Tag: snow

One-Liner Wednesday: snow

We only got about a foot so can’t compete with Linda’s One-Liner Wednesday photo, but click on the link to check it out – and to join in with One-Liner Wednesday and/or Just Jot It January.

coming storm

Here in upstate New York, we are preparing for a few days of severe winter weather. First, cold temperatures and wind, followed by a significant snowstorm with over a foot (1/3 meter) of snow expected.

The three of us have our supplies on board and expect to be in most of the weekend. I might make it to church for vigil on Saturday or might have to do online services. I expect my Sunday afternoon rehearsal will be cancelled.

Of course, the storm could change course, but better safe than sorry.

This post is part of Linda’s Just Jot It January. Join us! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2026/01/23/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-23rd-2026/

gazebo in snow


A gazebo/bandstand in a park in my town.

Join us for Linda’s Just Jot It January! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/01/14/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-14th-2025/

One-Liner Wednesday: White Christmas

Growing up in rural New England, white Christmases were a given, but now, with climate change, they are a special treat here in the Northeast. Wherever you are and whatever holidays you celebrate at this time of year, I wish you peace, love, joy, and safety.

This greeting is brought to you as part of Linda’s One-Liner Wednesdays. Join us! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2024/12/25/one-liner-wednesday-happy-holidays/

a change in the weather

We went from having a winter storm warning over the weekend to having flash flood and high wind warnings today as we have a rainstorm with above freezing temperatures.

The increasing volatility of weather, including extreme weather, is sometimes called “weather weirding” and is evidence of climate change. It’s occurring everywhere in the world and is most pronounced in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. While the rising global temperatures don’t cause particular weather systems, they do turbocharge them.

World leaders in government and business, take action now! Believe the scientists, not the greenwashing of fossil fuel companies.
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Join us for Linda’s Just Jot It January! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2024/01/09/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-9th-2024/

Snow!

We are having our first major snowstorm of the season here in the Southern Tier of NY.

The system, which is coming up the Atlantic coast, arrived a bit earlier than had originally been expected. I had thought I’d be able to attend vigil mass at 4 PM as I usually do on Saturdays but the roads were too bad for travel. It’s still snowing this morning and some freezing rain is predicted, so it looks like this will be an at-home religious observance weekend, as all of them were during the pandemic.

Good thing I didn’t take the programming for recording mass out of my DVR.

Best wishes to those celebrating Epiphany this weekend and to those celebrating Christmas under the Julian calendar.
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Join us for Linda’s Just Jot It January! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2024/01/07/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-7th-2024/

New poem at Third Wednesday!

I’m excited to share that my poem “April 19, 2022 – Vestal, New York” has just been published by Third Wednesday Magazine on their website and will be included in their quarterly print edition this spring!

This poem began as a Binghamton Poetry Project prompt on that date from workshop leader Suzanne Richardson. We were studying the use of a central image or metaphor. We were meeting via Zoom as I sat at my desk in the midst of a late snowstorm, so snow/storms became the central image.

One thing about writing from prompts in a workshop is that there isn’t a lot of time for planning, so I tend to go with the first thing that presents itself. Fortunately, I had experience with snowstorms, so my mind had somewhere to turn.

I workshopped the poem with the Grapevine Poets and did revisions before sending it out. I’m grateful that it has found a home with Third Wednesday!
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Join us for Linda’s Just Jot It January! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2023/01/09/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-9th-2023/

One-Liner Wednesday: London snow

My granddaughters after a rare snowfall in London, UK – excited 5-year-old ABC who remembers snow from living with us in upstate NY when she was little and 2-year-old JG who had never experienced snow.

Join us for Linda’s One-Liner Wednesdays! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2022/12/14/one-liner-wednesday-the-lost-days/

another day

So, as I write this, it is December 25th which we celebrate as Christmas, but 2020 is very different.

I haven’t been able to post much this month, in large part because we have been dealing with some health difficulties with my father, known here as Paco. He spent five days in the hospital and, earlier this week, was admitted to the skilled nursing and rehabilitation unit in the senior community where he lives.

Because of COVID restrictions, no visitors are allowed but we have been in touch by phone. Before he went to rehab, we did have a family early-Christmas celebration, but we sent a couple of small gifts to his room so he would have something to open today.

We hope to videochat with daughter E and family in London UK this afternoon, which will be evening there. They have already posted photos of granddaughters ABC and JG in their holiday attire. Last night, we were able to watch the Christmas Eve mass from their church. While it is sad that we were not able to see them at all in 2020, technology does help.

Spouse B, daughter T, and I are spending the day at home with scaled-back gift exchange and lots of our family favorite foods, fresh-baked date nut and cranberry breads for breakfast and lasagna from Nana’s recipe with homemade braided herb bread for dinner and apple-blackberry and an outrageously good brown-sugar and maple pecan pie for dessert. B enjoys cooking and baking special meals, so he is taking the lead with all this while I act assitant. It’s nice to have familiar things in such a topsy-turvy year.

Unfortunately, the huge snowstorm we had last week that dropped forty inches (one meter) of snow on us has set us up for flood warnings today. We got about three inches (8 cm) of rain yesterday and overnight, which, coupled with at least another couple of inches from snowmelt, has led to flooding. The Susquehanna is expected to crest tonight at major flood stage level in our town. While our home should be okay, we are concerned for our neighbors who live closer to the river.

I know for many Christians around the world, this Christmas is very different than the usual celebrations, but the underlying message of peace and good will to all is still there to bring comfort to us in these troubled times. I share wishes for peace and good will, for good health and love with all of you; whatever your personal faith or philosophy might be, these gifts are universal.

Snow day!

I haven’t quite fallen off the face of the earth and I’ll try to do a substantive post soon, but today we are trying to clear out after a nor’easter targeted the Binghamton NY area with almost three feet (0.9 meters) of snow.

The squirrels will have an easy jump into the birdfeeders now, unless they sink in the snow. Photo of the birdfeeders before snow is here: https://topofjcsmind.wordpress.com/2020/11/28/socs-for-the-birds/
You can judge the snow depth from the almost buried chain link fence in the back of the yard.
Good things the feeders are pretty full, because getting the birdseed out of the shed is going to be a feat.
T’s car is under there somewhere!