For All of You in the Frozen (and Snowy) North

First of all, my apologies to those of you who have been suffering through a heat wave (or drought or anything else awful that isn't snow related). But for those of us who have had near record snow and cold this year, February is getting to be very loooong (as in seemingly interminable). So, here's a little something to (hopefully) make you smile. Traffic reporter Bob Herzog (WKRC in Cincinnati) produced a video called Just Don't Go to the tune of "Let it Go" from the movie Frozen.

I hope your weather today is perfect!

Best,

Myrna

This is What Freedom (Doggie Freedom, That is) Looks Like

Camp Fido in Kalamazoo, Michigan offers dog daycare, and after the polar vortex was over (which was, yes, soooo cold), they let the dogs out to play. I can totally relate to the puppies in this video, because once it warmed up, this is exactly how I felt! (I love that they all seem to get along, and are clearly enjoying themselves).

Winter Can be Beautiful

Sometimes when the weather has been as awful as it has been here these past few days, I just have to remind myself that winter really can be beautiful. (As usual, please click through on the Source links to see more wonderful images by these photographers).

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Enjoy your current season, wherever you are!

Myrna

Making Peace with Winter

If you live in the northern part of the U.S. (and some of the southern parts) or in Canada, and probably lots of other places, too, it's really cold this winter, with lots of snow. Having grown up in northern Illinois, I love the change of seasons, and I should be used to lower temperatures, but for the past few years, we've had relatively mild winters. Being reintroduced to extreme cold and snow at the same time is taking some getting used to (my condolences to those of you who are experiencing the opposite type of weather. Heat can be as bad or worse).

At any rate, despite the cold, we went out today to get some photos (I have to credit my husband with these. At -12°F/-24°C, I was chicken and stayed in the car)! The snow cake is from my back yard table, but the others are from Graue Mill, a nearby waterwheel gristmill that was once a station on the "Underground Railroad" during the time of slavery, one that still operates as a historical link to the past (they give tours and also mill and sell stone-ground cornmeal and flour in small amounts). I think I may have mentioned the mill here before. It's closed for the winter, but there's a dam and a forest preserve right next to it. The dam was half-frozen today, and there was vapor coming off the water. I can't wait for that balmy 36°F/2°C weather they're predicting for the weekend. Should be nice (almost tropical)!

West Texas Tumbleweeds Don't Mess Around

In fact, they look like something out of a horror movie as they "attack" this vehicle.

Snowflakes Everywhere (but here)

It's winter in Chicago, and we've had almost no snow. That's not at all normal for this part of the country, and some of us are missing snow, so here are some snowflakes.

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If Your Normal Weather Forecast is Making You Yawn...

Try watching this weatherman from Richmond, Virginia. I think you'll agree that you've never experienced this kind of weather.

The Atlantic Road in Norway (in all kinds of weather)

This Atlantic Ocean Road connects some small Norwegian islands and must be a very beautiful drive on calm, sunny days, but this video shows it at a time when it's not so sunny. The fun begins around :53 and doesn't stop. Have a look. I especially loved (not) that steep curving bit (almost looks like part of a loop) that comes into view around 2:40.



On the reverse side, here's what the area (and part of the road) looks like when the sun is shining. Gorgeous!

Yawn, It's a Tornado at a Wedding

No one at this wedding seems particularly concerned about the funnel cloud.



via Viral Viral Videos

Tornado in a Parking Lot

Each part of the country is subject to its own natural (threatening) phenomena, it seems. I happen to live in the Midwest region of the US, where tornadoes are what it's all about. And while I don't live in one of the worst areas (west of me is an area known as Tornado alley), anyone who lives in such a region grows up knowing what to do in the event of a tornado. Unfortunately, tornadoes sometimes arise quickly and people aren't given much warning. The footage below is from a surveillance camera. If you don't live in a tornado area (or even if you do), this will give you an idea of how quickly things can go from seemingly  normal to utterly terrifying. (And for the record, I don't really have personal experience of a tornado, although they have touched down not far from me--I distinctly remember a horrid one in a neighboring suburb when I was a pre-teen. At any rate, like so many things of this nature, there probably isn't a typical experience since tornadoes come in all sizes and strengths).