# WINTER WONDERLAND



## NorthernWinos

Big storm raging across the midsection of the country...we are on the Northern edge of the storm, so won't be getting too much snow...3" to 6" to 9"...they don't know for sure.


So, I am watching the Pine Gross Beaks at the bird feeder and the squirrels eating in a pile of corn...and wonder what's out there for the critters to eat without our feed sources.


So...I take a walk outside in the storm to survey the yard.....


The flowers are done for the year,tho the Autumn Joy Sedum is pretty with it's snow cover...









The flowering Kale is still showing it's pretty colors...








As for fruits for the birds...There is Flowering Crabapples...











Rosehips...








The Highbush Cranberries are pretty, but none have been touched by the bids....Ice Wine anybody????














There is no sunon the sundial...








No bath for the birds...








St. Frances is bundled up and ready for winter...








I was also bundled up bringing in some wine bottles to wash and fill....So...I decide to walk out to the mailbox....I was almost there and realized...This is a Winter Wonderland...and wonder...why did I venture out here??? 


It really wasn't that cold, the wind really wasn't that bad...it's just winter in Northern Minnesota.


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## Wade E

Those cranberries look like they would glow in the dark.


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## jobe05

I thought you ran out of freezer space





Wow.............. Thats a hit of reality............... Poor you...........

However!............ Ice Fishing is right around the corner.


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## NorthernWinos

Wade....Maybe that's why nothing one eats them....We did pick some once in a swamp, they looked a little different than these....We thought we were smelling swamp gas, then realized our buckets of berries smelled like dirty feet...I made juice with them and never used it...Wasn't making wine back then. 


Someday when we have enough of them I will try a batch of wine....think some members on the Forum have froze some up to make wine...will be anxious to hear how it turns out...?


Jobe....Jim has his fishing poles in the house and it putting new line on them today...



*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## masta

We had a snow squall this morning and was enough to cover the driveway. Very windy and cold 30 F today and light snow forecasted for tomorrow morning turning to a mix of sleet/snow by evening.


I really don't like Winter anymore!


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## PolishWineP

masta said:


> We had a snow squall this morning and was enough to cover the driveway. Very windy and cold 30 F today and light snow forecasted for tomorrow morning turning to a mix of sleet/snow by evening.
> 
> 
> I really don't like Winter anymore!


Ah ha! I have another convert! Even my car pool buddy, who is like a Pollyanna most days, admitted to me the other day that driving in the dark with the snow and the wind isn't nearly as nice as a summer morning when the sun has been up for an hour already when we head off to the highway.



He suggested that maybe he doesn't like winter much either! Come on! Jump onto my wagon! Let's everyone stay in and drink wine instead.


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## hannabarn

Started snowing here in N Wisconsin at 11:30 Now 1:30 and about 3" on the ground and still snowing hard. Looks like a big one coming.
hannabarn


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## Wade E

Welcome hannabarn, how long have you been making wine and what do you ave fermenting? Glad to have you aboard and when you get a chance please tell us about yourself.


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## PolishWineP

Hi Hannabarn! Another Northerner! We're getting quite a cluster from around the area. Glad to have you with us.


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## NorthernWinos

Welcome hannabarn...hope you stay awhile.


Looks like we are going to be needing a Northern Winemakers Toy Store soon....Should we have a vote????


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## scotty

the pics are beautifull thanks as always.


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## grapeman

Not sure what we will be getting out of this one. It was 5 degrees this AM after snowing another inch last night. We are going to get the storm tomorrow late through Tuesday. All they say is significant snow. Only heard one mention on the weather channel of over a foot- I hope not. I can't get the tractor to start to plow. I replaced the battery yesterday and the solenoid today. Still not going. I wouldn't care but Cindy and Joe need to be able to get out to work. I just walk the 100 feet to my office building every day.


It's supposed to get even colder tonight- probably 0 or a little below but less wind. We had wind chills at -20 this am with the wind howling. I brewed up a batch of Brewer's Best Red Ale this afternoon. It smells good and helped heat up the house some. I'm glad George is carrying these kits again. They make a good beer fairly easily and inexpensively.


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## grapeman

Now the weather has changed from a watch to a warning. It doesn't sound nice for tomorrow night.





...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM SUNDAY TO 1 AM EST TUESDAY... 


THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BURLINGTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM SUNDAY TO 1 AM EST TUESDAY...FOR 8 TO 14 INCHES OF SNOW. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. 


SNOW WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE NORTH COUNTRY SUNDAY AFTERNOON INTO SUNDAY EVENING...AND TAPER OFF TO SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS LATE MONDAY NIGHT. THE SNOW COULD MIX WITH SLEET SUNDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY MONDAY MORNING ACROSS NORTHERN NEW YORK...AS WELL AS CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VERMONT. SOME FREEZING RAIN MAY ALSO MIX IN ACROSS THE SAINT LAWRENCE VALLEY. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM 8 TO 14 INCHES ACROSS THE REGION...WITH THE HIGHER AMOUNTS OVER THE MOUNTAINS OF CENTRAL AND NORTHERN VERMONT...AS WELL AS THE ADIRONDACKS.


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## hannabarn

Thanks for the welcome! I have only been winemaking since August. Working on myfourth batch from Vinters Reserve!! White Zin, Gewurztramiter, Island Mist WhiteZin and now Chianti. Been prolific but must slow down with the winemaking as I willsoon be 80 and need time to enjoy my products!!! Just built a new home in Hayward Wi. Moved here from So Wi. First batch of white zin almost consumed!!!!


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## hannabarn

By the way it is still snowing very hard since 11:30 this morning


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## NorthernWinos

Sent an Email to my girlfriend...Right now they have left Minnesota and are at their winter home in Isla, Mexico...the bit_h sends me a photo of her yard...








HerBougainvillea's are blooming and it's 85*.


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## NorthernWinos

Appleman...I feel your pain...get that tractor running...


We have about 6" of fluffy stuff and the wind is picking up and blowing it around. At least the temps are about 13*F above...The last week we had temps below zero. 


Snow is a good thing....it insulates the earth from the cold. Ever since wequit raisinglivestock I don't mind the snow at all.


Life is Good!!!


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## PolishWineP

hannabarn said:


> Thanks for the welcome! I have only been winemaking since August. Working on myfourth batch from Vinters Reserve!! White Zin, Gewurztramiter, Island Mist WhiteZin and now Chianti. Been prolific but must slow down with the winemaking as I willsoon be 80 and need time to enjoy my products!!! Just built a new home in Hayward Wi. Moved here from So Wi. First batch of white zin almost consumed!!!!


Sounds like you've been busy! From where in Southern Wisconsin did you move? I grew up in Oconomowoc. Love Hayward. Have you been to the Moccasin Bar yet?


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## PolishWineP

We were to go to my company holiday party tonight but Poor Bert got saddled with making the decision if we went or not. He chose safety so we didn't go, but he did take me up town to the cafe and we had dinner there. Before we left we opened a bottle of Steve Angell's Sangiovese. Oh my goodness! That alone almost made up for not going to the party. (Grand prize tonight is a remote car starter... I could have used that!



) But we're safe and warm, so I'll be content with that.


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## bovinewines

I guess I shouldn't tease the northeners by saying that while it was over cast today here...our temps were around 70 degrees....


I'm thinking about pulling the shorts back out!


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## JWMINNESOTA

Tease us? Why if we didnt just love it we would all move there!


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## grapeman

OK Bovinewines, why don't you Mooove up north and enjoy the weather with the rest of us. When the sky starts to turn dark, it graze up. You are nice and warm down there and we need to put on the calfskin gloves to stay warm. I bet you like those shorts when it's warm out and all the guys think you look udderly fantastic in them. I better stop milking this bovine thing here. I bet it's not the first time you have herd such nonsense before.


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## hannabarn

Mooooved up here from Delavan Wi. Have you taught everyone over there to pronounce Oconomowoc?


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## PolishWineP

No, I don't want people confused.


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## grapeman

Northern Winos said:


> Appleman...I feel your pain...get that tractor running...


I took me a day and a half of freezing my fingers and trying combinations of starters and solenoids and batteries, but I got it running just before noon today. I had to keep doing it in small increments because my fingers don't take the cold after being sewed back together a few years ago. My newer starter turns freely by hand but won't spin over under power.



The old starter that drags horribly, once freed with a screwdriver, and the old solenoid put back on with the new battery and booster started the tractor.






Now if it will do that after it snows I will be OK.


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## NorthernWinos

Hope you guys don't get too much snow...
Storm is over up here...Got about 8" of fluffy stuff.....Sweetheart plugged in the tractor this morning and is now going out to clear the yard...Township snowplow/grader came in and did the 1/4 mile driveway during the night....


Life is Good!!!


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## NorthernWinos

The sky has cleared now...It's going to be a cold one tonight.


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## PolishWineP

Nice sunset! I just sent it to a friend in Australia. Like Waldo says, It's already tomorrow in Australia! She's at work!


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## Wade E

NW, are you bending light over there again?


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## JWMINNESOTA

Missed the sunset, it was already gone when I got off work, but oh boy I caught the nice cold wind!



Good thing winter is still 20 days away!


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## Bert

Appleman, be sure an check your Battery cables...you seem to have a lot of power loss....the ground end to the frame or engine too. Can be other things, but some time those simple things can be overlooked....Good Luck.


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## bovinewines

ROFL! You are a punny man Apple! 


Actually I do love the snow...I just prefer it without a layer of black ice which is typically all we ever get down this direction!


Ya'll bundle up up there...and send more pics!


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## grapeman

We sure lucked out here! I should take up being a weatherman. I seem to be able to predict the weather better than the weathermen. Last Thursday when they were predicting this big storm I told Cindy it looked like a 2-4 inch snowstorm coming. The weathermen were saying it could be a big one. They kept saying 8-12 inches here, more in the mountains. It still looked like a 2-4 inch storm to me. Well we got the snow and it has quit- total snowless than 4 inches! They can't seem to watch patterns of the storms anymore, relying on the computer models.


At least I got the tractor so it will start- but it looks like I need a new starter. The old one is worn out and dragging-that's why I replaced it less than two years ago. But at least it turns over some!


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## Wade E

Appleman, can you give me a 5 day forecast?


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## NorthernWinos

Our forecast is not good....


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## grapeman

wade said:


> Appleman, can you give me a 5 day forecast?




Sure Wade,
For the next 5 days it will be partly cloudy, partly sunny. Chance of flurries or light rain. Highs between 28 and 60, lows between 15 and 40. 50 percent chance of a full lunar eclipse.


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## NorthernWinos

Horrible weather today...from 6-9 inches of new snow....






We both had early morning doctors appointments...just the usual annual thing...but you have to go or they won't renew your perscriptions...What a racket. so we headed out in the 4X4 diesel...while we were in town filled it up with winter blend fuel...






Was horrible road conditions...even the UPS guy was in the ditch...hope he didn't have his shorts on. We were surprised all the snow in the yard when we finally got home...


Deep snow...just ask 'the guys'..











Hard getting out to the greenhouse....








This winter is starting out rough...after hardly having any snow last year we sure are spoiled...All this snow is good insulation for the perennial plants...Bad for making ice on the lakes...the lakes are flooding from the weight of the snow...






So...yes...it's beginning to look like Chrsitams...









Yes...The weather outside is frightful...But..inside it is delightful....








Life is Good!!!


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## Wade E

NW, that dining area sure looks really nice. You have quite the residence there. Every corner you show of your house or yard reveals beauty.


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## grapeman

Now you are looking like Minnesota over there NW! Maybe these heavier snows will usher in more normal spring and summer rains for you there. I agree, things there look great from every angle inside and out!


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## PolishWineP

I was out the door from work about 3:15 today, I normally work till 5:30. Mean old Bert told me if I was going to come home tonight I had to do it all in day light. I think he just wanted me to cook supper for him!


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## grapeman

You mean he didn't have it cooked for you already when you got home? Come on there Poor Bert, Cook the Princess a meal fit for royalty! I'm sure he was looking out for your safety. Sometimes the roads just aren't safe in a snowstorm, especially after dark.


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## PolishWineP

Yeah, and he didn't have my driveway cleared of snow, either! The Princess had to sweep and shovel snow out of her garage after she drove her carriage in so that the garage door would shut and not allow more snow in!




Poor me!


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## NorthernWinos

PWP...glad you made it home safely. Was thinking about you as we battled those roads trying to get home...All the radio had on was school closings and cancellations of events. You couldn't see the edges of the road, all you knew was the snow was deeper there and it would try to drag you over the edge into the ditches....Now the wind is blowing and drifting like crazy...so, it is a good thing you left work before dark...Good Plan!!!






Thanks guys...we love our porch...take all our meals out there ...it's like sitting outdoors...but, with the comforts of home. Just a humble farmhouse for two simple farmers.


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## jobe05

You have a Greenhouse too???????? You've never mentioned the greenhouse. You've always just talked about the plants started or overwintered in the basement.

I agree with Wade, you have a beautiful home there, inside and out, and a wonderful life, you have truly been blessed.


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## Wade E

Jobe, I think she was hiding the greenhouse from you so as not to rub it in any more!


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## NorthernWinos

Jobe...that's not much of a greenhouse...maybe 8'X12'...not heated...But I love it. Grow stuff under lights till the 3rd week of April..then put my babies out there...with heat lamps and a few sleepless nights...Got to always check on cold nights that the lights are still on and go out first daylight to check on things....one day I may loose some babies out there....Have been lucky.


I do feel blessed...mostly because I have a loving sweetheart of 34+ years and now have good health...it doesn't get any better than that.


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## scotty

I read that itu\s so cold in Very Nothern Minnesota . And Wisconsin that--I quote 


"It's soo cold, I just seen a lawyer with his hands in his OWN pockets!"
*Edited by: scotty *


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## jobe05

Northern Winos said:


> I do feel blessed...mostly because I have a loving sweetheart of 34+ years and now have good health...it doesn't get any better than that.



Amen to that.......

I sometimes forget what my wife means to me, but then I think of her........ and it all comes flooding back, butterflies and all............ No better feeling on earth.


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## swillologist

We haven't got rid of the ice from this stormlast Saturday.








Now we are getting this today.


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## NorthernWinos

Same stuff happening up here on de-tundra....Can't see across the feild.



Jim has pushed the yard up twice this week...


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## swillologist

We can probably see about 300 yards. That is just across this small field here. We couldn't push the last one it was ice. It did warm up enough yesterday afternoon thatI could scrape some of the ice off of the driveway. I couldn't get it off of the sidewalk or all of the driveway.That should make it fun to blow this batch. I didn't get the snow fence up this year. So we'll probably get bombarded with snow this winter.


