Huh, 400.

So, some changes at work have made blogging weird for awhile. I'll find a new grove.

Anyway, Wednesday we had truly terrible storms buffet the region. There was rotation spotted on Doppler near work. And since there was a confirmed tornado near there that killed two girls several years ago, they take that kind of thing seriously. Fortunately, the first batch of storms moved along at 60 mph. Unprecidented in our region. So, it was here and gone. A few hours later, another batch moved through, also with tornados and strong winds. Not as fast, but still fast. A third moved through in the late night hours. I didn't have electricity for a couple hours, which wasn't too bad, seeing as how it was late. But, trying to sleep without even a fan going in the mugginess was terrible.

Right now, we're heading into a weekend of extreme heat advisories. Tomorrow the feels like temperatures will be between 105 and 109. Sunday and Monday, it will feel like it is 110 or higher. Ouch. Air quality is going to be horrid. And some folks are still without power from the storms.

Something is wrong with my peonies. The buds I was so proud of died. Just dried up. Since I've already verified the depths and the late cold snaps weren't serious frosts, I'm looking at some kind of disease. Drats. Probably a non-organic remedy too. Bugger.

But the evening primrose are blooming, so there's something in the yard.

National Ride Your Bike to Work Day

And what a day it is. Steady rain, flood watch, and lots of ponding due to saturated ground. Ah, yes. It was actually the kind of weather that encouraged traffic to slow down.

Still, despite being sick of rain and desiring several days of sun in a row, it is better than the alternative that seems to pop up most days occasions like this. Weather so sunny and hot that we slip into a bad air quality rating.

Replacements

Well, the bitter cold of last week has been replaced with the January thaw. The only reason we set new record highs yesterday is because those airports didn't exsist during the last extreme heat wave in 1907. But today's high temperature records were set in 1998, so we'll flirt with breaking those.

January really is a weird month. Artic air reaches down to Florida, then the tropical air surges back to New England. Still, I get nervous since my leave year rolls over on the 19th and I start from zero for the last part of the year. The sad fact is the year I started with this company, that last week was filled with a terrible ice and snow storm. Eek! Definitely don't change companies in January if you can help it. Unless of course, they give you leave up front instead of making you earn it.

Still, it is nice to be able to open up the windows and air out the place in January. It gets so stagnant in winter. And I'm stuck doing clean up chores outside in this nice weather. There isn't enough daylight (and warm temperatures) to relax. *sigh*

Bye Bye Barry

The remnants of Tropical Storm Barry moved through the area yesterday, dropping less than an inch of rain. Much needed rain. It was the fourth driest May on record.

I bought my own canoe Friday night and spent the weekend learning that I have lost any and all upper body muscles. At the lake we also spotted beavers, a bald eagle, and a tiny fawn. It was so young it didn't move when we approached it.

I would have mowed my lawn, but between the heat and Barry, I didn't get around to it. We'll see if it is try enough tonight, when it is actually cool.

Code Orange

Well, it's been awhile since the DC region got its last serious rainfall. A couple of hit or miss storms over Memorial Day weekend didn't cut it. There are a lot of regions, outside of my little area of wetlands, that have dusty dirt. We seriously need rain, and it doesn't appear to be coming until next week, if then.

In addition, today is hitting hazy, hot, and humid. Not even June and we're in a summer patter with highs in the 90s predicted. Which is a Code Orange air day. Not good for the breathing. :(

30s Free

Well, it seems the last date for lows in the 30s for the DC metro is May 22nd. And then we're good until September 22nd. What a delightful growing season.

I don't think much of beer as slug bait. Only a handful of slugs have flung themselves to their doom since Sunday. Granted, that's more than my usual ignore them campaign, but less than my squishing session. If they stuck to the hostas or the beebalm, I wouldn't care at all, but they are going gaga in the iris.

