Unless we need to rise early for an appointment, we have no alarm calls or set times for getting out of bed. When not encouraged by breaking dawn, it is generally hungry cats that persuade us to throw off the covers. Sometimes Grant gets the nudge, often it’s me.
When I hear a creak on the stairs or noises in the kitchen, I get up and join breakfast activities without looking at the clock. In this period of prolonged nights, by the time breakfast and my daily word and geography puzzles are complete, daylight has arrived.
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So I was a bit surprised yesterday morning when it was little better than pitch dark by then.
Additionally, the man was busily collecting dishes and washing up. It turned out he’d made arrangements to telephone a distant friend at 0630.
There I’d been, thinking all the gloom was about a storm we’d been promised.
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“Severe Winter storm watch!…Heavy snow! Expected onset 0700.”
“Threat to life or property!”
Once it was light, I went out to top up the feeders and check the water bowls, noting that the air was too mild for snow but change can come rapidly.
We had some things to do in the village, so a couple of hours later we set off.
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Turning west on route 22, a gasp from Grant: “OMG! Look!”
No more road works! The bridge is finally complete!
What bridge? Quite. The short expanse of road between the railings is what took many months to complete. Apparently the job was very complicated.
But now traffic can move freely once again.
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A few minutes or a few miles can bring a marked change in the outlook.
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A stiff breeze had the clouds retreating.
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This was one of those days when I went along for the drive not expecting to be gone more than a few minutes, yet when we continued away from home I couldn’t protest.
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Not with such a sky offering the perfect backdrop for silhouettes.
The tall straight trees in the centre are shag barks that always catch my eye.
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The odd snow flake drifted past. Some of the heaviest snowstorms I’ve experienced began ever so modestly, but not with skies like this.
The weather forecast is often inaccurate but not usually quite so comprehensively.
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As it turns out, maybe it wasn’t, – isn’t. Because not long after we got home, my phone beeped with another message, repeating the winter storm warning – for 0700 Tuesday.
It was I who got it wrong.
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By the time I post this, assuming we don’t lose the internet, I’ll be able to report further on the accuracy of the report….
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…
The weather commanders are threatening us with snow too but more likely rain. Stay cosy.
Thank you, Carolyn, for the update on the weather in your part of the world. Here, things are changeable, but fortunately, no snow. I agree with Josie’s advice, stay cosy!
Joanna
Since I retired, 8am is early enough for me to get out of bed. I only ever use an alarm if I have a timed appointment to attend, and in the winter I have been known to go back to bed until 10am, rather than get up and sit in the gloom, listening to rain. Even when we had Ollie, he was never in any rush to go outside for his morning pee, and only grew restless when he knew it was close to the time of the ‘big walk’. He fitted in so nicely with my routine.
Best wishes, Pete.
So long as you have plenty of provisions……for all the animals!
I’m trying to sleep in as well since retiring and I’m getting better at it, but clearly am still a morning person
Those clouds at the beginning of your post really looked to me like a big storm … maybe preparation for Tuesday 07:00. I’m looking forward to your update – from your last two photos it looks promising.