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## rgecaprock

Hi All,


Enjoying your winter stories. I'm in Virginia and have the pleasure of seeing snow while I am here. Flurries and Blustery but no accumulation. I will have something "snow white" to show you when I get home though.


Just wanted to check in and let you know that even though I'm on vacation I'm thinking of you all !! Ramona


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## swillologist

Ramona hope you are having a great vacation.
Here is picture from last winter but thought you might enjoy it.








A hen pheasant at the bird feeder.


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## uavwmn

You "wondered" out there in "awe" of Nature's beauty.






Beautiful pictures. thanks for sharing~


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## uavwmn

Ramona, here are is some AZ snow for you. It was our "snow day" one day last Jan.


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## PolishWineP

That's a pretty snow there in AZ! This morning we're at -24. We're supposed to get up to -2 later today!



I think I'll just stay inside all day today. I'm sure I can find enough to do that I won't have to go out.


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## swillologist

It's started back up here again today. We're supposed to get another 2 to 5 inches. Well it's begaining to look a lot like Christmas. It looks like it is going to be a good day to make some jerky.


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## grapeman

Hey Joan, how much snow did you get this past Sunday/Monday? I talked to my brother that lives out in your neck of the woods. Last Saturday when I spoke with him he said they were expecting rain,freezing rain and sleet all day Sunday. Well I guess that never happened much and they ended up with 17 inches of snow! I hope you didn't get that much! It keeps snowing every day, but only a dusting to an inch and it keeps settling so we only have about 4-6 inches on the ground. Good insulation for the vines roots.


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## masta

Looks like we will be getting our first real snow of the Winter with 3-6 inches tomorrow and a potential of a big Nor'Easter on Sunday.


It is good news for Mangenius and the Rats since the weathershould keep the Greatriots from scoring more than 50 points in Foxboro!


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## rgecaprock

Well, here it is a balmy 73 degrees this morning and very humid. Just seens all wrong this time of year. But here is what I wanted to show you all...... enjoy!!!! Ramona


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## NorthernWinos

Nice shot of the albino suqirrel...where was that??? I see some states have town claiming to be the capital of Albino Squirrels....Up here we have an occasional black squirrel, which is a mutation of the grey squirrels.


Out wild weasels turn white in the winter and are then called Ermine..they are trapped in the winter and made into expensive fur pieces. Some rabbits also turn white in the winter as well as some other wild animals...mainly for camouflage protection from predators in the winter...we like when the weasels are in our outside buildings...they kill a lot of mice.


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## rgecaprock

NW, 
That picture was taken last week when I was in Va. Hope she thrives...the other squirrels were picking on her constantly butif "Angelica" hangs around my sister will make sure she is fed.


Ramona


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## bovinewines

OMG Ramona!!!! Congratulations! What a great picture....its rumoured they are good luck! Hopefully that means he's going to bring you more wine awards in 2008!!!!!!!


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## grapeman

Nice looking squirrel Ramona, it's a beauty.


We got 5 inches of wet snow last night and it is in the 30's, but that is changing rapidly. The wind has started up swaying the big trees around. Going to plummet here. Low tonight below zero, high tomorrow 18. I may need to throw a blanket over the wines in the garage tonight. Then like Masta they are saying possibly a good size snow storm this coming Sunday.


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## jobe05

Ramona you were in Va again last week???????

It was a busy week but I would have tryed to make the time if I had known you were there.

Next time lets plan ahead to meet and I'll Come up!








*Edited by: jobe05 *


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## swillologist

Here is our winter wonderland. This is what it looked like Monday morning.








This is what it looked like Tuesday afternoon.








We were lucky though. We were only out of power for about 3 hours. As NW would say "Life is good!"


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## grapeman

You were lucky to be spare the wrath of the ice. I lived through it in 1998. We had freezing rain for three days accumulating 2 inches of ice, so the limbs were 4 inches thick plus the limbs themselves. After one day the power went out. It was a good thing that it was only about 30 degrees and didn't get colder for a week or so. We were without power for 10 days, some folks a lot more. Quite a few folks died of carbon monoxide poisoning- almost including me. I tried to keep our pipes from freezing by running portable gas heaters a few hours at a time. I stayed home for a few days to watch the heaters and sent the rest of the family to my Mom's place where they got power back after a couple days. I woke up one morning very sluggish and throwing up. I got outside and regained my faculties. I left home and didn't go back to stay. We got water which wasn't available without power by driving a tractor 3 miles to a spring and filled milk jugs and garbage cans. 


It sounded like we lived in a war zone. We have large pines all around and they were constantly breaking, not just limbs but whole trees. About 1/2 to 2/3 of the trees up to two feet across snapped in half -halfway up the trunk. All the trees within about 50 miles were snapped like that. After it thawed it literally looked like the area had been nuked or at least bombed. I could go on and on about it- it was like living in Hell. It took a couple weeks for the ice to melt and then it got cold. Almost 10 years later now, the trees that were left mostly recovered but the lumber value is mostly gone.


I feel the pain everyone in the midwest is going through. Good Luck!*Edited by: appleman *


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## NorthernWinos

Gee...that sounds like the news...Those homes that were on the news tonight looked like a tornado had gone through...all the trees are broken and down on homes and cars....People withoutelectricity in the winter is not good....Hope there are no more deaths....and, that everyone can return to their homes soon.


Guess we shouldn't complain about the cold....However...tonight we are having a wind storm as well as snow...It's howling like crazy out there....warm and cozy in here and the power is on...Life is Good!!!!


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## grapeman

Northern Winos said:


> Gee...that sounds like the news...Those homes that were on the news tonight looked like a tornado had gone through...all the trees are broken and down on homes and cars....People withoutelectricity in the winter is not good....Hope there are no more deaths....and, that everyone can return to their homes soon.
> 
> 
> Guess we shouldn't complain about the cold....However...tonight we are having a wind storm as well as snow...It's howling like crazy out there....warm and cozy in here and the power is on...Life is Good!!!!




NW- at the time it happened it was the news. It affected the whole region of the Northeast including Quebec. We were in the middle of the worst of it. I don't want to ever go through it again and wish all the best to those who are now experiencing similar situations. You can still find news postings on the storm- just Google Ice storm 98 and you will get a lot of hits from all over the northeast.


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## NorthernWinos

We had a friend driving a semi out there at that time...he got stranded out there for awhile.


Looks like you and Joan and all in the North East are going to get hammered today...Good Luck.


Wind is still howling here and it's snowing...Temperatures are going to drop all day....Guess they call this blizzard conditions....


Going to pitch some yeast, wrap Christmas gifts and get the last of the cards sent off....Life is Good!


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## rgecaprock

Beautiful pictures, Swil. I love winter!!!


and Jobe, Next time I go to Va. we will make a date!!!. This trip was kind of quickly planned but definitely next year.


Ramona


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## corn field

Here in south central Iowa we got hamered. There is about 1" of ice on every thing. A lot of tree limbs down as well as trees. We were without power for 36 hours. Kept wowm by using a fish fryer off and on as not to buld up too much carbon monoxide. Cooked on it was actualy fun in a weard way, at least the grand kids had a good time. The 13 year old grand son is out now earning Christmas money cutting up limbs and cleaning up yards. So all is well that ends well. Thank goodness nuthing ferminting just bulk ageing. I will be cutting up a deer today for jerky,the kids love it.


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## Jack on Rainy

I love this thread! Great picts and fun conversation! 
We have winter here too. Beautiful snow fall this morning. Our avian residents are having a little difficulty getting down to the seed on the feeder as the snow keeps covering it up. But we are still getting a few. Looks like shoveling is needed this afternoon.....





Good evening to stay home and fool around with wines in progress. One to rack tonight, two to taste for oak, and maybe a taste of one being bottle aged (bottled a few 375s just for that purpose).
*Edited by: Jack on Rainy *


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## NorthernWinos

Jack...are those Pine Gross Beaks??? Or, another Gross Beak. We have many Pine Gross Beaks this winter and among them is a female Cardinal...unusual to have those up here....Jim kept seeing gone when he was on his deer stand last month and now she is here. Wish I had a camera that could zoom out to the feeder.


I see you have a heated waterer for them...We sure need one of those.


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## Jack on Rainy

Northern Winos said:


> Jack...are those Pine Gross Beaks??? Or, another
> Gross Beak. We have many Pine Gross Beaks this winter and among
> them is a female Cardinal...unusual to have those up here....Jim kept
> seeing gone when he was on his deer stand last month and now she is
> here. Wish I had a camera that could zoom out to the feeder.
> 
> 
> I see you have a heated waterer for them...We sure need one of those.



Those are Evening Grosbeaks. Pine are less common here and the
Rosebreasted are rare but seen in the area. We haven't ever sighted any
at our feeder. Cardinals are rare here although they do occur.



The waterer really helps bring them in although we have been
short of small birds this winter. Seems I brushed out the view of
the lake a little too vigorously



. No Siskens, or Red Polls yet and only a couple of Goldfinches this winter.

No Purple finches have been around the last couple of years either.


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## NorthernWinos

We had very strong winds since yesterday...the temperature has dropped from 26*F this morning to -5*F now as the sun sets...


We had a nice fluffy layer of snow and the winds really whipped it up all day...








Blew it into drifts...and crated nice patterns in the banks...








The roses are tucked under a nice snow bank...they will winter over this year...








The bird bath is getting shorter...








Later in the afternoon the sun came out...along with the sundogs...














Did venture out into the howling winds...had to cut up a whole frozen salmon on the bandsaw...[will flip a coin to see who grills it later] Also had to find some boxes to box up and wrap some Christmas gifts...


Now, it's time for 'night-things'.


Life is Good!!!


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## Wade E

We have just under 10" from this storm and its still coming down pretty good right now.


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## masta

Awesome pics NW and life is good!
We have just turned back to snow from sleet so the total snowfall will be lower than north of us. Hoping it stops soon so I can get out and clean up the driveway with snowblower.


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## grapeman

Beautiful pictures NW. I love the last few of the sunset!


We only got about 5 inches again today. There is about 14 inches on the ground now. Waiting for Saturday night/Sunday to see what the next storm will bring- they keep mentioning feet of snow coming.......






The temps were opposite for us NW -5 last night and +25 by sunset. Very dry snow.


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## Angell Wine

Get ready for some northern lights, big storm coming today and tomorrow.


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## rgecaprock

NW 


Really, Really, awsome pictures!!!!


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## swillologist

The sun came out today. First time in over a week. It put a little shine into everything around here.

















Those are gold finch on the feeder. Right now I am filling it about every third day. I put the other feeder out today. Ishould have some pictures of some cardinals in a few days.


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## Waldo

Denny said all those pictures of the ice and cold made him want to just snuggle up in the warmth with his buddy


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## grapeman

Man Swill you live in the Flatlands. Looks like neighbors are few and far between there. The sun does make it pretty out after an icestorm. Hope it melts for you before the new coming storm.


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## swillologist

It is mostly rolling here. That is looking off to the southwest. If I look to the east northeast, there are hills and timber. I'm not talking big hills though. Most of them are farmed.


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## NorthernWinos

Hope all that ice has melted for everyone in the central part of the country and that the next storm doesn't ice up like that. We are sending some cold air to you...will maybe give you some snow.


Usually around here we get a layer of ice...then snow on top of it...makes for tough walking....this year we got our snow on top of frozen soil...so when pushing snow Jim isn't digging up wads of lawn.


When our friend got stranded in the NE during that big ice storm he ended up taking on jobs of hauling power poles from Canada to the U.S. with his semi.....Hope everyone has electricity back on now....Starting out to be a tough winter all around...Appleman doesn't seem to be complaining.


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## NorthernWinos

Waldo...those cats look like they have enjoyed some Port and then took a nap....looks warm and cozy down your way,


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## swillologist

I didn't get the bird feeder filled last night (forgot about it). When I got up this morning someone was waiting on me. I filled the feeder andshe came back. 








She brought a friend with her too.








Although he is not that friendly. He runs the females off. He gets his turn though. The blue jays come in and run him off.









*Edited by: swillologist *


----------



## NorthernWinos

WOW!!! Only once did we have one male Cardinal spend the winter..we had a large corn crop and had a big pile on the ground and he was there with the Blue jays...awesome sight when we usually never see them. Haven't seen our female for awhile now....We have at our feeder Chickadees, Red Polls, Gross Beaks, Sparrows, Blue Jays, many woodpeckers and an Epiliated woodpecker and some other small birds...


It must be difficult walking with all that ice....I bought a few pairs of.... * 'ice creepers' for Christmas stocking stuffers...usually we wear them a lot. I keep a pair on my fishing boots for when we go on the lake....they work really good...you feel invincible, you can walk where others fear to tread.


* Ice creepers...for those who don't know are rubber studded slings you put over your boots....they work like a charm.


----------



## rgecaprock

swill,
That looks like a pretty huge pine tree off in the distance there? And the cardinal are beautiful here too.


And Waldo, I think I need to get a buddy for my new cat. She wants constant attention, tries to lay on the computer keyboard. Sweet Kitties!!!!


----------



## swillologist

One of your sweeties ate a dove right outside of my back door.



It should have a field day now that I have the feeder back up.


There are not many pine trees around here Ramona. Not sure what you are looking at. Most pine trees here are in yards. There are a few cedars scattered around though. I keep most of them cut down close tome here because of the apple rust.


----------



## rgecaprock

swill,


In the picture with the basketball goal, off in the distance next to a building of some sort.


Ramona


----------



## swillologist

I thought you were looking at the picture of the cardinal. Yep sure is. It's in the neighbors yard. A few years back I videoed a bald eagle in the top of that tree. I didn't get a very good picture of it though. To far away.*Edited by: swillologist *


----------



## joeswine

HAY they are some wonderful pictures makes you wonder why anyone would want to destroy this planet,with so much wonder and beauty to offer,doesn"t make any sence, beautiful pictures but you can keep the ice



jp


----------



## grapeman

Wow, you and NW have hairless birds around. You have Bald Eagles and NW has Epilated Woodpeckers.



Around these parts there are Pileated Woodpeckers- is that close NW? They look like this 



*Edited by: appleman *


----------



## grapeman

I sure am glad that there is Global Warming taking place. I would hate to see this winter if it wasn't. It won't quit snowing here, and the weather keeps getting colder. Going below zero again tonight- high tomorrow 10 degrees with 18-24 inches of snow predicted Sunday through Monday morning with very windy conditions and highs in the low teens- YUCK It wasn't even supposed to snow here today and it has looked like the picture I just took for the last half hour. And yes Ramona, there are a couple Pine trees here-Eastern White Pine to be exact.


