Temperatures here have gone downhill steadily from about 22 degrees this morning to now 5 below, and still falling, I expect.  There is a bit of wind out there, too, so it feels like somewhere between -10 and -20 degrees.  We had nearly 5 inches of new snow that fell during the day and night yesterday; today we've gained another 3 inches or so.  Too bad it's so darned cold - but there were skiers and boarders out on the slopes today, taking advantage of the holiday.  Reports were that there weren't any crowds to contend with, though.  Most people probably thought it was too darned cold to be out there unless you absolutely had to be.  

Our friend came back today from visiting her son in Anchorage, Alaska.  I just checked and the weather is a balmy 32 degrees there, and daytime temperatures are expected to be in the 40s - ABOVE zero!  While we're enjoying more like 40 below, if the predictions are correct.  Trouble is, they don't get much daylight this time of year, and that could be depressing, I guess.  Besides that, I imagine there will be plenty of cold and snow coming at them before the winter is over, too.

We've had lots of requests for Ice Out tickets from far off places recently - California, Texas and today Missouri.  I've sent tickets to lots of folks in Vermont, too, so folks are beginning to think about the contest; or maybe they're thinking about spring, wishing the ice would go out and we'd be shed of this see-saw weather pattern we have been experiencing.  I agree it would be nice to have it a tad more moderate - and predictable - but I often think of what my mother used to tell me when I was young and complained that I wished time would move faster for some reason, and she'd say, "Don't wish your life away."   I didn't fully understand then, but time takes on more importance when one gets older, so now, after decades of busy a life, I look back at how quickly time has passed and wonder where it all went.  So, although I would so enjoy nicer weather, I would not be willing to skip over the next couple of months to get it.

Be warm and safe, and don't forget to keep animals inside and warm, too.  Whenever Woody goes outside, even if it's only into the garage these cold nights, we set our kitchen timer for five or ten  minutes - just in case he forgets how to knock, we don't want him to get left out there too long.

Fred took this picture of the moon one morning a couple days ago.  It was around 6 a.m. and it was just disappearing behind the trees west of our house.  I guess it would be called a moonset . . . or maybe not.  Anyway, it was very pretty, and within a few minutes, was out of sight behind the trees.