HAPPY NEW WEEK and HAPPY FULL MOON!
The first full moon of 2025, the Wolf Moon, will occur at:
10:26 pm on Monday, January 13, in UK
2:26 pm on Monday, January 13, in California
8:56 am on Tuesday, January 14, in Adelaide, Australia
I hope everyone has a good week.
During last week's snowstorm, the roads and businesses in my area were all closed. No traffic on the highway near my house. No booming loud music and yelling at the pub/bar. Just the wind in the trees and the falling snow and ice in the forest around me. One evening, I heard the long, mournful howl of a coyote. I realized how much I've missed the quiet of the woods and the sounds of the wildlife. It was so peaceful here a few years ago.
Hugs and love to all of you.
Diane: I'm so sorry the bar down the road has changed the character of your patch. That's awful. How many hours a day does it go on? I've just come back from a walk to the beach where we used to watch for gray whales. Took Ms. D and her dog along and I was - again! - dismayed at the increased traffic at a large intersection en route. The State has mandated more Iallegedly) low-cost housing - a joke on this part of the coast - so it will only get worse, although current residents are already raising questions about evacuation routes in the event of wildfires and has that even crossed the minds of the planners. Meanwhile,my grandson's unit is still in San Luis Obispo and hasn't been sent to LA. I've been watching several interviews with the LA City Firechief who's making no bones about her frustatioin with LA City Mayor Karen Bass who cut the Fire Department's budget last year (a big topic on our local news channels). The Firerchief commented that they had a bunch of fire equipment sitting idle because they didn't have enough mechanics to fix them (that's what my grandson does). Also, she was saying that one of the reservoirs had been emptied for construction work but nobody had told her department. And the water ran out in the Palisades because it's stored in multi-million gallon tanks due to the topography, and the tanks couldn't refill quickly enough to cope with the fire. It's going to be interesting. Meanwhile, evacuees from LA are heading this way and further north looking for hotel accommodation.
While I'm thinking of it. Has anyone heard from BJANE? It's been eons since she posted.....
Do hope all the UK folks get warmer weather and no more freezing pipes!!
Rusty: I was wondering who those other candidates were for your French women project.
Still no sign of rain here......
Thanks Diane for starting off our new week. I do so love your descriptions of your area - very evocative re the coyote and sad that you no longer have the quiet of the woods.
It was minus 4 here when I got up but is due to rise avove freezing later today. Im not looking forward to walking to church in half an hour but I think its safer than driving.
My 10 year old car goes for its MOT this week - fingers crossed.
Have a good week all.
Still very cold here, Annette. Minus 1 at the moment. And I have a drive across Ashdown Forest this morning - where the roads will not have been gritted. Just heard from someone who lives where I'm going - Crowborough - where at the moment it's minus 4. Slow and steady, I think!
Along with many others, I've been following what's going on in your area with those awful fires. We have seen some interviews with your Firechief who certainly isn't pulling her punches. Sounds like there will be some serious questions to answer once the immediate horror is over. Trying to save money is all very well, but if it results in people and property being in more danger, then things have gone seriously wrong.
Coincidence you should mention BJane - I was only thinking about her a few days ago. I do hope everything is all right with her.
DIANE – Thank you for a new week. Pleasing to read that there were some advantages to the big snowstorm. Here in the suburbs day & night there is a distant traffic hum with the occasional ambo or police siren on the nearest main road. But sometimes when I can’t sleep, 3-4 am, I listen and. . . nothing. . . it can be so quiet, just for a little while.
Minus temps? I cannot imagine them. Here right now, 7.20 pm, it is still 32 C. The sun won’t set until 8.33 pm and the evening sea breeze has not appeared. Yes, my air con is on.
Thank you Diane. I too love your descriptions of your “patch”. Such a shame about the noisy bar! It is still below freezing here and there is still lying snow everywhere. My friend and I are not going for our walk. Far too icy. I hope a little of your warmth will arrive here soon AQ!! Harelady - good luck with your car’s MOT. It’s always a worry. Mind you, my 16 year old passed with no issues and still wouldn’t start when I got back from my holiday as you know!!
Pat - safe travels.
I have seen a post on Facebook from a former pupil who now lives in LA. It showed all their bags packed. They are ready to leave. The Palisades fire is only 5 miles away and the winds are due to pick up again. It is truly awful.
Annette - I will post the names of the other famous French ladies later today. I really must get myself going now. There is ironing to do!!!
Yesterday
That was mist over the fields. Today we had a pretty sunrise again:
It's Zero degrees right now, and we're waiting for this afternoon when it might reach 4 degrees & the thaw will begin: this is big news here as we live in an area which has very little normally in the way of extremes, and often no snow at all!!
I've been out to feed my garden birds and have noticed in the past few days that we've even had quite large birds coming in from the countryside -- huge ravens and plenty of magpies (of which we have many). The other day, such pretty wagtails on the feeders.
I had a long day on Friday - we left here with extra time to take the (main road) 12 & a half miles to the Hospital for my test.
Just broke off there to post what I'd already said, in case it disappears or something!
En route it was so beautiful- - driving through the Cheshire countryside with the heavy frost of the night before making even the roadside weeds look ethereal, and all the trees like white skeletons.
We had to wait at two roadworks where presumably the broken drains were being fixed - long lines of traffic frustrated by the delays. Then a flood right across the road, where traffic had to wait to take turns to negotiate the shallow part in the middle of the road.
Grr. Trying to reply to myself but it just posted all my ramble all over again!