----------



## NorthernWinos

Sorry folks...they are Pileated Woodpeckers, and they do look like that....






They really screech and find loud things to peck on to send their messages to others...Like, sometimes in the spring they will even peck on tin things like a tractor or other machinery to make loud sounds. They fly differently than other birds do...kind of undulating...some other woodpeckers fly like that as well. 


They can wreck a tree or power poles when they get working one over...One year the power company spent all summer fixing power poles, they would either replace them or fill them with foam and then cover the holes with a wire mesh....We watched the birds...they would go inside a hole they made in the the power pole and come out another hole [this was a large pole on a major supply line that crossed our old farm]...the wood chips were of good size in piles under the poles...


Guess these birds are protected and are somewhat shy, don't often come to the suet feeder.


----------



## NorthernWinos

Appleman....are those carboys still out in your garage?????






Can you see your vineyard from a window in your house??? Looks dark out there....Hope your tractor is running, your going to need it one day to clean snow.


----------



## grapeman

NW have you heard those birds calling to each other in mating season? Sometimes we have 4 or 5 of them in the woods in the spring. When they get to calling it sounds like the sound effects for a jungle scene Odd sounding birds. Plus they are huge for a woodpecker- at least as big as a crow.


No that picture wasn't out a window, it just was snowing so hard and blowing that it looked dark. I took it off the deck on the end of the office. I can see right out thewindows from my office building and look at the vineyard. The conference table allows the clients a view of the vineyard. Makes for a good conversation piece. My house is about 100 feet towards the road from the office building and I have a good view of the vineyard off the back deck. Nice to sit there in the summer, have a cup of coffee in the morning and look at the vineyard with the sun coming up over the pines(the far side of the picture).


Oh yea, the carboys are still in the garage. It's still a bit above 32 out there and the wine shouldn't freeze until about 25, maybe a bit lower-depends on the amount of alcohol.


----------



## grapeman

Unfortunately I believe the weathermen have this snowstorm predicted correctly. The moon is correct for it, the animals are getting uneasy. The storm is originating out of the correct area for a big one and traveling the right path. We have a large high pressure system moving through which will be off to our northeast when the storm arrives- so everything points towards a classic snowstorn here in Northern NY. It will also be cold, so it will be on the fluffy blowing side. Here is what they issued in Burlington this afternoon for our area in this neck of the woods.





...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM SUNDAY TO 7 AM EST MONDAY... 


THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BURLINGTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM SUNDAY TO 7 AM EST MONDAY...FOR NORTHERN NEW YORK AND VERMONT DUE TO HEAVY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS AND BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. 


AN INTENSIFYING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TRACKING FROM THE MID ATLANTIC COAST INTO THE GULF OF MAINE ON SUNDAY WILL SPREAD HEAVY SNOW ACROSS THE ENTIRE NORTH COUNTRY. THE SNOW WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES ON SUNDAY AND MAY ACTUALLY MIX WITH SOME SLEET OVER SOUTH CENTRAL VERMONT SUNDAY AFTERNOON. THE SNOW WILL GRADUALLY TAPER OFF SUNDAY NIGHT WITH TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS BY EARLY MONDAY MORNING RANGING FROM 18 TO 24 INCHES OVER THE NORTHERN ADIRONDACKS OF NEW YORK AND 12 TO 18 INCHES OVER THE SAINT LAWRENCE VALLEY OF NEW YORK...THE ENTIRE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY... AND THE REMAINDER OF THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL VERMONT. IN ADDITION TO THE HEAVY SNOW...GUSTY NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS WILL BE DEVELOPING LATE SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY NIGHT...WHICH WILL CAUSE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. 


THIS WILL BE A DANGEROUS STORM FOR THE NORTH COUNTRY! THE COMBINATION OF 1 TO 2 FEET OF SNOW AND GUSTY WINDS CAUSING BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WILL RESULT IN VERY HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT TRAVEL CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT!


Time will tell how much we get- but I expect 18-20 inches here. That will bring our snow on the ground to 36 inches- so I expect a white Christmas. I will let you know how close I am, if I'm online.


----------



## NorthernWinos

Hope you have some groceries on hand...we know you have plenty of wine to get you through...Sit tight.....GOOD LUCK out there.


----------



## Waldo

Sounds like you are in for a rough ride appleman....I can't imagine what a snowstorm like that would do to Arkansas. We get over 1 inch here and it it paralyzes everything.


----------



## JWMINNESOTA

We get an inch here and say"it just might snow dont ya know you betcha"


----------



## NorthernWinos

Today is a Blanc de Blanc day...whitefrom white...we are having blowing mist and it is collecting one everything...not ice, not snow...just crystals....white and grey is the mood...even th sky is white...


----------



## jobe05

I get the chills just looking at those picks........Burrrrrrr.................

I hope everyone in the path of this storm can stay safe and warm.


----------



## grapeman

That looks like weather from the old saying "Winter Fog Freezes a Hog" You get a fog out of ice vapors that crystalizes on everything. Beautiful pictures NW. I wish I had your camera! 


The nasty stuff is almost here. Just got back from a meeting of our local grape grower's association - LCGGA. It's 5 deg outside. Still prdicting about 20 inches of snow or so and keep talking about blizzard conditions with 45 mph winds on top of the snow.


----------



## NorthernWinos

I don't have a very good camera...a cheap FUJI that came with a free memory card and a free charging dock and a free printer...all for about $199.00 several years ago....I am well pleased with it, tho it is showing signs of wear...it has only 4MPX and a 3X zoom....The photos of the frost on the trees were taken through the window pane. 


I want a camera with a good zoom to get photos of birds and little animals from afar....thinking of a Kodak that has a 50X zoom...Our neighbor has one and can take photos of our house and us from the road..






Hope your weatherman is wrong...but the radar is about covering NY state...Good Luck!!!*Edited by: Northern Winos *


----------



## grapeman

You always talk about your cheap camera- I would love to see the pictures you could take if you had a really good one. You would have to start selling photos!


----------



## NorthernWinos

Ahh...shucks...






If I could only photograph the things I see in my mind....Isn't that the way for everyone....the minds eye?????


Hunker down Appleman...let the storm blow over...relax...have a glass of wine....Work hard when the storm passes. Hope it's warm and cozy inside your home.*Edited by: Northern Winos *


----------



## jobe05

I use to have a FUJI camera. It was a 2 megapixel but never took a bad picture. I "thought" that if I had a better camera I could take better pictures, not true at all! I loved the FUJI, after all, the people who make film should know what it takes to make a good camera. Well....... I guess thats not true....... I know have a Kodak 5 Mega pixel and hate it!.. It takes ok pics on auto mode but if I take other pics like sports, night time, close ups etc......... they all come out very blurry.


----------



## scotty

Fuli finepix 4700---old but great




PS--- 34 degrees tonibht on the central florida gulf coast


----------



## grapeman

Round one has passed of the snowstorm- without much wind. Only 10 inches so far. I just got done plowing it with the tractor- it's cold at 12 degrees and you would think it would be fluffy, but it is still very heavy dense snow. We have had about an hour and a half of light snow when I plowed follwed by a downpour of sleet- boy it stings the face. It's beginning to change back to snow now. Supposed to be heavy snow from now to 6PM and then Thundersnow-from 3-4 inches per hour along with thunder and lightning until 8 PM then going back to just Heavy snow until 2AM, then snow until daulight when it will cut back to light snow. The wind is supposed to pick up to 30 mph soon and continue all night.


The tractor drags snow when I get off from where it has been plowed and it has 20 inches of clearance. I drove around some by the woods to make some paths for the deer to travel in the snow easier. I don't want them to all die off this winter, I enjoy venison.....


----------



## swillologist

That sure is nice of you to make a track through the vineyard for them appleman. They can help you with your pruning.



Those rascals are not showing up here now. I still have a couple of tags to fill. They seem to know that some how. The neighbor is hunt also and he sorta cuts them off before they get here. But that is alright as long as someone is thinning them down.


----------



## grapeman

I need to get them out in the open somehow. They just lay under the pine trees all day in their beds. The snowmobile trails help some too this time of year. I figure if they help me prune, I won't need to work as hard this late winter/spring.


----------



## NorthernWinos

Appleman....sounds like you are getting pounded with lots odd snow and sleet...It always amazes me when we get Thunder-Snow...it just doesn't seem right...There is a saying about Thunder on the Ice...but I can't recall it.


Things are prettier when the sun is out....


----------



## jobe05

Wow.... Those would have been wonderful pictures for the Polar Express Label.........Burrr.....................


----------



## grapeman

Super pics NW. Yes we are starting to get pounded the last hour. It's upt to about 2 inches an hour now. Winds up to about 20 mph now and visibility down to about 100 yards. We are going into the worst of it now. It got almost dark about 45 minutes ago and is still that way even though it normally doesn't get dark for almost another hour. Cindy and Joe(oldest son)may be late going to work in the morning. I will need to wait to plow again until it gets light enough to see without any rear lighting on the tractor. Another 10 inches to go-maybe.


----------



## masta

We lucked out down on the coast...a few inches of snow and sleet overnight and rain on and off all day.


----------



## grapeman

I'm waiting to start digging out until daylight. Hopefully that is soon because that will take a while. I was pretty close with the amount of snow I predicted- 18 inches so far. It looks like it's over now except for flurries and little squalls. The wind is still blowing and believe it or not- our school looks like it is still going to be open. We got the most snow of any spot in our area and all the other schools are closed-over 200 listed. The boys aren't happy. Cindy just called the school to check. The woman told her that school was still open. The busses can't get out of the parking lot yet because they are stuck so classes will be late. Cindy has said she isn't sending them- the roads are just too dangerous and the temps are below zero if the bus gets stuck.


----------



## swillologist

It was our turn NW.



This is what we woke up to this morning. 








A lot better then what appleman had. It was foggy here last night. It lift or settled during the night. Everything is white as far as you can see.*Edited by: swillologist *


----------



## grapeman

I was going to take a picture of the vineyard in the snow, but can't get over to it yet so here are a couple near the house. The one where I plowed the snowbanks are about 6 feet high pushed up(don't have a loader or they would be higher). The picnic table will need to be shoveled out and off for the barbeque tonight




The wind is picking up more. I looked out the windows hearing a howling noise and everything dissapeared. The fuel tank ran out of fuel last night for the house and when I went to getsome this AMthe store was getting a delivery as I pulled up.They couldn't get it because the lock on the tank was frozen. Had to go elsewhere. Trying to get the fuel supplier now, but the phone has been busy all morning.


----------



## NorthernWinos

Thats a whole lot of snow...If you get any more snow you'll need a tractor loader or a snow blower.


Are you out of fuel in your house furnace??? Damn!!!! Hope you have the oven on.


Storm is over....Know you have a busy day ahead.


----------



## grapeman

I hope I am wrong about this coming weekend, I still have to try to get a couple gifts. I am predicting a good possibility of a follow up storm to last weekend- maybe a bit less, maybe a bit more than this last time. The tricky thing is how long the High pressure will keep the air cold. It is generally warming a slight bit this week toward the weekend. The low pressure systems are in place, the jet stream is still right over us, cold air in the center of the country to push the storms northeast, High pressure to our northeast and over two feet of snow on the ground to keep cold air at ground level. The forecasts call for mixed precip on Sunday. Time will tell more.... stay tuned.....beeeeeppppp.....


We had a tiny cell sit over Lake Champlain yesterday giving us small lake effect snows. Got a couple inches out of that. Today through tonight-3-5 inches. We would need a freak HOT spell over the next weekend to melt all the snow...otherwise we are pretty sure to get a white Christmas here.


If anybody is intersted just send me a SASE(self addressed stamed envelope)and I will fill it with snow for you and drop it back in the mailbox.


----------



## Harry

Well winter was here about 3 days ago. It was 42 F.and today It's 72 F. 
I have been working in my shop in a short sleave T shirt.


----------



## Harry

Here is my wifes Christmas cactus in Bloom


----------



## rgecaprock

Harry,
Beautiful Schlumbergera. I have several and they are blooming right on time....amazing, isn't it?


Ramona


----------



## OilnH2O

Harry said:


> Well winter was here about 3 days ago. It was 42 F.and today It's 72 F.
> I have been working in my shop in a short sleave T shirt.



Gee, Harry!

Funny how things are different depending on how you look at it! 

I can say the same: winter was here about 3 days ago -- it was about 21* -- _today_ it's 42* !!!


----------



## grapeman

OilnH2O said:


> Harry said:
> 
> 
> 
> Well winter was here about 3 days ago. It was 42 F.and today It's 72 F.
> I have been working in my shop in a short sleave T shirt.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Gee, Harry!
> 
> Funny how things are different depending on how you look at it!
> 
> I can say the same: winter was here about 3 days ago -- it was about 21* -- _today_ it's 42* !!!
Click to expand...



Yup, it's all relative. I can say the same: winter was here about 3 days ago -- it was about 4* -- _today_ it's still here and 20* !!!



It may make it to 32 by the weekend! I've been working with longsleeved flannel shirts. I go for the Al Borland look!

*Edited by: appleman *


----------



## grapeman

The weather is so cold and snowy outside rightnow, maybe I will go out in the greenhouse to cheer up!






Well maybe that won't cheer me up!



Those are 48" high sidewalls.


----------



## swillologist

This is December20th right. I had to quit deer hunting today because I could see about 100 yards if I was luck. We are socked in again tonight. We can't get rid of the fog. They said on the weather that this is the wettest December on record and the month is just half over. They are talking like we may get more rain/ice/snow mix over the weekend. I don't know if we will ever get this ice gone. It is off of the trees now but it is still on the ground.


----------



## Wade E

Rich, that is a serious pile of snow and my dog would love that. We very rarely get anything like that. maybe twice in my life.


----------



## grapeman

Swill one thing you should watch out for. When we had the heavy icestorm in 98, the snow built up on a layer of snow below. I had over 500 small apple trees in a nursery I had grafted on rootstock to be planted the following spring. The layer of ice gave the mice a great travel root just above the graft line. They girdled every single tree and they all died the following spring from it. Also had hundreds of mature trees get girdled because of the superhighway above the tree guards around their trunks. What I am getting at is for you to be on the lookout for mice activity aroung you vines. You might want to buy a few boxes of moth balls and spread around your vines to try to drive the mice away. Good luck.


----------



## swillologist

I will do that. Thanks!


----------



## NorthernWinos

Went on a little road trip today to have lunch with some friends....


