Winter has Arrived

Winter seemed to finally arrive on Saturday night with freezing rain that gradually changed to snow, and we woke up to ice droplets and a fine dusting of snow where it stuck to the ice.  The temperature plunged to well below freezing, and it has stayed that way.  As I write this, the newest storm, brought by that damaging Texas low, has begun outside and I'm starting to hear that tinkling sound that highlights the freezing rain again.

It wasn't a heavy freezing rain, but ice droplets decorate all the branches, and they're still there today.

The ice came first, and then a very light bit of snow got stuck on top.

Some of the dead plant stalks in the garden created some interesting patterns!

The pine branches on the other side of the house were so weighed down that they blocked the path our grandson had been chasing me down just the day before.

These two pictures are an interesting contrast, photographically.  The one above was taken with the brightest part of the sky behind me, and the one below looking into the brighter side of the sky.  The camera did all the rest, trying to close down the bright light below so it almost becomes black and white, even though it isn't.  I don't think I even moved, I just turned around.

The snow stuck to the grass in interesting patterns.

And really highlighted our iron sunny face sitting on the big boulder out the window.

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The temperature stayed down about -8°C all day, but there was a strong easterly breeze that made the windchill considerably worse.  I find I adjust the winter clothes to cope with the temperature and wind.  Amy, from Australia, asked in yesterday's comments,how cold does it get here.  Well, it will get a lot colder than this.  With several years living here I've now become accustomed to the changes.  Shorts and T-shirts are long gone, likewise the long sleeves of fall, and the light fall jackets.  I bought a warmer fall jacket that will do to about freezing, but it's in the closet now too.  With below freezing out comes the serious winter coat.  I expect it will be about -10 or -15C (5 to 15F) most of the winter, but it typically gets down to below -30°C (- 22°F) for at least a week.

I've got a range of gloves and mitts (and hats) to use as the temperature goes down - from lightweight cloth gloves (now put away), through 'normal' gloves and then warm fluffy inside deer hide gloves (new this Christmas) which will do for most conditions.  But then there are the big ski gloves, and if really necessary the moosehide mitts that come out on the really cold days.  The pants change too, from ordinary to lined (several weeks ago), and then covered in outer wind breakers, and finally the longies underneath.  My challenge is always keeping my face from freezing - since I wear glasses, covering my face at all means my glasses steam up and I can't see where I'm going!  So at least a few square inches of bare skin stays out in the cold stoically, and I try to forget how cold it is!

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