unrelenting cold and snow, Northeast

[Nyboy]

NYC uses the snow melt machines into the Hudson River. Never thought about the salt at least ocean is salt water, hudson is freash water.

 

[catjac1975]

10,000 seedlings !

I saw the snow melt machines on the news last night @catjac1975, never saw such a thing, I wonder if we have them. Most years the parking lots around here have mountains in them by the end of January. Not much piled up this year, my front yard is down to the leaves, about 8" in the back.

We were basking in the 40's over the weekend! I almost feel guilty, but I know that 'normal' will return very soon, like I think tomorrow. Rain, sleet, snow.

I think they are relatively new although Logan airport has one in the ground that they plow the snow into. They used to just dump it in the ocean. I guess a lot of oil goes with it so it is not allowed. However there is no longer any place to put the snow in cities so they have applied in several communities including Boston to be able to do so again. There is more snow coming Friday. We have never had such deep snow cover last so long at our house. A good blanket for daylilies.

 

[catjac1975]

I have a question for you all. Are mice and other animals tunneling under the snow? My dog is going crazy digging after delicious smells.

 

[digitS']

They sure might be Cat'.

The temperature down at the soil surface may not be any colder than 32°f. So, the rodents aren't as cold as they might have been with more exposure.

Remember seeing the trails and tunnels through dead grass in late winter?

Steve

 

[so lucky]

I have seen video of a fox diving headfirst into snow, in pursuit of a mouse that the fox could hear, way below the surface of snow. I bet mice and such have a ball down there, feeling relatively safe from predators.
I sure feel for all you folks in that unrelenting snow. I get whiney when we have 2 or 3 days of rain. What do all your animals do? Do the chickens just stay in the coop, or do they walk around on top of the snow, or, like mine would, do they insist that you shovel out a place for them to peck and scratch?

 

[catjac1975]

I actually hate days of rain more than snow. You know, that 40 degree damp weather. My chickens usually come out as if nothing happens. But, this year there are staying in much more than usual. I give them food and water outside very close to their house so they must come out. The worst thing is that the chicken poo is frozen and with all the snow I cannot get a wheelbarrow in to clean. I just keep adding bedding which seems to keep them happy. What a mess to clean when we have a thaw.

 

[catjac1975]

They sure might be Cat'.

The temperature down at the soil surface may not be any colder than 32°f. So, the rodents aren't as cold as they might have been with more exposure.

Remember seeing the trails and tunnels through dead grass in late winter?

Steve

You know, I have seen those trails. That dopey dog. She asks to go out to do her business and then spends the time hunting mice. Sometimes she comes in without completing her taste. Then I have to bring her out again when she remembers what she was supposed to do. All the while in the driving snow. I now give her a treat only after she has done what she has set out to do.

 

[flowerweaver]

Yikes!--that's a lot of snow for you folks up there. For all you gardeners with the winter blues, you are welcome to come down here for some sunshine and garden therapy of digging in the dirt! I can't imagine shoveling that much snow.

Yesterday we hit 82 degrees and during the day I could not keep the greenhouse cool enough and had to start hardening off a couple hundred tomato, potato, pepper, and eggplant starts. This never used to be a problem but last summer's tornado felled the trees that provided afternoon shade to the greenhouse. I think I'm going to have to drape the southwestern end with shade cloth or install a fan.

Sending all of you some sunshine!

This morning...

Blooming last week...

Interesting skies...

Wind Anemones in bloom now...

So warm this week the dogs had too cool off!

 

[buckabucka]

We have so many rodents here! The hoop houses have snow piled up maybe 4 feet high along the bases. If you go in the hoop house and rustle things around, you can watch the rodents running along in the snow (through the clear plastic inside). Kind of like have an ant farm (except the ants eat all your crops and chicken feed).

 

[thistlebloom]

What a pretty iris @flowerweaver ! 82 degrees is real hard for me to imagine, but I'll take that sunshine for sure. Maybe not so much the cactus and yucca though.