Our 'mighty Mississippi River was frozen over up at the headwaters...


----------



## grapeman

That looks like the headwaters of the AuSable and Saranac rivers. Today I noticed where the Saranac goes through town that there are Ice Jams about 8 feet high from all the cold weather and snow lately. By the way, where is all the snow?


----------



## NorthernWinos

The snow has really settled here...first it got blown around and into drifts...Now we have been having fog and drizzle.


----------



## NorthernWinos

I am missing out on so many things with the camera I have.... 


This is the closest I can get to my bird feeder with my little FUJI...












And with the Capture-View Binocular Camera...the feeders are too close and out of focus...[Things have to be further than 66']








Then things further away have to be larger than a bird...











So...I ordered myself a better camera for Christmas....A Sony DSC-H/7.....It just got shipped yesterday, so won't have it for a long time....



Good things are worth waiting for...









*Edited by: Northern Winos *


----------



## joeswine

THATS way to much snow for this guy,when I get my share I'll send it to you NW,OK


----------



## NorthernWinos

A beautiful cold moon last night....








Beautiful Christmas Eve morning moon...








Merry Christmas!


----------



## PolishWineP

Northern Winos said:


> Went on a little road trip today to have lunch with some friends....
> 
> 
> Our 'mighty Mississippi River was frozen over up at the headwaters...


Was that picture taken from Hwy 2?


----------



## NorthernWinos

We were on Hiway 200 off of Hiway 92, near Hiway 71....wanted to go into Itasca State Park and get a winter photo of the little brook [Birthplace of the Mississippi River] that flows out of Lake Itasca...but the park was closed....The Mississippi starts out about 2 feet wide there...... 


This photo was just along the road right beside the park....Missed a shot of a bald eagle right along the road.


It was an erie day, foggy and misting....*Edited by: Northern Winos *


----------



## JWMINNESOTA

Couple days now of snow, may have to shovel the mailbox out soon...






Guess I still find it pretty...just hope its gone by Easter!


----------



## joeswine

god those pictures are just beautiful,mother nature can sure paint a wonderful scene can't she,on the other hand if that was in south jersey we would be in a mass panic,"how would we get to dunkin donuts,or the mall,shun the very thought,beautifull to look at but you can have my share,



have a great holiday season//jp


----------



## NorthernWinos

JW....Looks beautiful...we have to say that to boost the moral.


What kind of store do you have across the street?


----------



## Tomy

Very pretty snow day today, were to get 8 to 10 inches.


----------



## joeswine

YO,TOMY,dito,you can keep it in, Ill.,way to much for us southerns,



One to two inches here and its a state of emerngency called for,I kid you not,once again you also can keep my share of the white stuff


----------



## bovinewines

Great picture Tomy! I for one am one southerner who LOVES snow and of course we never get any of it here in Dallas!!!






I'm thinking I'm going to have to make a trip north!!!!


----------



## PolishWineP

There's plenty of room here and free parking to boot!


----------



## NorthernWinos

Been playing with my Christmas present....





















Almost too much for an old mind to grasp....learning is good. Needing some sunshine or large fish to really enjoythis small magic piece of plastic and steel....


----------



## jobe05

Nice pictures NW, love the way the candle came out.

Which Fujii did you get? My wife got me the S700...... It can be a bit intimidating, but takes Great pictures.


----------



## rgecaprock

NW, You got your Camera!!!!! 


Awsome pictures......I know you will love it.


Keep taking and posting!!! Love it!!








Ramona


----------



## PolishWineP

Wow! Great bird pictures!


----------



## NorthernWinos

Jobe...this time it's a Sony H-7


Ramona...what are you suing to take those great photos with???


----------



## rgecaprock

It is a Kodak z650, high zoom about 249.00. I just got an additional zoom lens to try out too, I've had the camera for quite a while now....was looking at cameras I would love to have in Photography magazine....but.....kind of expensive.





Ramona


----------



## NorthernWinos

Been playing birdwatcher/photo nut....here is some of the activity at the feeder and now a heated waterer... 
































*Edited by: Northern Winos *


----------



## joeswine

those photos look like they should be in a bird directory,great shots,nice to see wild life that still has life//


----------



## jobe05

If I was a bird, I wouldn't care how cold it got.............

I'm not leaving that Paradise! EVER!!!!

Looks like your learning curve is about over..... Nice shots!

I have been practicing with mine to....... The dogs hate me... All they see is bright lights and flashes.......... Poor babies....


----------



## bovinewines

Stop it Northern...I'm getting any itchy mouse finger over here! I've been looking for a new camera and you've sold me!


These are great!


Are you using the lense that came with it or did you also get a zoom lense?


----------



## Wade E

Jobe, please tell me those flashes are from a camera!


----------



## jobe05

wade said:


> Jobe, please tell me those flashes are from a camera!



NOooooo.............. Why would you think they were from the camera?..........


----------



## rgecaprock

Nw. Your pictures are so great. By any chance do you get Birds and Blooms Magazine. I love looking and reading about everyones birding and growing experiences. If you don't get it, I think you would enjoy it.


And your pictures show such a variety of wildlife......Wish I could be snapping away with you and enjoying some wine at the same time!!!


Ramona


----------



## NorthernWinos

Thanks Ramona....I have received that magazine... liked it so much I have kept all the issues....they never go out of date.


Winters are long...so bird watching is fun...finally I have a camera that will capture them...nice to get a real good look at them in the photos....They are flying colors.


----------



## NorthernWinos

bovinewines said:


> Stop it Northern...I'm getting any itchy mouse finger over here! I've been looking for a new camera and you've sold me!
> 
> 
> These are great!
> 
> 
> Are you using the lense that came with it or did you also get a zoom lense?




Bovine....Glad you like the pix....It is a Sony Cyber Shot DSC H/7...I got it from the DELL site....


http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?sku=a0978132&amp;cs=19&amp;c=us&amp;l=en&amp;dgc=SS&amp;cid=25682&amp;lid=585552


The neighbor had an older model and I loved what he could do with it. I just have the basic camera...was in the price range I wanted to spend.....no lenses...just the basic camera......8.1 mega pixels and a 15X zoom...the neat feature is when you view your photos you can retouch them and use an internal zoom up to 75X...you can keep the 8 M quality and then save the new photo....I still have so much to learn.


There is a Talk Forum that I read before and while I waited for my camera...the photos people take are just awesome....Real inspiration...


http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1009


BTW...all the photos are taken through the window...double pane...I did wash them last fall, but they aren't the cleanest....anxious to open them and get some more shots.....then comes flower season.






*Edited by: Northern Winos *


----------



## swillologist

Thiswas the breakfast table this morning. 








I have had 8 cardinals at the other feeder but I haven't been able to get a picture of them. The chase each other off before I can get a picture. My camera isn't as good as your's either NW.


----------



## NorthernWinos

You sure stop those birds in mid-flight without a blur...I want to try that. In one of the last photos I posted above there is a lone male Gross Beak on a branch...there is a Red Poll inflight....he is just a blurr...:&gt;(


Are those Pine Gross Beaks????


Is the snow drifting down your way???


----------



## joeswine

HAY! were did the little flasher come from,like that dude ,hes cool///


----------



## grapeman

joe, just click on him with the right mouse button and select copy. Then paste it onto your desktop and you can use him when you want. Wade gets them from Smiley Central.


----------



## rgecaprock

NW,


I've been browsing that digital camera forum also. Great pictures there.


Ramona


----------



## swillologist

Yes NW it sure is. It has really slowed the deer hunting down. New Year day we had snow and a 40 mph wind driving it. 
I wish I could take that picture when the sun gets around there. But as the day goes on the crowd gets smaller. Unless there is a storm come and then the sun is out at all. I'm still going to try to get a picture of the cardinals for you.


----------



## Tomy




----------



## Wade E

Awesome Tomy, I needed a new wallpaper.


----------



## NorthernWinos

Tomy....that really is beautiful...like a cross between a Sundog and Northern Lights...


----------



## grapeman

Alright NW does that make it a Sunlight or a Northern Dog?
Nice picture though, although I suspect it wasn't yours(I noticed an AP symbol in the corner)


----------



## Tomy

No it wasn't mine, a freind sent it too me, its called a fire rainbow. I didn't catch the AP symbol so thanks to them this great picture.


----------



## NorthernWinos

Today was the day we decided it was time to get he spear house out onto the ice and get some fishing [spear fishing] in... 


This looks like the spot on the GPS....








Drill some holes...saw and then pull out the ice chunks...









[
Then back the house over the hole...








Let the house down...








The spearing hole...








The fish came forth...many small Northern Pike came through the hole...














We didn't spear any today...they seemed a bit too small...saw hundreds of nice sunfish...maybe will try to angle some tomorrow...


Then check on the neighbors in their deluxe fishouse...








The galley was stocked....








The friends arrived...











A nice day at the lake...but, no fish...








Life is Good!!!











*Edited by: Northern Winos *


----------



## swillologist

NW did you make that boys hair stand up like that?


----------



## rgecaprock

NW,


Really great pictures and looks like you are having so much fun there. Is that a pike checking out the bait. I know you are loving your camera. I love you pictures...keep them coming!!!


Ramona


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## Wade E

That looks like fun NW, wish I could join in that for a weekend.


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## grapeman

You folks sure know how to live there !


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## joeswine

great pictures nw,still seam s a bit to cold for me,never saw how a ice house went down,excellent,must be beautifull up there in the summer,no dought


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## corn field

now that is the way to ice fish NW. Love your pictures keep them comming


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## NorthernWinos

Well...today was beautiful, exceptionally warm and sunny...melting going on like crazy.


Saw a lot of fishes today, many small Northern Pike [did bring a small one home to eat] We are only allowed to spear Northern Pike. Saw a huge Crappie, a nice size Bass, Bull heads and many little Sunfish...









I didn't have any bait for the Sunfish, but I did snag a couple with my jig...








Neighbors walked over before dark and invited us to a fish fry...












It was great...


We have to stay home tomorrow and take care of business...got to order my garden seeds and plants ..... and order fertilizer for the fields ....then back to the lake.


Life is Good!!!


----------



## rgecaprock

You guys really have it going on!!!!!


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## NorthernWinos

Was another beautiful day today...Upper 40's is a beautiful day in these parts....






The birds were very active...















The little critters were also active....


"Yo...Waaz-Up"






Everyone is enjoying the heated waterer...











Hope the fish are as active tomorrow...


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## grapeman

Super pictures there NW.When does the job with Audubon begin?


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## rgecaprock

Nw, 


I know you are really enjoying that camera. How do you get the pictures side by side?


It is so great to come home from work and be able to look out your window and enjoy the wildlife. Cement and steel are not always to pretty, althought I have a few places in mind to take pictures of while waiting for spring to start blooming here.....in about a month and a half!!


Ramona 

*Edited by: rgecaprock *


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## rgecaprock

Is that red and white fish thing just a decoy to attract the fish so you can spear them.....I know nothing of ice spear/fishing but would love to someday.


Ramona


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## NorthernWinos

Ramona...Yes...the red and white thing is a decoy....we have all sorts of them in many shapes and colors...Like fishing tackle...it mostly attracts the person who buys them. The fish are curious and come in to look...then we toss a spear through their necks...kids gross...but we did eat fish tonight...no trophies or any with bragging rights...just the good eating kind.


I Post the photos with no spaces between them...takes up less room on this Forum...I kind of hog up a lot of space here.
I am really enjoying the camera...the photos taken in the yard are form out on the porch, taken through a double pane window, just a 15X auto zoom and then I retouch them inside the camera....so neat to see the critters up close and personal...It seems they know I am in here...they always seem to be looking this way. 


Can hardly wait for spring and see the flowers and bugs.....


What camera do you use...manual or auto???


----------



## jobe05

rgecaprock said:


> It is so great to come home from work and be able to look out your window and enjoy the wildlife.



That is so true...... It means so much that you are sharing your part of the landscape with us........... And what a beautiful landscape it is........

However...... if you sleep in the shed you put out on the lake, I wouldn't want to roll out of bed at night! BBRRRrrrrrr...........


----------



## rgecaprock

My camera is auto and manual. I just have alot to learn about how to make adjustments. Most of my adjustments are done after the fact with the software program and now th PaintShop Pro X2 which I have alot to learn about too.
But I love taking pictures and seeing others pictures..it is surprising what you can capture.


Ramona*Edited by: rgecaprock *


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## NorthernWinos

Yes...and then you can play with your photos...for your own personal pleasure. 


ADONIS...THEFOX SQUIRREL...



*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## bovinewines

Darling...you look marvelous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## grapeman

I thought those squirrels had a reddish tint to them. I thought you had some filter set on the camera there NW. We don't have those critters around here, just plain ole gray and red squirrels.


The last couple of days have been nice around here, but today takes the prize. It has been mostly sunny today and at noon when I checked, it was 66 degrees. At that rate it might hit 70 today! The snow level has been dropping steadily and is down to about a foot deep. Tonight and tomorrow back to reality. The high will be about 40 and dropping steadily from there. I guess this is our yearly January thaw.


----------



## NorthernWinos

Appleman....we have Grey Squirrels, Fox Squirrels and Reds...the Reds have a Grey chest and belly, they are smaller, everyone shoots them because they chase the others away. Occasionally there are Black Squirrels, some sort of mutation of the Grey's...Like the white Squirrels in other states.


Our January thaw is over...the temp has been dropping all day and we are shocked in with dense fog [as opposed to smart fog] It's back to reality up on De-range.


Lots of fish cruising through the hole today...I got some wax-worms and did my best to hook the biggest Sunfish...I only got 6, the biggest ones are smart ...we also brought home about a 4 1/2# Northern Pike.


Life remains Good!!!


----------



## NorthernWinos

The fog lifted today and left a frosty landscape...























It was warm and the birds were active....maybe some snow tonight...


----------



## joeswine

NW those pictures you people are taking are truely worthy of a mag.



I still need to learn alot about this electronic age stuff,I'll get there,great photos guy's


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## NorthernWinos

The Grey Squirrel was determined to eat from a hanging feeder.... 






























*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## rgecaprock

Even the squirrels are frosty!!


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## Wade E

Those trees look cool with the frost on them. That must have bben some serious fog to leave all that frost!


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## NorthernWinos

Finally, after sitting for several days an see only tiny fish, and angling a few pan-fish......we got to bring home some meat...7 1/2# Northern Pike.







With the cost of gasoline, propane for the heat...the shelter license, spearing license...etc...etc...This is some very expensive meat. 


When we drove in the yard a Ruffled Grouse was in the tree eating ornamental crabapples....getting ready for the coldest night of the year to date.