Cold Snap

So, after a nice long weekend, I forgot to set my alarm clock last night. I ended up waking up an hour late and doing the 15-minute drill this morning. It turns out to have been a good thing. It meant that I didn't wander outside without a coat to put birdseed out. (Poor birds.) But it meant that I peeked at the thermometer to know which gloves to wear. It was 20 degrees. BRRRRRRR!!!! And to think on Monday, I opened up the windows in the computer room at night to cool it down because of the heat from the computer! Yikes, what a change!

Luckily, it was very low humidity, so no ice scraping. But my poor car was sluggish and still needed the time to warm up. I'd better get up early tomorrow. They're talking snow.

Freaky Fog

I'm still trying to remember to upload my photos of my Christmas tree, but so far, no good. I did decorate it last Friday. Maybe tonight.

We had some freaky fog yesterday in the area. It remained 20 degrees cooler in the low lying areas with exceedingly low visability all day! That is not normal in the DC region. Normally the sun bakes it off by midday. And on top of all of that, by three in the afternoon, it starting creeping out of those areas. Eep. Not good to have fog for the morning and evening rush hours!

A Little Average

Well, keeping true to form this year, after a cold snap, we're seeing temperatures in the 60s most of this week. A bit cooler today, but that's because some rain is coming through.

It is a little disappointing that our weather this year is going down in the history books as close to average. With the high highs and the low lows, it still comes out average in the end. Although, I like warm temperatures in December, I'd still prefer that we stay on a steady trend of average. That way I at least don't have to keep switching coats each week.

Heavy Coat

Well, winter weather has finally arrived. Yesterday it didn't get out of the 40s. I really needed my winter jacket yesterday. But somehow, 30s don't feel as cold before dawn, as they do in the evening. So, I broke out my winter jacket this morning. It is not going to be any warmer today.

Mild and Wild

So, the weather has been wonderfully mild the last few days. Daylilies are even sneaking in an extra flowering for the year. Which is good, one burnt dinner means I need to air out the house, and air out the house and buy tons of air freshners.

Unfortunately, that changes today. There is a wicked storm system heading up the coast to combine with something coming across from Ohio. Downpours and wind advisories are forecast. Birdfeeder and pansies were brought in. Everything else should be low enough or heavy enough not to go flying. I really need to plant those new pansies. But then we're good here until Thanksgiving.

Fog in the Headlights

Wow, the fog was really thick last night. Totally obscured the light pollution from the city. Very weird. But it was clear on the roads. Which is a good thing.

Saw a deer in the development again. Or rather a fawn, so there was a doe somewhere. Thankfully not in front of my car.

My hibiscus is blooming again. We'll see how it does with the transition to inside. Leaves still look good, despite the switch to lower UV. I really should have bought another one this summer. Maybe next year.

Anatomy of a Morning

Change alarm to 6 am.

Wake up to alarm.

Wander outside to see if first frost arrived.

Be very chilly, but relieved that there is no frost.

Go back to bed.


Well, the temperature dropped into the low 30s, but no frost. Still, the Hibiscus is inside, we'll see how the two flower buds do. I still can't believe it developed two buds while it was chilly out. The amaryllis is in too. That's just waiting for the signal to pull it up to have it bloom for Christmas. Or rather New Years, since I visit my folks for Christmas.

Last night I cut the back lawn. No sight of Perseus the Toad, but then it was too chilly for toads, and there wasn't any sun. Man, I'd forgotten how nice it is to mow the lawn and not be drenched in sweat afterwards. Although, it does seem like the grass is settling in for winter. I didn't need to empty the bagger as many times as I did. I was also very careful while mowing the strip that is going to be a garden next year. That's where I've been spotting Perseus and she might have been dug in there.

Indian Summer

Indian summer is a meteorological term that genearlly refers to a warm period after the first frost of the year. Usually this varies depending on the region. But is traditionally in October or November. Although, some regions that lack frosts or exceedingly late frosts, call the transition period from summer thunderstorms to calm autumn weather an Indian summer.

To be honest, it's going to be gorgeous the next two days. Highs in the 80s, after lows in the 40s last week is scrumptous. Lazy, hazy, clean up the shed for company weather. Too bad it won't last past Thursday.