Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Real winter weather

It's frigid again in South Carolina, and for the second time in two weeks there's snow in the forecast. Today has been wet and cold--cold enough to chill you to the bone! And we've had record low temperatures, too. Tonight is supposed to be back down in the teens again, and since ice and snow are expected, we're on a two hour delay for school tomorrow (if we end up going at all).

I like it. It feels like a real winter for a change.

Ice on my car's windshield early yesterday morning.


Hopefully we'll have a good peach crop this year. The past two winters have been too warm for the peach trees to achieve the level of dormancy needed to produce good fruit. Everyone thinks of Georgia as the "peach state" but actually South Carolina produces more than they do! It's a real blow to farmers around here to have major crops ruined year after year by the lack of cold. I think this year will be much better for them.

We've gotten more use out of the fireplace this year than ever before. I love sitting beside a warm fire on these cold nights! I've been cooking and baking a lot, too, which helps warm up the house. A big batch of chili is bubbling away in the crockpot as I type this, and I'm thinking of making a couple of loaves of banana nut bread later on. Our freezer is full of individual servings of homemade soup that I've made since Christmas. Occasionally I'll bake something special, like an iced chocolate loaf cake or rice krispy treats, just for fun. I'm trying to take it easy on the sweets, though, and mostly try to concentrate on healthy, warm, "real" food.

One thing I dislike about the weather this winter is how often we've had to miss our nightly walks. It's bad for us and it's really bad for the dogs. They're so bored when they're cooped up inside, and George especially needs and outlet for some of his energy. He gets wild and eventually annoys the crap out of Ginger, so then she has to put him in his place--which she is really good at. She's definitely the alpha of the two, and has no problem correcting him when he really needs it. It's funny to see him acting like an abashed (88 pound!) puppy! They get along better when they're out walking every day, or can at least go out in the back yard in the afternoon, but all that is impossible when you're getting cold rain, ice, and snow or the wind chill is in single digits.

As much as I appreciate a real winter, I think I'll be extra glad to see Spring arrive this year.  What about you? Do you love the winter, or count the days until it's over?

12 comments:

  1. That sounds like the right weather for your chili and home made soups. I hope your dogs can soon enjoy their walks again. Bounce is in and out all day and on coldest days he wears some cute little coats when we go on walks.

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  2. We got a piece of that storm in southeastern PA. It was only a little over an inch of snow and was more of an annoyance. It is the fifth annoyance this year, but we have been very lucky and have not had the kind of weather that so many others have had to endure.. This weekend will find us in the mid-50s. I am hoping for an early spring. I hope you have a peachy weekend also, Jennifer.

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  3. Look at all the little ice beetles, roaming around your windshield. And yay for a good peach crop. Ours will be good, too. Ashtabula (County, Ohio) peaches will be so good. Orchards along the lake. Yum.

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  4. The dogs need one of those walking machines with a conveyor belt. Just for fun you could occasionally switch it to the highest speed setting possible and watch em run!

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  5. I hate the cold, but love all the indoor stuff; fires, slow stews, bonfires, etc. Still no real cold here, but you've made me worry about my 2018 Peach crop!

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  6. I'm not very good at handling cold, I need so many layers of clothing that I look and feel like the Michelin man!
    We're having a very stormy week with lots of rain and some sleet in between; no proper snow since long before Christmas.
    Last year, after a very mild winter, icy rain and freezing temperatures hit our area badly in April, when all the orchard trees and vineyards were already in bloom. Most farmers were badly affected, some lost more than 80 % of their crops, and fruit was very expensive during the summer. Thankfully, my parents do not depend on fruit from their allotment for a living, but they did not have one single plum last year, it was all dead.

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  7. Spring time for me, especially when fields are covered in pink blossoms on peach trees and white blossoms on cherry trees. I'm a Spring/Summer child, born end of May, so I'm not very fond of winter.
    Greetings Maria x

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  8. Wow, you all are really getting hammered with the cold! I know what you mean about missing the dog walks. Olga gets very skittish when she doesn't get her walks. Around here that's usually due to rain more than snow -- but still, it's a pain. Makes me want to movie to California where the weather is always the same. :)

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    Replies
    1. "movie to California" -- I must have been thinking of Hollywood. :)

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  9. I love winter in Central Florida, it is the best time of the year down here. In Florida we dread the summer and count the days until it is over. Too darn hot. However, it was 28 degrees this morning outside of Orlando... Crazy.

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  10. I've never really considered that there are people that truly love the extreme winter. I just figured that you tolerated it in order to enjoy the beauty of the rest of the seasons. I am a complete wimp and thing I am freezing when it gets below 63°. Stay safe and warm.

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  11. I like winter, yes it is very true in extreme cold weather like you experience its difficult to do your daily task like walk at night. But waiting for spring is gives you more pleasure :)
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