Sunday, January 14, 2007

Ice On The Whiskers

Heidi and I went for a walk this morning while it was still 16 degrees out. Ice formed on my whiskers at the corner of my mouth. That was a first for me.
We didn't get as much snow as the Seattle area; sounds like it's been nicely coated up there. We couldn't have made a snowman on our little bit of precipitation. But I've really been enjoying the insanely sparkly ice-crystals that form when it is this cold. And the frost-heaves have been stupendously long and impressive.
Cool to note is that wherever the clover sprouted (which I planted in the fall) the frost heaves are completely absent; even if the clover is thin and sparse. Then, immediately adjacent, the dirt has erupted 2-3 inches with myriad miniature ice-columns.
Also neat is how much heat we can capture on these clear days, even when it stays in the thirties outside. With my office door closed, it went from 63 in the morning to 74 around noon, when I opened my door do cool off.
This is my 300th post!

4 comments :

Anonymous said...

That's neat, the snow on your whiskers, the 300th post and the wonders of clover! Us, we are still shivering our timbers!

Anonymous said...

Bah!! I was looking for a picture of you with frost on your whiskers, but NO!, no picture. Next time take one!!

Also watch for frost on the eyebrows.

It could go right alongside your "wild man in the woods" photo that you use with your "About Me".

Those little ice crystals poking up through the dirt are neat aren't they!? I've seen them on wet lowlands when hiking in the wilderness.

Anonymous said...

I'll bet you could cajole Great Grumpy into showing you some photos of the group of us snowshoeing in the Cascades in 1968 or so. I remember at least one person wearing a beard, and that beard wearing a frost beard. Unfortunately I don't remember who it was, but I know it wasn't me.

Lief said...

I had a frosty beard once, what seems like ages ago, in Arnemark Sweden.
This weather reminds me of that christmas, -40C°. I didn't do much hiking though. Everyone thought I was crazy wanting to go for a walk every night around midnight, which I did.
Once I forgot my hat, my ears weren't covered, and by the time I realized how cold they were getting I was 150 yards from the house. By the time I rushed back inside I was afraid they were going to turn black and break off. They hurt like a 1st degree sunburn.

Of course, the temperature had ample time to get that cold since the sun was only up for about 40 minutes a day that far north. We don't have that added help here and it has stayed cold for a week!

Great job on your straw bale house Jamey and Heidi, this winter is really a wonderful proving ground and a justification by itself.