm going to wait until they have their lists updated next month before I order. I didn't notice the overstock list last year. You had to buy 4 of a kind but among others, they had AC Ben for $3.50 and CAL for $2.50. Also had Ben Huston, Sonic Bloom and Colorado Classic.

Hope everyone is well, staying warm and will have a great Christmas! God Bless!

Here's your laugh for the day. Author unknown:

We have 10 degrees F and 50mph winds. Yes, it is rough for freighter traffic today. The ship captains had advance notice the storm was coming and took safe harbor on the St. Clair River. Today you'll see freighters anchored in a miles-long row on the river today.
If the winds are calm, our local restaurant takes phoned in pizza orders and a motor boat delivers.

-3° here reel feel -33° winds at 30mph and in the last 10 minutes in the last two days is the first time I've heard the wind. Snow totals were maybe 4". Totally not horrible here in Wisco, just a winter mess as we'd expect in January. It's to be 40 next Thursday.

Dan, the only thing he told me was shipping went up to $15 but it was $15 last year. I hope he honors what I looked at and bought from. I didn't select a ton; but enough to add to some seed making I hope. I had hoped he'd have that CAL royale but no. So I bought the other two. The one of two I did have here was somewhat like royale. I preferred it over the mochaish but really it's a nice blender to what I have. Oh heck I like the wild heads on these. The flop I deal with.

Kathy: lovely boats! I sometimes think it'd be lovely to live on the lake. This storm is nothing unusual and certainly what we got was nothing stupendous. Just nasty cold what is usually Jan and Feb.

AM: quilt almost done! Blueberries done! I have to wrap these few things and I'm done!

Then I move into making a shower curtain and bath curtain and then THEN I can work on my seeds. Well yes, I'd need to paint, clean house (Kathy that was delightful and so true!), and everything else but I'll make time for seeds!

Merry Christmas all!

Temp has dropped to -1, wind chill is -28. Wind is 33 MPH, gusting to 46. There's probably 2-3" of snow on the ground. I can't really tell if it's snowing right now or it's just the wind blowing it around. Snow plows have made several trips up/down the street. My driveway is getting blocked in but that's okay. I don't even intend to open the door today to check the mail box.

I always look forward to seeing Christmas come but this is one year I'll be just as happy to see it go and take this weather with it! It's going to be a long weekend! Might be a good time to sort out the ice fishing equipment.

I'm growing Dandy Dahlias from seed this year.

tomato looks like those will be pretty! The bees will love them!

Dan: my friend it sounds like you have gotten the beginnings of the crazy. Right now -3° real feel -28° winds 16 mph. I'm ready for a warmup! It is so dry in the house right now. W the coming warm up it's not worth adjusting the humidifier but until then my skin feels like that of dried clay.

Stay safe and warm! The cold seems to be lingering and overstaying it's non welcome welcome.

Merry Christmas Eve all!

May you have delightful days and stay warm. I sent all of you to the east my crazy weather but just know a warmup is right behind it. I read today it will be rain filled.

Best wishes for the new year as well. Love your families, stay happy and may the sun shine on your nose!

Merry Christmas to all.
There's something to be said for low temperatures in winter. It kills some dormant insects like Japanese Beetles !
And of course none of us are bothered by mosquitoes today.

Not to brag or anything, but we don't get mosquitoes around here anyway...😏 I haven't received a mosquito bite since being in CA, no kidding. If I remember correctly, it has something to do about the climate being too dry around here, they just can't survive.

Merry Christmas all!

Suns out here and wind has died down. May you all have a lovely day!