Life remains Good!!!*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## Wade E

7 1/2 lbs. Thats a pretty good size, whats the biggest youve ever seen or heard?


----------



## NorthernWinos

The biggest one Jim got was 19# and on the same day he got a 12.8# That was awesome... 









The the next year the biggest was 17#....


Last year the largest 2 were both 7.8#oz...one day apart.....Each year is different.


A friend got a 24# next to us a few years ago....this year someone has scored a 22#...there are some monsters out there.


The lake we go to is very shallow...some years the fish get low on oxygen and they turn on an aeration device...then the fish are all over near the oxygen....


Last year there was no snow...so the oxygen level was very high and the fish we all over the place.


This year....the fish seem in good shape...they are hanging near the bottom, so far the oxygen is good....The depth of the snow makes the lake loose oxygen....then the fish are in danger so the Sportman's club run the aeration to save the fish....then the fishermen..fish.*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## Wade E

those are some big fish, how do they taste compared to like a trout or bass?


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## jobe05

Those are nice fish NW...... once again.... Im jealous.............

Love Pike and walleye fishing............ and eating them.

Wade: They are a very White flaky meat (softer meat than a sunfish or the like), mild in taste.


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## joeswine

NW///nothing like that at our SHOP RITE?


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## NorthernWinos

The temperature got up to a 'balmy' -9*F...It was sunny and bright outside....but I didn't spend much time outthere....A good day to stay inside and do some bookwork.




It was a busy day at the bird feeders and waterer, most were puffed up...their feathers trying to retain heat....


I spotted this bird there....I have never seen one before and am not sure what it is...


My guess would be a Ladderback Woodpecker or a Red Bellied Woodpecker.....


In my haste and excitement I got a blurry photo...








Anyone know for sure what it is????


----------



## grapeman

NW I believe it is a Red Bellied Woodpecker. The Ladderback has spots on it's chest. This picture looks just like a Red Bellied, except I don't see the slight red spot on the belly-but that is probably just the angle. The red extends over the top of the head correctly and there is orange around the eyes correctly. See if it comes back and zoom in on the belly and that should tell. It should be about 10" tall. The beak is correct also for the Red Belly. 








*Edited by: appleman *


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## NorthernWinos

What the H-eck is he doing here???? On a day like this????


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## Wade E

Pecking!!!!!!!!!!


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## JWMINNESOTA

Bitter Cold today...brrrrrrrr


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## Wade E

Pecking!!!!!!!!!!


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## grapeman

I would say freezing his little pec...er off- errrrhh bill off!


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## NorthernWinos

Global Warming...my a$$...and they forgot to tell the birds otherwise....-12.5*F already this evening.....Poor little guys. *Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## Wade E

Speaking of global warming, I saw something on the news that said Russian scientists say the warming period is over and that the earths cooling cycle has begun now.


----------



## swillologist

He's filling his belly for a long cold winters night.




We have one here are our feeder everyday. I will have to look at it closer to see which one we have.


----------



## myway22

Yeah, cooling cycle, thats why its 65 in January throughout the northeast



.


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## jobe05

Well we went from 70 + degrees last weekend so I started some plants in my garden, to this :












Bummer...........


----------



## uavwmn

Jobe, what State do you live in? And do you have a hot house when you started your garden?
I never start my garden here in southern AZ until Apr!!!!!!


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## grapeman

And that's why you left NY for Florida and the North Carolina! It's sitting at about 2 deg right now here in NY, so you are still doing better than if you were still up here.


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## uavwmn

Jobe, BTW,,,,,beautiful snow scenes!!!


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## uavwmn

Appleman, And that is why I retired in AZ. haha


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## grapeman

Uavwmn, I just noticed your avatar is animated. Cool. Is that the same bird? Maybe it's a Red Breasted Boomerang Bird!


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## Bert

I just checked on the temp. a -17 F.with a wind chill of -35 F...It will be a little cool out there this morning...


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## jobe05

UAV:

I'm in North Carolina, just north of Winston Salem.

We have had only a couple of days this year in te 40's, all others have been higher in te 50's to high 70's.

I planted a cold hardy Broccoli Rob and some spinach that I got from Italian seed company and are made to grow in temps as low as 40 degrees............. may have surpassed that this morning. But they are just seeds in the ground right now. They won't come up if it's freezing and by the time tey do come up, we'll be back in the 50's again.

I normally have my garden prepared for a March garden.


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## grapeman

Hey Bert, they will have to rename you Buuurrrrrrrtttttt if those temps keep up.


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## Jack on Rainy

Howdy all,


-28 F here as I write this.That's the only way I can get big numbers on the cool scale




! Sunny today though with lots of Evening Grosbeaks.


BTW, Bert, where did you get small clamps for your siphon-to-tubing connection? I am using a wire wrap but think a clamp would be better.


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## NorthernWinos

Jobe...I bet your snow is gone by now....Don't worry about your seeds, they will be fine. I often plant spinach real early in the spring and it gets snowed on...Snow is a good insulator.
Jack...I feel your pain. They say it might get ABOVE ZERO*F by next Tuesday...so hunker down and make some wine...drink some wine...etc.


Our critters were active today too....I wish we had the Evening Gross Beaks...we have only the Pine Gross Beaks...











And, the Fox Squirrel is very charming...











Keep warm ....


----------



## jobe05

Northern Winos said:


> Jobe...I bet your snow is gone by now....Don't worry about your seeds, they will be fine. I often plant spinach real early in the spring and it gets snowed on...Snow is a good insulator.



That is the cutest darn squirrel that I have ever seen................

Great pictures NW.... for some reason all I visualize in some of them is a nice label someday.

Snow is still with us, but now it's about an inch of ice with some frozen slush in the middle....

As typical style for NC, we didn't work due to ice and road conditions, and most all businesses and schools are closed for the next 5 days............ all for 4 inches of snow.............Hot Tub time!


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## Wade E

5 days, with out pay? All over 4" of snow! You people are insane.


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## jobe05

Thems the brakes Wade........ Stuff happens.....

The set up of the business is that I am on a salary, the technicians are commissioned and can make up their pay based on the work available to them....... Thats were my talents come in, and experience to insure that they have work that they can make up to earn their pay, which they will.

The only one that ever gets nervous is my administrative person who is hourly, and now feels that she has been cheated. But I always pay her. She could use her vacation time, but I don't want her to do that. We all work hard, and as long that happens, and they look out for the company, I will look out for them...... No one will go without their normal pay. Besides..... 2 of the days are Saturday and Sunday, then Monday is Martin Luther King Day..... So they only really lose 2 days.....


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## Bert

Great pictures and fun to look at..


Jack on the Rainy; I got the clamps at a spray equipment parts supply place.....I was going to pick up more soon, if you can't find any let me know and I'll see if I can help you out..


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## NorthernWinos

Bitterly cold this morning...and not looking good for many days ahead... 






Hazardous Weather Outlook
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
539 AM CST FRI JAN 18 2008</PRE>THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN NORTH
DAKOTA...WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT
DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS FROM 30 TO 45 BELOW ARE EXPECTED THIS
MORNING THROUGH TONIGHT ACROSS EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST
MINNESOTA. WIND SPEEDS WILL SLOWLY DECREASE UNDER 10 MPH AFTER
SUNSET...ALTHOUGH IT WILL STILL BE FRIGID OVERNIGHT WITH
TEMPERATURES WELL BELOW ZERO. BE SURE TO BUNDLE UP...AND CARRY A
WINTER WEATHER SURVIVAL KIT IF TRAVELING OR VENTURING OUTDOORS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY
ARCTIC AIR AND VERY COLD TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN OVER EASTERN
NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA INTO NEXT WEEK. OVERNIGHT
LOWS SUNDAY MORNING WILL APPROACH 30 BELOW IN SOME LOCATIONS.
THEREFORE...DRESS APPROPRIATELY IF VENTURING OUTDOORS.</PRE>Gee...usually they say something like "wear a coat and hat"....</PRE>Guess they must think we've figured that out.....So now it's bundle up.</PRE>







</PRE>*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## grapeman

I feel for you NW. Fortunately ours is fairly balmy for the next 10 days 

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<TD vAlign=center align=middle width="100%" ="blkVerdanaText10">*High /
Low (°F)*</TD>
<TD vAlign=center align=middle width="100%" ="blkVerdanaText10">*Precip. %*</TD>
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</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD width="15%">Today
Jan 18</TD>
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<TD width="35%">Snow Shower</TD>
<TD align=middle width="25%">*35°/21°*</TD>
<TD align=middle width="15%">100 %</TD></TR>
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<TD ="f2a">Sat 
Jan 19</TD>
<TD ="f2a">



</TD>
<TD ="f2a">Few Snow Showers</TD>
<TD align=middle ="f2a">*31°/14°*</TD>
<TD align=middle ="f2a">30 %</TD></TR>
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<TD>Sun 
Jan 20</TD>
<TD>



</TD>
<TD>Few Snow Showers / Wind</TD>
<TD align=middle>*14°/2°*</TD>
<TD align=middle>30 %</TD></TR>
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<TD ="f2a">Mon 
Jan 21</TD>
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<TD align=middle ="f2a">*16°/12°*</TD>
<TD align=middle ="f2a">10 %</TD></TR>
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<TD>Tue 
Jan 22</TD>
<TD>



</TD>
<TD>Few Snow Showers</TD>
<TD align=middle>*26°/19°*</TD>
<TD align=middle>30 %</TD></TR>
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<TD ="f2a">Wed 
Jan 23</TD>
<TD ="f2a">



</TD>
<TD ="f2a">Partly Cloudy</TD>
<TD align=middle ="f2a">*26°/9°*</TD>
<TD align=middle ="f2a">10 %</TD></TR>
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<TD>Thu 
Jan 24</TD>
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<TD>Snow Shower</TD>
<TD align=middle>*22°/8°*</TD>
<TD align=middle>40 %</TD></TR>
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Jan 25</TD>
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Jan 26</TD>
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<TD align=middle ="f2a">*25°/19°*</TD>
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<TD colSpan=5 ="inDentA">Last Updated Jan 18 09:11 a.m. ET </TD></TR></T></T></T></TABLE></TD></TR></T></T></T></TABLE></TD></TR></T></T></T></TABLE>

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By the way- the 100% chance of precipitation today is pretty much over. The front moved through and the skies cleared and we got a whole whopping 1/2 inch of snow!*Edited by: appleman *


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## Jack on Rainy

NW, Looks like we are in for it all right. 


Tomorrow morning we have the "Freeze your Gizzar Blizzard run" part of the local "Ice Box Days" festival here. Runners from all over the place coming to show how crazy they are. First Aid will include frostbite treatment for sure!


I am glad to see theforecast you posted mentions a "survival kit" which used to mean a sleeping bag, candle, matches, and can to melt snow for drinking. Now days it includes a cell phone and I'm thinking a 375 of OC port formykit.....


I really do like these bright sunny days even though they are cold. Something especially beautiful about the light and shadows on the snowbrightens my days and the clarity of the moonmy nights.Think I'll see if Mary will go to the high school hockey game with me tonight. Might be a really good game and festival will get people out.


Stay warm!


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## NorthernWinos

Beautiful cold sunset.....








It's already -15.6*F...headed to -25*F or so...plus wind.


Life is still GOOD!!!!


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## grapeman

Here is a couple more smiley's for your signature NW





Stay warm please!



http://smiley.smileycentral.com/download/index.jhtml?partner=ZSzeb098_ZNxdm824MSUS&amp;utm_id=7926*Edited by: appleman *


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## Wade E

Hey appleman, stay out of my smiley supply!


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## bovinewines

&lt;dyin' of laughter&gt; I love the yellow circle!!!!!


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## grapeman

Geeze somebody had a rough day at work!


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There seems to be enough to go around for everyone!


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## Wade E

Hehehe!*Edited by: wade *


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## grapeman

http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZNxdm824MSUSSorry Wade. I thought it looked like a guy having a bad day. I couldn't get him to play what he was saying before. Now that I hear him say "Boo Hoo Hooo! Put some ice on it!" I think it is appropriate for a cold subject of poor NW there in Minn.! Truce!


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## jobe05

OK BOYZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Share your toys or they are going in the trash............ FOREVER!!!!!!

Play nice!


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## NorthernWinos

I like the yellow snow too.....That's a nasty little guy.


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## corn field

love the yellow snow


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## Wade E




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## myway22

Appleman, that one with the snow get a five star review.


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## NorthernWinos

Another great day up on de-range...it got UP to -10.5*F....


PERFECT...for dégorging the last of the Sparkling Apple Wine...








We had lots of 'yellow snow' outside and we questioned about eating some of it....but...it's not really very 'fresh' snow.


Will be labeling later and stocking the shelves.....time to start another batch.


----------



## JWMINNESOTA

After a cold blast tonight, they say we may warm up to +5 tomarrow...I'll be the guy walking to work in a Hawaiian shirt, Bermuda shorts and flip flops!


----------



## NorthernWinos

A tad chilly up here on de-range today too...







Nothing you can do about the wether....so... 


WINE....DON'T WHINE


So....Labeled and put the bubbly away....Got enough for any 'Special Occasion'...like Saturday nights...or weddings..












Ventured out to the shed and brought in some *bottles to wash....








Those babies are cold....going to have to let them warm up before covering them in hot water...


*Bottles courtesy of our new Forum member Pelican...






Talked to my little garden while I was in the laundry room...








Geraniums, Black Currants for the Wine Garden...and actually got some Louise Swenson grapes to root.


Have a batch of wine that needs some yeast pitched...








Then sit back and watch the last of the Barrett Jackson Car Auction....cast my Fantasy Bids and drool over the wealth in this country that is not distributed equally.


So...plenty to do today....forget about the temperature outside which has climbed to a balmy -19.7*F....


My sweetie has plugged in the jalopy...guess tomorrow we are going fishing regardless of the temperatures....






*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## rgecaprock

While you all are enjoying the fridgid temps of north it has been kind of balmy here in the 50-60's and boring. With the change of seasons you always have something to look forwardto. 


I have started my new years wines though, Pineapple GreenTea Ginger, 6 gallons of JMAO mead, White Zin and today I'll start an Italian Sangiovese.


Anyway here is some color two brighten up the snow!!!






*Edited by: rgecaprock *


----------



## NorthernWinos

Been wondering what you have been up to....You have been busy getting your wines going...a nice selection.


Those Cactus are awesome....I HAD one that color and another that was orange...they both died last summer. They were old ones and I was lead to believe that they like to be root/pot bound...I was keeping them in pretty small pots so they could stay in a desired spot. I did manage to get some cuttings and will start over again...Sometimes plants get too big for a place you want to keep them.


