After several days of snowy, icy conditions and now several cold days on tap with -20 to -35 wind chills, I think it is about time that this ‘not so nice’ weather hit the tracks and head on out of here and let some color return to the landscape again.
Hit the Tracks
What is an eerie noise that sounds like rain is actually the icy limbs rattling in the wind and it makes you wonder how many limbs are going to break under the weight of the ice. And can be sort of pretty to look at and it seems like snowflakes, the ice creates a unique form on every needle, branch and limb. It appears every needle on the pine tree was encased by the ‘pretty ice’.
Unique Ice
It is strange hearing thunder and watching the snow light up with the lightning on a winter night. And while that might be pretty to watch, seeing the freezing rain was not and now it is very difficult walk on the slippery ice and the trees are coated with ice.
Icy Trees
With the new snowfall, there is very little color on the landscape, and certainly no bright yellow flowers. Bright flowers and even colorful spiders won’t reappear for a few more months.
This successful spider, carrying its latest victim, is called the goldenrod crab spider or flower (crab) spider, because it is commonly found hunting in goldenrod sprays in the autumn. The goldenrod attracts a large numbers of insects and therefore, the older female spider will prey there to produce the best possible clutch of eggs.
Younger females will hunt on a variety of flowers such as daisies and sunflowers and are able to change their color to yellow or white. The color change takes several days to complete.
The goldenrod crab spider does not build webs but instead they ambush their prey and they have small jaws with venom to take on larger insects.
Goldenrod Crab Spider
There might be a lot of critters looking for a barn or somewhere to hide today when the freezing rain arrives today. And if a lot of ice falls, some of these limbs may break under the weight of the ice.
Cozy Barn
With temperatures finally above zero (but not above freezing yet), one might be tempted to take a hike through the fields but the snow can hide objects under the snow so you might have to follow the deer trails.
Hidden Objects Under the Snow
It warmed up just enough to snow again but at least it is not a real heavy snowfall and not weighting the poor tree limbs down like some snow storms do.
Laden Limbs
Don’t let the warm colors of the sun fool you, it is still very cold outside!
Fooling Sun
After some light snow this morning, the sun is out and it is a little warmer since above zero finally but not warm enough that I would head to a frozen lake to do some ice fishing. I didn’t go last weekend either when it was the free ice fishing days. I guess I prefer my fishing when it is 72 with a light west wind and a few puffy clouds in sky and if the fish don’t bite, I can watch the bald eagles, beavers and otters. I don’t like listening to the ice cracking, wondering how thick the ice is or trying to keep warm just to catch a fish so I guess I have to wait a while before I go fishing again.
Frozen Lake
In front of a fireplace, looking out at the window, is the perfect place see the winter wonderland. Except I don’t have a fireplace and it was -19 this morning.
Another Chilly Morning
