The official weather groundhogs (marmots), Nova Scotia’s Shubenacadie Sam and Ontario’s Wiarton Willy have predicted an early spring this year when they did not see their shadows yesterday, February 2, Groundhog Day.
Vancouver Island marmot photo above, borrowed from Vancouver Island Marmot Recovery Foundation.
Hurray, an early spring is on its way. Behold the sunshine on the masses of gray cloud moving in from the southeast. Yes, the sunshine is hopeful, BUT, I forgot to consider what is INSIDE those clouds.
I shouldn’t have believed a mere rodent when he predicted that early spring. In the last post I had sunshine brightening up pussywillows, and today, the very day after the early spring prediction, these glowing clouds opened up and ruined everything. They made liars of the marmots and Nervous Nellies out of all the wussy drivers of the rainy West Coast.
Just LOOK at this mess! Beautiful, isn’t it?
February 3, 2017 at 11:49 am
Yes..it’s gorgeous for December!! Icy rain here and just bone chilling. Your photo presents a much prettier picture than I have out my office window right now. Mother Nature was not liking those groundhogs at all.
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February 3, 2017 at 12:38 pm
Exactly! If it were December I wouldn’t complain, but it’s supposed to be spring in a few weeks…. Whine, whine!
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February 3, 2017 at 12:15 pm
That’s how it looks at our place too. We just can´t rely on those groundhogs! Let’s tough it out together with a big smile on our faces.
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February 3, 2017 at 12:40 pm
I’m smiling! Can you see me grinning. Actually, it’s quite beautiful even though I do feel sorry for the birds. But I put out extra food for them.
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February 3, 2017 at 12:19 pm
10 cm of snow here this morning as well. It was fairly lightweight, so the shoveling wasn’t too bad. Thank goodness the weather is warming up a bit. Your photos are beautiful, as usual!!
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February 3, 2017 at 12:42 pm
Our driveway is too long to shovel. I’m going to wait for the rain to wash this snow away. May it come soon. Meanwhile we can enjoy the way it looks so pretty when snow covers everything. Keep warm, Sonja.
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February 3, 2017 at 12:57 pm
Try to think of it as a minor set-back. Concentrate on orchids and pussy willows. But that is an awful pretty snow picture. 🙂
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February 3, 2017 at 1:18 pm
Found it. I lost this comment and just found it in the spam folder. Thanks for commenting, Pat. And yes, it’s a good idea to concentrate on the orchids and pussywillows. It’s sure to rain next week.
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February 3, 2017 at 12:57 pm
Quite snowy here in Richmond, but very beautiful, especially out on the dike.
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February 3, 2017 at 1:09 pm
Funny thing about snow. It’s so beautiful and clean and yet it is so hard on birds and other animals. I do what I can to feed the birds, but beyond that, I just have to hope the other animals find food under that beautiful covering of snow.
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February 3, 2017 at 1:09 pm
I just came home from downtown. The traffic was moving slowly and cautiously. My groceries are bought, errands done and now I can relax and sew all weekend! Lovely pics.
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February 3, 2017 at 1:11 pm
You’ve got the right idea!
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February 3, 2017 at 1:34 pm
That’s about what we have been getting every night. And it’s cold! Can’t blame this on the groundhogs here though: I think they all froze to death about 3 weeks ago.
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February 3, 2017 at 3:35 pm
My first reaction was to laugh because you’re joking but then I thought, good chance that some little critters would freeze to death in a cold winter. Let’s hope it doesn’t last too much longer.
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February 3, 2017 at 1:41 pm
No snow here but it’s cold. Your pre snow photo is beautiful!
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February 3, 2017 at 3:36 pm
Thanks, Belinda. It was an evening of really weird skies and weather. Just a few compass degrees to the south, the scene was all cold and gray. It was only because of the setting sun that these clouds looked warmed up.
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February 3, 2017 at 2:00 pm
It’s very pretty! Wussy drivers, cute! If I understand you correctly, you’d think people would learn how to drive on that stuff after a few years. Sunny and mid 60’s in Vegas today, 70’s next week – love it!
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February 3, 2017 at 3:39 pm
That’s exactly what I mean. People who live in places where it snows all winter learn how to drive in the snow. But out here on the coast it’s a rare thing to have snow, and it’s wet and heavy and greasy. Most people have no practice or experience with driving in snow because in a few days it’s gone and it’s raining again. I’m all green with envy over your temperatures.
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February 3, 2017 at 4:41 pm
After 50+ years in Michigan, it’s amazing how the apparently older drivers seem to be so impaired by snow. It’s not difficult – slow down. Allow much more stopping distance! Those local upcoming temperatures are one part of many why my now Ex and I chose Las Vegas. The tax structure of Nevada also played it’s part. I really doubt I’ll move back to my home state, rather, likely to move back to south Florida where I lived in the 90’s. Call me an old fart!!
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February 3, 2017 at 7:15 pm
I think you’re right on all counts. And yes, I’ve heard that the tax laws are good in Nevada.
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February 3, 2017 at 4:40 pm
Oh my word! Such a cruel joke by Mother Nature. It is beautiful, but I feel your pain Anneli. Gorgeous photos!
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February 3, 2017 at 7:22 pm
You’ve got it. Cruel joke. Pretty, but oh groan – more snow!
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February 3, 2017 at 5:14 pm
Oh, my. Both of your photos are beautiful, but really — should change come quite that quickly? One warm photo and one cold in such a short span of time leads to weather-whiplash!
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February 3, 2017 at 7:19 pm
I don’t mind change coming quickly if it’s for the better. But even this snow disappearing could be problematic if it’s too fast. Some places will get flooding.
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February 3, 2017 at 7:21 pm
I remember a few years ago when the Red River flooded after a fast melt in Manitoba. It caused problems all the way down the Mississippi — just terrible. We’ll hope for a nice, well-behaved melt for you!
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February 3, 2017 at 6:13 pm
Wish we got snow to photograph… I think you should fire the groundhog and follow the scientists that say our weather has been turned up-side-down and expect spring when its due. That could be tomorrow for all you know…
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February 3, 2017 at 7:16 pm
So true, so true. I could try sending you some snow in a little refrigerated box?
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February 3, 2017 at 9:14 pm
So gorgeous !! All of it 🙂
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February 4, 2017 at 3:19 pm
I wish I could send you some too. I have one request to South Africa. I don’t see why I couldn’t send a bit of snow to Australia too.
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February 4, 2017 at 2:23 pm
Oops, so that’s where it came from! The inside of the clouds ;)!
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February 4, 2017 at 3:19 pm
Yeah! Go figure, eh?
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February 7, 2017 at 8:12 pm
I loved this show of radiant colors in the sky and the magical winter wonderland! Thanks for commiserating, since I too would like an end to winter! 🙂 ❤
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February 7, 2017 at 8:35 pm
Just a few more days for us, says the weatherman.
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February 20, 2017 at 4:07 pm
They said it is not quite 30 more days of winter. Humph! Hmff!
You are so lucky but will it only be a few days, really?!
Stay warm and thanks for sharing the beauty in winter and the pretty colors (on other posts) of birds.
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February 20, 2017 at 5:14 pm
Soon, soon, soon!
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February 20, 2017 at 5:19 pm
I love your “triple soon” reply, Anneli! 🙂
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