Some photos of your wines would be nice....photos of your plants on the balcony would also be a treat for us up here on the frozen high plains.


Thanks forthe flower and color show.


----------



## rgecaprock

Thanks, Some of my plants are iffy at best. The ones I grow need pretty special conditions. I have so many on the balcony that are struggling and I plan on moving this spring....so survival of the fittist. I babied, and fought and rearranged and watered, not watered...so these epiphyllums will live to tell.


I love them all.....Ramona


----------



## NorthernWinos

Another cold morning up on de-range....











Birds are all puffed up and thirsty...











Life goes on...


----------



## joeswine

MY HO MY IS THAT COLD


----------



## rgecaprock

I was reading about the northern birds last night in Birds and Blooms Magazine. I always wondered how their little, tiny feet kept from freezing when it is so cold but they have veins and arteries very close togther and the warm blood from the heart in the arteries warms the veins that are so close to it going back to the body so their litte feet and legs stay warm.


Thought that was interesting.


Ramona


----------



## NorthernWinos

That is interesting....also sometimes they stand on one foot and tuck the other into their feathers close to their body....they are very puffed up on very cold days too..think the feathers being fluffed up hold the heat.


----------



## scotty

I really enjoy the pictures. Thanks very much


----------



## uavwmn

Ramona, I get that magazine also. Great!!!


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## NorthernWinos

WOW!!! After above normal temps and melting going on and Arctic Blast hit us during the night...The temperature dropped like a rock from +40*F yesterday PM...and is continuing to drop... 

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<TD id=b style="BORDER-RIGHT: #996 1px solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 2px; PADDING-LEFT: 2px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px; PADDING-TOP: 2px"><NOBR>*24*mph</NOBR> / <NOBR>*38.6*km/h</NOBR> / <NOBR>*10.7*m/s</NOBR> from the West 
<DIV id=condWindDiv style="LEFT: 1px; WIDTH: 14px; TOP: 1px; HEIGHT: 14px; relative: ">



</TD></TR>
<TR ="vaT">
<TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 2px; PADDING-LEFT: 2px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #996 1px solid; PADDING-TOP: 2px; WHITE-SPACE: nowrap">Wind Gust:</TD>
<TD id=b style="BORDER-RIGHT: #996 1px solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 2px; PADDING-LEFT: 2px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px; PADDING-TOP: 2px"><NOBR>*35.0*mph</NOBR> / <NOBR>*56.3*km/h</NOBR> / <NOBR>*14.4*m/s</NOBR> </TD></TR>
<TR ="vaT">
<TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 2px; PADDING-LEFT: 2px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #996 1px solid; PADDING-TOP: 2px">Pressure:</TD>
<TD id=b style="BORDER-RIGHT: #996 1px solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 2px; PADDING-LEFT: 2px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px; PADDING-TOP: 2px">in / hPa (Falling) </TD></TR>
<TR ="vaT">
<TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 2px; PADDING-LEFT: 2px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #996 1px solid; PADDING-TOP: 2px">Windchill:</TD>
<TD id=b style="BORDER-RIGHT: #996 1px solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 2px; PADDING-LEFT: 2px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px; PADDING-TOP: 2px"><NOBR>*-40*°F</NOBR> / <NOBR>*-40*°C</NOBR> </TD></TR></T></T></TABLE>


The sun is out, but it is blowing so hard you wouldn't know it...






The birds cam early for breakfast...and brought their friends...












The Grey Squirrel hung on to the swinging bird feeder and did get some chow...Quite and acrobat...












All is well as winter trudges on....*Edited by: Northern Winos *


----------



## rgecaprock

Showers expected.................74 degrees right now!!


Ramona


----------



## swillologist

It didn't slow down any between you and me NW. We have all of that right now. They are closing schools early here because of it.


----------



## grapeman

Hey NW did you get a chance lately to go spear fishing with the warmer weather you HAD? Tell us about it!


----------



## NorthernWinos

Well....we moved the house the other day and speared that PM....brought home some supper....


Since then we did two days of 'Morning Shift'....All set up by 9 AM and saw 26 Northerns, 1 Walleye, 2 huge Suckers and many Sunfish...[We can only spear Northern Pike]......The first day and brought home 3....between 3.6# and 5.11#....those are in the freezer.


Yesterday took the decoy for another swim...didn't see that much activity...







Butbrought home a meal...






You can see by the size of the ice blocks removed from the hole that the ice is very thick and very heavy to pull out of the hole...So we mostly likely will only move once before.


Toady we didn't venture out in the storm...we are now on the far side of the lake and have been there before during white-out conditions...then you become one of the 'WE'R-DE-FIG-AW-WE' tribe....


----------



## grapeman

I'm glad you have had some luck and have enjoyed some time out on the ice. It helps make winter pass a bit quicker. Good size fish for the freezer and to eat. What type of spear do you use - the traditional 'WE'R-DE-FIG-AW-WE' spear or a store bought one?


----------



## NorthernWinos

We use a traditional store bought spear.


Only are members of that tribe when we are lost in a storm like this...


----------



## uavwmn

NW, I love your winter pictures because I retired in AZ. Born and raised in MD we had a few good blizzards while I was growing up.


I am using your Flag with the bird in the tree in the foreground as a desktop picture on my laptop. 


Be safe and keep warm.


----------



## NorthernWinos

Glad all you Southern folk are enjoying the photos...


We would like to see some photos of your 'Winter Wonderland'....some green grass and flowers if you have a chance to share....


----------



## NorthernWinos

Today is colder but calmer....






Forecast...WIND CHILL WARNING
LIFE THREATENING WIND CHILLS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS ALL OF EASTERN
NORTH DAKOTA...NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA THIS MORNING.
THE COMBINATION OF TEMPERATURES FROM 20 TO 30 BELOW ZERO AND WINDS
10 TO 15 MPH...WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE WIND CHILLS FROM 40 TO 60
BELOW ZERO THIS MORNING. LOOK FOR THE WIND TO DIMINISH TO LESS
THAN 10 MPH BY NOON...ELIMINATING THE WIND CHILL THREAT.
HOWEVER...COLD TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN THROUGHOUT THE DAY...WITH
HIGH TEMPERATURES FROM 5 TO 15 BELOW ZERO.


----------



## grapeman

That's just brutal! Good luck with the pipes, etc! Wine making or reading day ahead.


The front is just getting here- currently 40 deg -10 mph winds. Will cool to 15 soon with up to 60 mph winds. I hate these days while I'm trying to work at the computer- the power shuts on and off as the wind increases.


Stay warm - drink a few


----------



## NorthernWinos

Hope you don't get this cold with that wind....tho I think you are in a more temperate zone.
We haven't had any freeze-ups to date in this house...fingers crossed.


But I fear for the row of Frontenac Grapes....maybe planting a row of them wasn't such a good idea....Last year the old plant grew well but didn't produce many grapes...I planted a row of 9 small vines...they are below the snow line so will be safe....The old vine is hanging on the wires..If it doesn't produce well I might pull those youngplants before I get attached to them and plant a more hardy variety....Time will tell.


Reading and tax preparation on todays agenda...yesterday it was house cleaning, laundry and made a big pot of soup....Jim wants to go fishing...?


----------



## hannabarn

We had 18 below and windy this morning. I think that front warmed a little after it left you NW!!


----------



## moto-girl

The front arrived in Wi yesterday around noon. The day started out beautiful, around 42 at 6am. I left my job early to get ahead of the regular commuters. I hit every type of weather in a one hour period. The temp fell 20 degrees. The wind was howling and bringing rain; which turned to freezing rain, hail, snow hail, and eventually snow. I did even hear a little bit of thunder. Boy, o boy was it good to pull into the driveway safely. We cheered safe return with a bottle of Barolo.


----------



## rgecaprock

You guys always have the weather to talk about besides all of the other interesting things you do. I can't tell you how mundane and boring the weather is here. I grew up in W.Va. and the seasons were always something to look forward too. I would love to be back to where it snows.
Enjoy every minute of it!!! Ramona


----------



## grapeman

Northern Winos said:


> But I fear for the row of Frontenac Grapes....maybe planting a row of them wasn't such a good idea....Last year the old plant grew well but didn't produce many grapes...I planted a row of 9 small vines...they are below the snow line so will be safe....The old vine is hanging on the wires..If it doesn't produce well I might pull those youngplants before I get attached to them and plant a more hardy variety....Time will tell.




I wouldn't rush to judgement on the Frontenac yet. I still feel that the lack of grapes last year was more of a pruning and foliage management issue than the result of cold injury. Frontenac will bear full crops after -32* F winters and survive even colder weather. I bet that they will come through this cold weather relatively unscathed- although dang it's definitely cold there!




Check out the U of M site. They have updated all the info on their grapes and give more detail of a lot of varieties. Here's one page of Frontenac


http://www.grapes.umn.edu/frontenac/viticulture.html



<DIV id=containerEditableArea>
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<A id=Content name=Content></A>Home : Wine Grapes : Frontenac
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<H2 =home>Viticulture</H2>


Frontenac has proven to be a very disease resistant, productive, and cold hardy red wine variety. The fruit are high in acidity but have been used successfully for a variety of wine styles including dry or semi-dry table wines, ros鬠and fortified, port-style wine.


*Origin.* Frontenac originated from a cross between the French hybrid cultivar Landot 4511 and the University of Minnesota _Vitis riparia_ selection #89, found growing wild near Jordan, Minnesota. The cross was made in 1978 and the vine was selected in 1983. It was tested as MN 1047 and introduced in 1996.


*Plant traits.* Frontenac vines are "grower-friendly" due to their winter hardiness, disease resistance, strong vigor, desirable growth habit, and high yield potential. Frontenac has proven itself to be cold hardy enough for consistent production in central Minnesota where temperatures frequently reach minus 35oC. Outdoor and laboratory freezing tests have shown it to be more cold hardy than Marechal Foch, previously the most commonly grown grape in Minnesota. Even under conditions of high disease pressure, Frontenac has been extremely resistant to downy mildew and moderately resistant to powdery mildew and black rot. Frontenac has also been quite tolerant of the adverse effects of phenoxy herbicide drift under Midwestern conditions. It is, however, very susceptible to foliar phylloxera infestation. Berry splitting and botrytis have not been observed even under wet conditions. Frontenac vines have moderately high vigor with a slightly upright growth habit with arching canes. Growers have used several training systems for Frontenac including high bilateral cordon, low cordon with vertical shoot positioning, as well as Geneva Double Curtain. Budbreak and bloom are moderately early but slightly later than Marechal Foch. Shoots typically produce 2-3 clusters and may require cluster thinning, particularly on young vines. Frontenac ripens in the midseason (average harvest date Sept. 25 in east central Minnesota), about 7 to10 days after Marechal Foch. Frontenac has produced high yields averaging 6.1 Kg/ vine (4.4 tons/acre).


*Fruit traits.* The clusters of Frontenac are loose and medium in size, averaging 152 g/cluster and 18 cm (7 in) in length, and conical in shape with a small shoulder. Berries are small to medium averaging 1.1 g/ berry and 12 mm (0.5 in) in diameter. Sugar levels have been high, averaging 24.8° brix but reaching levels as high as 28° brix. Acid levels have also been higher than most cultivars at 1.51%. Due these high levels of both sugar and acidity, Frontenac wines often require malolactic fermentation in order to produce a well balanced wine in northern climates. Frontenac has light red juice and, thus, is a mild 'teinturier'. When given a moderate amount of skin contact (4?6 days), 'Frontenac' wine has developed an attractive deep garnet red color. The most common aroma component identified by tasters has been cherry, with lesser amounts of berry, black currant, and plum. Occasionally, wines have developed a distinct chocolate aroma after bottle aging.


*Adaptation.* Frontenac has quickly become the most widely planted red wine grape in Minnesota. It is also commonly planted in other Midwestern states and has become quite popular in Quebec. It should be a useful variety in other cold climate viticulture areas (USDA plant hardiness zones 4 and 5) of the eastern US and Canada.
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*Other Wine Grapes*
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<LI>Frontenac gris 
<LI>La Crescent 
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<LI =right>Last modified on January 19, 2008 </LI>[/list]

*Edited by: appleman *


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## swillologist

Hopefully we don't get another one of those cold spells during April like wehad last spring. It was hard on my grapes. I think you had it about the same time. Things were just budding out when it hit. I had hardly any grapes on my vines and very littlefruit on my trees. I'm hoping for a better crop this year. I hoping that your'swill dobetter also.


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## NorthernWinos

Here we go again...


Blizzard Watch


A BLIZZARD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM TONIGHT TO 6 PM SATURDAY


TODAY WILL BE DECEPTIVELY MILD WITH VERY LITTLE WIND.


ONLY AN INCH OR TWO OF LIGHT SNOW IS EXPECTED ALONG AN ARCTIC
COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT. HOWEVER...THIS
NEW SNOW...WHEN COMBINED WITH THE SNOW THAT FELL EARLIER THIS
WEEK...WILL MAKE PORTIONS OF THE AREA VERY SUSCEPTIBLE TO GROUND
BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AS WIND SPEEDS INCREASE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO
SATURDAY. WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE...WHICH COULD
CAUSE NEAR ZERO VISIBILITIES AT TIMES...ESPECIALLY IN OPEN
COUNTRY. BITTERLY COLD AIR WILL ALSO SURGE INTO THE REGION...
RESULTING IN WIND CHILL READINGS FROM 35 BELOW TO 50 BELOW ZERO
BY LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO THE DAY SATURDAY.


Hazardous Weather Outlook


BLIZZARD CONDITIONS FROM FRIDAY NIGHT WILL CONTINUE INTO SATURDAY
WITH STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DECREASE
SATURDAY NIGHT AND VISIBILITIES SHOULD IMPROVE. HOWEVER WITH ARCTIC
AIR IN PLACE...WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES WILL LIKELY BE IN THE 30
TO 50 BELOW RANGE. SO WIND CHILL ADVISORIES OR WARNINGS WILL
PROBABLY BE NEEDED SATURDAY NIGHT AND EARLY SUNDAY.


Goodbye for the day...Going Fishing.


----------



## hannabarn

It's Winter in Wisconsin
And the gentle breezes blow,
70 miles per hour at 52 below!
Oh, How I love Wisconsin
When the snow's up to your butt.
You take a breath of winter air
And your nose is frozen shut.
Yes, the weather here is wonderful,
I guess I'll hang around.
I could never leave Wisconsin.
'Cause I'm frozen to the ground.
</font></font>


----------



## rgecaprock

That is Great, Barney!!!!! lol


----------



## zember311

Thats what I miss about the snow.


1) the silent sound as sound is absurbed by the snow. 
2) that crisp smell in the air as if the world was fresh and new
3) Seeing my breath as I exhaled.
4) the roads are bare as if the town was sleeping all at the same time
5)The excuse to stay in, turn up the heat and just be lazy as the snow fell.




Wasn't too much for the snow ball fights, building snow men or skiing though. I'm crayz but not insane. Just way to cold for that type of entertainment.


----------



## jobe05

The following is what I miss about winters:


----------



## Dean

I'm with you Jobe! I moved away from the snow and cold to the only place in Canada that I could...Vancouver. And now, due to climate change, we've had one of the whitest winters on record


----------



## jobe05

But your are in a much more beautiful place Dean! Always wished I could be there or on an Island just off the east coast. Once in a while one will come up for sale at a half way decent price......... but still out of my range.
*Edited by: jobe05 *


----------



## moose

That's a unique way of putting it jobe05. Never been to your neck of the woods Dean, but our son has been to Whistler skiing.


----------



## NorthernWinos

Lived in Beautiful British Columbia off and on...Lower/Western parts.....Loved Vancouver Island where my brother died last year...Will return there some year....Have many friends and family to visit.....Absolutley Beautiful!


----------



## rgecaprock

*I would trade one warm February day in Houston for one hour up north* 


*Growing up in W.VA:*
*We:*

*Marveled at Jack Frost on the windows.*
*Watched the snow blowing past the street lights.*
*Slickened up our sled runners with a good bar of Ivory Soap,*
*Wore socks on our hands because we didn't always have gloves.*
*Broke icicles off the building and actually ate them.*
*Studied snow flakes that landed on our coats.*
*The smell of wet wool.*
*Coming in long enough to drink tea and dry our socks on the coal furnace registers.*
*Listening for the school closings then racing out the door with our sleds and meeting your friends on the highest hill.*
*The crunch under your boots.....and then the absolute silence.*
*Storing our RC Cola in a snow drift.........then later hiding our beer out there.*
*Then really loving a hot bath and how good your bed felt at the end of the day .......and hoping school would be closed ....tomorrow.*

*Ramona*
*Edited by: rgecaprock *


----------



## PolishWineP

I was in town today and got some groceries. The trucks and car are put away for the weekend. I'm going to spend the weekend on the couch with a book, working with some wines, packing for our trip next weekend to Wonderful Wisconsin, and visiting on line with forum members. I think the storm is going to be just fine knowing that we're all safe inside the house.


----------



## Lloyd1

..... it's been a long time since I've seen a mosquito ......


----------



## rgecaprock

Come to Houston, Lloyd, they are here already!!


----------



## NorthernWinos

Weather is getting pretty bad out there today....


Winter Weather Advisory
NORTHWEST WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS OVER 40 MPH COMBINED
WITH BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE HAZARDOUS
TRAVEL CONDITIONS...ESPECIALLY ACROSS OPEN COUNTRY. THESE WINDS
COMBINED WITH FALLING TEMPERATURES WILL RESULT IN EXTREMELY
DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS OF 35 TO 50 BELOW ZERO TONIGHT THROUGH
SUNDAY MORNING.


Wind Chill Warning


A WIND CHILL WARNING MEANS THE COMBINATION OF VERY COLD AIR AND
STRONG WINDS WILL CREATE DANGEROUSLY LOW WIND CHILL VALUES.
PROLONGED SKIN EXPOSURE WILL QUICKLY RESULT IN FROST BITE AND
LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA OR DEATH IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. IF YOU
MUST TRAVEL MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT IN YOUR
VEHICLE.


[Gee..usually they tell us to wear gloves and a hat...Guess the figure we've got that one covered by now]


The sun was out today...but you really couldn't tell.....There was a sun dog around the sun...








The roses have pretty good snow cover out there...








This is what they call 'White Out Conditions'...








Time to "WINE...not...WHINE"


----------



## grapeman

Close the binds, turn on the lights(or dim them depending on mood) and pour yourself a glass of wine and you will never know it is cold out!


----------



## NorthernWinos

-18*F and it's not even dark yet....Was +6 this morning....


A good day to enjoy your home...


----------



## rgecaprock

Looks Like a Wonderful Day!!!!


Ramona


----------



## uavwmn

NW, that is what it is all about!!


----------



## Lloyd1

It was subzero here this morning too.
The same blast you get in Minn comes down on us in Wisc, only not as bad.
Hey NW, would you mind setting up a few fires ... help warm that air up for us a bit .....


I been doing ok, I heat 100% wood.
This is my 7th year.
Yep, I haven't bought heating fuel in over 6 years.
The same unit provides all of my domestic hot water too.
Endless, guiltless,HOT showers.
I love it!


Opps, sorry for the thread theft .......


Sure is cold out there.....


----------



## NorthernWinos

Lloyd....we are willing to share our weather with you....We take the edge off before we send it to you.


Wood heat ...the only way to go....It's about 80* inside and -25*F outside this morning!!!!


----------



## PolishWineP

We went out for a drive yesterday to check someone's house who is out of town. I rode along for the photo ops I knew would be out there. Here's some road shots for you. It's not snowing at this point, just blowing. 
Here we're driving back into town.






I also got a picture of a sun dog. 






Then we went to the west end of town. This is the "see-how- tough-you-are" spot. The first 1/2 mile or so at the edge of town seems to be a funnel for wind and blowing snow. You don't know what it's like on the other side until you get through this stuff.










And now for the other side of the coin. I have a Christmas cactus that I started from cuttings a friend gave me. We got 3 blossoms on it and ended up with just flowering. The other 2 dropped off over the last2 weeks.


----------



## NorthernWinos

PWP...Hope you had a well stocked winter survival kit on your journey....???
You are suppose to stay indoors on a day like that.


----------



## PolishWineP

We waited until the wind had died down. We never would have gone out earlier in the day, too windy. We only went about 2 miles south of town. We were in the pick up and high enough to see over it all. We never went into the scary part, we just took pictures of it. Promise.


----------



## moto-girl

We broke a record here. Yes thats right, the highest snowfall totals for the season. the old record was 79.1. We blew right through that with another 4 inches yesterday and more expected tomorrow. PWP, we drove through similar conditions on sunday. We went to Chicago for the motorcycle show and the drive was quite dicey at times. ... what I will do to sit on a beautiful shiney bike in the dead of winter and make zoom-zoom noises...


----------



## rgecaprock

PWP,
Looks like a scene out of "Fargo". And I see your little splash of color opened to brighten your day!!


Ramona


----------



## NorthernWinos

+50* Warmer today than yesterday morning... 


Decided to go to the lake and set up camp at a nearby farm pond....We fish there in the summer and have angled there a few winters ago...


Figure it is so close by if we get stranded out there we can come home and get a tractor to pull ourselves out.


Found a spot and drilled a bunch of holes...







Ice is getting pretty thick...don't need an extension on the auger...yet.






Saw out between the holes...






Then pull out the ice chunks...






And set the house in place....


Water was very clear....






Only pan fish and Perch come through the hole...Hence the name....Perch Lake.


Tried a different decoy for a change....






Did get one small Northern Pike....


Home Sweet...Shanty...






Will go back for the early shift in the morning....















*Edited by: Northern Winos *


----------



## rgecaprock

*How long does it take to make the hole? *
*Has Jim ever fallen in?*
*Could you show us the inside of your Shanty?*
*How do you get it there....wheels or sleds?*

*Very interesting. I love your pictures.........Ramona*


----------



## NorthernWinos

rgecaprock said:


> *How long does it take to make the hole?
> 
> 
> PROBABBLY TAKES A MINUTE OR SO TO DRILL A HOLE....DEPENDS ON THICKNESS OF THE ICE...AND...SHARPNESS OF THE BLADE...*
> *Has Jim ever fallen in?*
> 
> *HEAVEN FORBID THAT EVER HAPPENS....
> 
> 
> 
> *
> *Could you show us the inside of your Shanty?*
> 
> *NOT MUCH TO SEE INSIDE...A HEATER, 2 SPEARS, A COAT HOOK AND US.....IT'S DARK IN THERE...AND A REALLY BIG HOLE IN THE FLOOR IS OVER THE HOLE IN THE ICE...*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *How do you get it there....wheels or sleds?*
> *WE DRIVE OUR POOR OLD JALOPY ['87 DODGE 4X4] AND HAVE IT ON A TRAILER...TOUGH GOING SOMETIMES...*
> 
> *Very interesting. I love your pictures.........Ramona*


----------



## NorthernWinos

WINTER WONDERLAND IS BEGINNING TO SUCK!!!! 


Tonight will be the coldest night of the winter...so far...possibly -30*F...myFrontenac grapes may be doomed..at least the elder vine hanging on the wires...the young ones are safely covered with a thick blanket of insulating snow....It may get above -0*F by Thursday....
*Note to self..."Stop whining and drink more wine!!!!"


The Great Backyard Bird Count is over...my darlings waited for sunrise in -21*F temperatures.






On the bright side...The sunrises and sunsets are moving Northerly on the horizon and we have gained a couple hours of daylight.


Had the regular visitors at the bird waterer today...






And a surprise visitor...must have come over from the neighbors to check out the vittles over here...






Now I am truly sulking....I haven't worn out my new camera...BUT... noticed a strange sound inside it yesterday when the Zoom was extended to 15X...so I called Sony and it is on it's way to Connecticut for a Diagnostic Checkup...I miss my lovely baby....






I'll be fine tho...will be house bound for a day or so due to weather and can continue some paper work, rack wines and play house...Someone should play house around her once in awhile....


Till next time....*Edited by: Northern Winos *


----------



## hannabarn

I wish you would keep that ferocious weather up there in Northern MN. We are supposed to get -20 again tonight. I'm sick of this winter. Hoping for an early spring!!


----------



## Wade E

Phone is coming all the way to me? I never knew Sony was located in my state! Maybe that woodpecker that seems like it is inside the camera pecked at 1 of the gears.


----------



## NorthernWinos

Good Morning????? 






Sorry for the blurry photo...got to getuse to the old camera.... again.*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## grapeman

This winter for you is going to be a true test for the hardiness of all your vines over there. You are approaching critical temps even for the Frontenac. Did you lay your tender varieties down like usual this past autumn? Thank goodness we haven't seen any temps like those here and hope we don't.


As a side note- what brand and model weather station do you have there? Some day I hope to pick one up that will record temps, humidity, wind speed, etc. I would like to trackthe weatherbetter in the vineyard.


----------



## NorthernWinos

This was a gift...it is a AcuRite... 


Check out this company...order one of their catalogs, theyare awesome.


http://www.windandweather.com/welcome.asp?cm%5Fmmc=Tagged%2D%5F%2DNA%2D%5F%2DNA%2D%5F%2DNA


This model 'Weather Girl' might make your day more interesting..

<DIV align=center>




You could probably fine less expensive models...try eBay or Google.


Yes...I did lay my tender vines down last fall....They are hardy to -30*F, I consider them tender....Frontenac I believe are also only hardy to -30*F as well, but wanted to let them grow as a hardy vine...Time will tell their true hardiness.*Edited by: Northern Winos *


----------



## grapeman

I have an AcuRite myself but it doesn't do the wind or anything like that. The prediction part is also no good on mine. It always shows lots of clouds, although glancing over at it now, it shows a few cumulous clouds. I've never seen it change before, but then again I tried resetting it yesterday. Maybe I finally got it right after 2 years!


----------



## NorthernWinos

We have been on a real Weather Roller Coaster this year....Yesterday morning was -32.9*F...Brutal to say the least....hung real close to the hearth and home. 


Now we have strong south winds bringing in warmer temperatures....+7*F feels pretty good, but the wind still has a bite to it.


Went over to the spear house at the farm pond for a few hours and stared at the bottom of the lake...








Did bring home one Northern Pike...[Slough Shark] It will make a nice meal.








Only a few more days of spearing left on this season...will take the morning shift tomorrow and hang tough for a day...Then hit is again on Sunday and bring home our 'lake Home' for the year.


Life is Good!!!*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## mississippi mud

Nice catchNW!!!Never done any ice fishing ,do you get to watch the fish come up and take the bait?


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## NorthernWinos

In our situation we watch for the fish, they come to our decoys, which are hookless things you put down there to attract their attention...Once they are watching the decoy......then we spear them. 


I don't think many states allow spearing...It is a fun sport, some may think a little brutal...while we are allowed to do it, we will continue to spear fish. 


It is called selective harvest....you can see the fish plainly and decide if it is big enough to take....


It is a real adrenalin rush when you haven't seen a fish for awhile and one comes up to the decoy.


The Northern Pike has nice flaky meat, tho they carry a lot of bones...Jim has mastered the art of removing the bones.


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## mississippi mud

Sounds like fun.


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## grapeman

Since we are all still in the middle of winter-hoping for spring in the North Country it can get very depressing looking at snow and feeling the bite of cold weather all the time. To relieve some of the mid-winter blues I went down to my brother's greenhouses today. They were getting ready for cutting arrivals in a week or so and were busy filling 10 inch hanging baskets with potting soil. He had gotten a used pot and flat filler last year and has gotten it all set up. It chops up the potting soil from the big bales and elevates it to the flat and pot filler. There it runs the soil mix up and fills the pots. Someone needs to feet the baskets in and someone takes them off the conveyor. They are then stacked onto a wagon for moving to the greenhouse being filled. I did a few of the operations taking turns. You get to feeling like Lucy on the candy assembly line........ In the couple hours I helped, we filled about a thousand 10 inch hanging baskets and moved them into one of the greenhouses. He needs about 5000 filled in the next few days to be ready for the first plantings.


It just feels good being able to do something in the soil this time of year(even if it is just potting soil). Being in the greenhouse was great. It was a sunny day and the temps in there were about 70 degrees even though it is only in the 20's outside today. Gave the spirits a good lift- which I need . We are expecting a major snowstorm the middle of this coming week!


What has everybody else been up to?


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## JWMINNESOTA

That would be something to see. I started a few plants in an old aquarium just to maybe get a jump on things and see some green. Ready to get the hands dirty here too!


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## Joanie

Northern Winos said:


> We have been on a real Weather Roller Coaster this year....Yesterday morning was -32.9*F...Brutal to say the least....hung real close to the hearth and home.
> 
> 
> Now we have strong south winds bringing in warmer temperatures....+7*F feels pretty good, but the wind still has a bite to it.



That must leave you folks with a 15 minute growing season, right?


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## jobe05

We have the same problem here Joan...................

In the 60's one day and down to the 50's the next..................

Horrible..............





Tree's are starting to get bud swell here, so spring and constant temps is right around the corner........


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## mississippi mud

Thats just mean jobe. 65 here one day 75 the next



We won't be laughing when its 101 this summer .


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## Joanie

jobe05 said:


> We have the same problem here Joan...................
> 
> In the 60's one day and down to the 50's the next..................
> 
> Horrible..............
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tree's are starting to get bud swell here, so spring and constant temps is right around the corner........



Just shut UP!


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## NorthernWinos

Appleman...I love the smell of fresh soil...I have had my seeds since the 2nd week of January...so am anxious to start some seeds. My cuttings of Black Currant, Louise Swenson grapes and Geraniums have kept me sane...gave them a good haircut a few days ago and raised the lights to accommodate their growth...I don't care if they make it outdoors, they have kept me company through winter.
Joan...we have a pretty nice growing season...it's just awfully short with extreme heat and humidity....Tho short it is good.....at least we think it is.


So once we get our spear fishing habit taken care of...We will both change into farmers...Tomorrow is our last day to spear fish...


Meanwhile back at the ranch....we went to the regional airport this morning...took our Alaskan neighbors to pick up their Upik Mom who has come down to visit...she has never been here before. So refreshing...she asked if those were cows??? She first thought they were moose. As she arrived from Alaska the girl's mother-in-law left on the same plane for Minneapolis/St. Paul and on to Mexico...would like to have taken the flight to the Condo in Cancun...maybe one day we can go for a week like normal people.


So...we are enjoying our moderating temperatures...and have had a wonderful winter....just take each day as it comes.


Life is Good!!!!*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## jobe05

Joan said:


> Just shut UP!



LOL......... You knew I could resist that....


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## Joanie

I was thinking of you last night as I drove by Tassone's in Baldwinsville!


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## jobe05

Did you find the restaurant that I was talking about? Was that the name? My nephew was the cook there when I went, but he is now in Providence going to school for cooking. 

They had really good food, a reasonable prices.


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## Joanie

Yep, I think that's the place.


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## swillologist

Had somedifferent visitors at the feeder this morning. 








They have been here before. I saw their tracks last night when I went to feed the dogs. This is the first time that I saw them though.
I think they are getting pretty hungry. It's been a tough winter for the critters here.*Edited by: swillologist *


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## NorthernWinos

It's nice to see the feathered friends come around like that.....They'll have good eats now that they've found your feeder.


I am surprised to see you still have snow down there.


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## rgecaprock

swill,


I remember having them in my yard all winter when I lived in Pa. They are beautiful birds and quite large.


Ramona


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## swillologist

We have lots of snow left. Yesterday and today were the first days we were above freezing for a couple of weeks. A lot of those days were in the single digits. Some nights were well below 0. The cold weather you have been sending down here has got me in trouble with my wine too.






I will have to stop by the Co-op tomorrow to pick up some shelled corn. That will work better for the pheasants then the bird seed.


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## bj4271

Swill, 


Those are the best tasting birds there are, if you're so inclined. But it's a lot of fun watching them. When I was a kid, I had a flock that used to follow me when I walked to the bus to school. They were on one side of the cemetery fence strutting along &amp; I was on the other.


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## grapeman

I have been looking at that third bird, swooping in. It looks like some kind of a hawk. If so, do they swoop in and catch smaller birds or maybe after squirrels?


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## swillologist

There are actually two of them there appleman. There is one just left of the one you are looking at. The one you are looking at is a male English sparrow. The other one is an English sparrow also. I just can't tell if it is a male or female.


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## grapeman

I see the second one now. That's a great picture with it's varied birds, some caught in mid-flight. The pheasants add a splash of color to the white background!


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## NorthernWinos

I was going to ask...Then thought it was just a Blue Jay...


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## mississippi mud

mississippi mud said:


> Thats just mean jobe. 65 here one day 75 the next
> 
> 
> 
> We won't be laughing when its 101 this summer .








Wish I had not of opened my mouth. Looks like it gonna be a cooled one tonight.



<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%">
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<DIV =blueVerdanaText12>*Today
Feb 26*</TD>
<TD vAlign=center width=115>
<TABLE style="BORDER-RIGHT: #e3e1c7 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #e3e1c7 1px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #e3e1c7 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e3e1c7 1px solid; : #ffffff" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=105>
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<TD =blueVerdanaText11 style="PADDING-RIGHT: 3px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" vAlign=center width=69>Partly Cloudy</TD></TR></T></TABLE></TD>
<TD =blueFont10 width=65><B =blueVerdanaText11>62°[/B]/35°</TD>
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<B style="FONT-SIZE: 12px">62°F[/B]

<DIV style="PADDING-RIGHT: 3px; PADDING-LEFT: 3px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 3px; PADDING-TOP: 3px">Get Local Golf Course Forecasts</TD></TR>
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<DIV =blueVerdanaText11>*Wed
Feb 27*</TD>
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<TD =blueVerdanaText11 style="PADDING-RIGHT: 3px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" vAlign=center width=69>Sunny</TD></TR></T></TABLE></TD>
<TD =blueFont10 width=65><B =blueVerdanaText11>55°[/B]/36°</TD>
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## grapeman

It could be worse...... You could be lookingforward to12-16 inches of snow like we are. Temps below zero by Friday with 30 mph winds coming tomorrow.


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## NorthernWinos

12 - 16" of snow is not good.....We can get that in March...that is our snowiest month.
Right now we think we are in heaven.....Gets above freezing each day and the sun has so much heat in it that it melts snow when in the 20's.


Our winter is far from over...but is much more bearable with the longer days.


I wake up earlier every day...so my body is changing into the spring/summer mode...no more hibernation.*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## jobe05

63 degrees here today, calling for 6" of snow tonight.......................

Sigh..............................


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## Wade E

63* and 6" of snow coming! Is someone smoking crack over there?


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## jobe05

wade said:


> 63* and 6" of snow coming! Is someone smoking crack over there?



Well....... We all are, but the weather still sucks this time of year........


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## grapeman

We lucked out here. We got Jobe's 6 inches of snow instead of the 12-16 inches. I hope we can get his 63 degrees too!


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## JWMINNESOTA

Fresh layer of the white stuff here, kinda refreshing to look at the little plants sprout up in spite of it.





A few garden huckleberry's I started in an old aquarium a couple weeks back, I guess ya gotta bring the outdoors in sometimes!


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## NorthernWinos

Garden Huckleberries...I saw those seeds in a seed catalog.....


What are you going to do with them???? 
Is "make wine" the correct answer????
Have you grown them before????


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## JWMINNESOTA

Grow...Probably....No




I was talking to forum member farmer at work one day about huckleberries , he showed me this site where you get this variety of free with a $20 order. 
http://www.farmerseed.com/index.asp


That got me to looking into these, then I got some off ebay (of Course) to give them a try. Wine and Jelly im thinking. Don't know how they would compare to a true huck like I had years ago in Montana, probably nothing close, but the seed were cheap so worth a try maybe. One ebay seller of these claims 40 gal of wine from 60 plants planted, and didn't pick them all, so high yields I suppose, and thats good since I dont have a big yard or space to grow as much as I would like to...may have to go throw some seeds in one of farmers fields


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## OilnH2O

It will be interesting to see how they compare to "true huck's" from Montana. After all, they aren't called "garden" hucks here!





(And, as I've posted elsewhere, lots of people here have tried to cultivate hucks domestically and have yet to do so. They've gotten plants to sometimes grow, but not flower or put out fruit. But, as you know -- having tasted Montana hucks -- people _keep trying_!)


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## NorthernWinos

I Googled garden Huckleberries...as last year I had asked this same question....


I think from experience growing Tomatoes and Tomatillos that you should save a few seeds and plant more indoors in about 6 weeks from now. I think they will grow very fast and get very leggy.



<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left =white>
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</TD>
<TD width=250></TD>
<TD>*GARDEN HUCKLEBERRY* 


Jill MacKenzie
</TD></TR></T></TABLE>












<TABLE width="25%" align=right>
<T>
<TR>
<TD>





<CENTER>Garden Huckleberry</CENTER>
</TD></TR></T></TABLE>



Garden huckleberry or wonderberry (_Solanum melanocerasum_, syn _S. nigrum guineense_) is not related to true huckleberries, woody plants in the heath family. Instead, it is an herbaceous annual in the nightshade family, related to tomatoes, peppers, tobacco, eggplant and potato. An unusual crop for gardeners to try, garden huckleberry bears small jet-black berries that are cooked and sweetened, and often combined with other fruits such as apples, lemons and grapes, to make jellies, preserves and pies. 


Culture of garden huckleberry is similar to tomato culture: start plants indoors in early April, covering the seeds with ¼ inch of soil. Germination should take one to two weeks. Transplant to a sunny location outdoors when all danger of frost is past and the weather has settled, in late May or early June. Allow two feet between plants. 


Garden huckleberry plants resemble pepper plants, bushy and erect, up to two feet tall. Flowers, appearing in clusters in July, are small and white. Each plant will bear hundreds of ½-¾-inch berries, ripening from green to deep black. One plant should produce enough berries for a single pie. 


The fruits are not edible until fully ripe and cooked. They are toxic if eaten unripe, and the raw fruit is quite bitter. The berries are ready to harvest about two weeks after they first turn black, when their skin has changed from shiny to dull, and the flesh is very soft. The interior pulp will turn from greenish to purple when ripe. The flavor of the berries is improved by allowing them to remain on the plant until after the first frost. The plants have some cold tolerance and may continue to ripen fruit after light frosts. 


The following companies are sources for garden huckleberry seeds: 



<CENTER>
<TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 align=center =white>
<T>
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top width="30%">Farmers Seed &amp; Nursery
818 NW Fourth Street
Faribault, MN 55021
(507) 334-8214 </TD>
<TD width="5%"></TD>
<TD vAlign=top width="30%">Seeds Blum
HC 33 Idaho City Stage
Boise, ID 83706
(Catalog: $3.00)
[email protected] </TD>
<TD width="5%"></TD>
<TD vAlign=top width="30%">Stokes Seeds, Inc.
Box 548
Buffalo, NY 14240-0548
[email protected] </TD></TR></T></TABLE></CENTER>




<CENTER>



</CENTER>


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## JWMINNESOTA

OilnH2O said:


> It will be interesting to see how they compare to "true huck's" from Montana. After all, they aren't called "garden" hucks here!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (And, as I've posted elsewhere, lots of people here have tried to cultivate hucks domestically and have yet to do so. They've gotten plants to sometimes grow, but not flower or put out fruit. But, as you know -- having tasted Montana hucks -- people _keep trying_!)




Oil, do feel free to send a few bushels of Hucks to me this fall, I will gladly let you know how they compare!


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## NorthernWinos

Got about 2 inches of snow here this morning...Then the wind picked up and it looked pretty wintry out there...


But the sunset was beautiful...can't see the snow blowing by at 30MPH....


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## grapeman

That's a nice sunset indeed. Does that mean you got your new camera back from repairs?


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## NorthernWinos

No...That's the old timer...Fuji..It has it's place. The Sony should be home tomorrow...guess they replaced the lens mechanisum....Sure miss it...have had new birds around....


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## JWMINNESOTA

21° and flurries today, winter wonderland



, son is flying in from Phoenix friday, im sure it wont be a shock to come in from 70's to 80's to this










Maybe Rocko will play in the snow with him


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## Joanie

Holy cow! Rocko is way too cute for words!!!


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## grapeman

School is out today again here. We only got a couple inches of snow, but then a half inch or more of ice glazing everything. It will warm up to thawing hopefully later today and melt the ice off. Another storm brewing in the south and headed here for the weekend. YEAH, more snow or ice!


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## uavwmn

jwminn, omg, Rocko has such a sweet little face!!!! I live south of Phoenix and yes, your son will have a meltdown!!! hahahaha


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## Joanie

Don't you mean a freeze up???


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## Joanie

Here's a little bit of the ice we had on Wednesday.






We going to get more bad weather today thru Sunday. When is Spring???


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## moose

20 degrees below zero this morning!


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## grapeman

I hope everyone is coping with this latest storm alright across the mid to eastern US. It is bringing nasty weather to everywhere it seems. Snow in places it rarely snows, wind, tornados, and tons of rain to the northeast. I got up this morning knowing it had snowed last night and everything is totally coated with nice wet heavy snow. The wind has picked up tremendously and there are intermittent wihiteouts. We are in a lull between edges of the storm and are expecting heavy rain/snow/sleet etc all day turning back to heavy snow tonight. 


It is a good day to stay inside. Unfortunately work schedules don't allow for that today and we all need to head out on these roads. How's everybody else fairing?


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## hannabarn

Winter sure is hanging around. minus 18 this morning but is warming up fast! Up to 0 now at 8 AM!


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## Waldo

We dodged the bullet on the heavy snow here. Was supposed to have received 10-12 inches but got only 1-2 at the most and it is all about gone now.


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## NorthernWinos

Winter is loosing it's grip....Has been melting for the last 3 days...actually got up to 50* yesterday for a brief time....

Today I took a stroll through the Garden Center at Wally World looking for spring.....smelled the new smells of garden hoses and plastic pots..not many plants yet...but a wonderful supply of bare root plants in bags....Have had good luck with these before...so found a bag of Liatris [Blazing Star] 50 bulbs for $7.+....brought those home and took my Amaryllis bulbs out of the root cellar...







Got to play in the dirt....

My little garden is beginning to come alive.....










Will start some seeds within a few days...

Let the good times roll....






*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## swillologist

Four bluebirds showed up today. They checked out my houses. These boys won't stay. They are probably heading up NW's way. My resident ones won't be here for a week or two yet. But it's time to clean out the birdhouses and put them back together. I was going to try to get a picture but they didn't stick around long enough.*Edited by: swillologist *


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## NorthernWinos

Colder here today...North wind blew in and it got to 17 last night...will be colder tonight...But the sun is warm and the days are longer....
Life is Good!!!


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## Okie1

Help. 


How do you post pictures to a topic and not be the topic starter? I dont ever see the icon to insert photos unless I start a new topic.*Edited by: Okie1 *


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## Wade E

You have to click on the reply button in the other persons posts and not just start writing at the bottom of the page, that is just a quick response post area. You will see at the top of the other peoples posts 2 areas at the extreme right quote where that will retype what they wrote all in parenthesis and the reply button which will open what looks like a new post area with all the features.
*Edited by: wade *


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## Okie1

Thanks Wade. I see how it works now.


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