1. Friday the 13th
I do trust that none of you suffers from triskaidekaphobia. That's fear of the number 13, especially Friday the 13th. If you do, I suggest you go back to bed, pull the covers up over your head, and have a restful day. If you cannot do that, I trust you will not have any panic attacks, or unhappy events, as you go about your activities.2. In the Cool Cool, Cool of the Winter
As you know, if you've been reading this blog, or following Canadian weather patterns, it's been a bit nippy in the Bears' neck of the woods. That means temperatures around -25C (or -13F) with wind chills down to about -35C (which is just plain cold in C or F, as in -31F).J, being ever-vigilant, drew to my attention last night that temperatures at this time of year are usually -8°C (a balmy 17 degrees F). So it's cooler than "normal." (Though, in a time of climate change, one has to be careful about what one calls "normal.")
Also, it snowed again last night and this morning. It seems that we've been getting just a touch of snow every day for weeks now. There is enough that I'll actually need to go out and shovel it today. That will be later, as it appears the snow is still falling, and is scheduled to continue for most of the day.
BTW, I've been writing a pome about snow. I'll let you know when I've posted it to my poetry blog. If not today, then likely this weekend.
Speaking of climate change, I hear that Texas, of all places, got a snow storm a few days ago. Did "wonders" for highway and airplane travel. But, I mean, really; how dare they steal our winter weather! (Well, I suppose I should relax about that.) Let's just call it a "cultural exchange" of sorts. Yes, I think that's the right wording.
3. 'Tis the Season
I think most of our Christmas shopping is done. Some extra food in the larder; a few presents for our family. Christmas tree up (thanks to our granddaughter). Load of firewood ordered. Lot of seeds for the birds.The only thing that seems to be missing is a dog. However, we'll have our daughter's dogs with us for a few days (the ones I call "the floor mops on legs," because what's what they look like) while she is out of town on business. Talk about yucky weather and bad timing for travelling! Oh, well!
4. And Now the Time has Come . . .
I think that's about enough for one day. I hope you'll have an excellent weekend, whatever you're doing.Blessings and Bear hugs!
It has been cold here but not that cold. Have a great weekend yourself!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lisa. You're cool enough without our weather.
DeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!
It's a good thing bears have built-in fur coats--they'd look silly in sweaters!!
ReplyDeleteActually, Bears look quite good in sweaters. At least the ones trying to look like Humans do.
DeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!
Yes, 'tis the season all right, Bear. I hope your Friday the 13th goes without incident. For me, it's a lucky day, because my brother was born on one of 'em many years ago. :-)
ReplyDeleteMy Friday the 13th is going just fine, so far, thanks. Happy birthday to your brother, DJan.
DeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!
OH ... and you have to walk the dogs, don't forget!!!!
ReplyDeleteActually, the dogs will walk themselves in our back yard, Helen. I'll just dig them out of the snow piles in which they bury themselves, then bring them inside and thaw them out. Pretty simple.
DeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!
.. giggling now.
DeleteSome years we get a thin sheet of snow or ice here in Las Vegas, I wouldn't mind a little more but doubt it gonna happen. I put up my tree and decorated as well.
ReplyDeleteI could send you a whole train-load of snow from Canada, but I suspect it would all melt before arriving at your place.
DeleteInstead, I'll send you blessings and Bear hug, Mary!
Considering the fact that the event happened well before the introduction of the Julian calendar, it was interesting to learn that according to tradition, on the first Friday the 13th Eve tempted Adam to eat an apple.
ReplyDeleteI'm quite certain that it wasn't quite as cold and snowy here the past three winters as it is right now. Perhaps that means we'll get an early spring. The Texans have been spared long enough.
Now we've mailed all our Christmas cards and sent a few gifts I'm quite content to let the holiday slip past. I hope yours is the best ever in your new home and hopefully there's someone nearby who will be glad to do your shoveling for you - for a reasonable sum.
Peace and Good Will to You and yours, Bear.
As for Adam and Eve, Adam blamed, Eve, Eve blamed the Snake, and the Snake didm;t have a leg to stand on. Friday the 13th or not.
DeleteWith climate change beginning to show its effects, I'm not betting on an early spring or anything like that. And Texas — being spared? Hmmmm.
Thanks for the delightful wishes. I hope you all (including Crow) have a wonderful end to 2013 and delightful start to 2014. As for help with the snow, our son lives less than two blocks away. He can be convinced (or is it bribed?) to help his father deal with any show job that comes our way.
Blessings and Bear hugs, susan!
Texas may have gotten some snow, but I don't know where. Texas is a mighty big state. You can count on me to say it's not snowing and will never snow where I am. It's about 65 degrees.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie, who encourages you to wear your long johns.
Hello, Janie!
DeleteI've been having problems sending you messages, so I need to test the system a bit.
DeleteFurther, then to your response: After extensive research, my usually reliable source tell me that the Dallas-Fort Worth area experiences a significant snow job. But since that area is virtually at the other end of the world from you, I can understand you may have missed the memo on that.
DeletePlease continue enjoying the 18 degree weather in your snowless land. (That's 18°C, or 65°F) We'll keep mushing along as usual.
Blessings and Bear hugs!
I don't envy you your weather. I don't think I'd be tough enough to survive it. I hope your house is well insulated and that you will have plenty of firewood. That's a very cozy way to keep warm. xox
ReplyDeleteWell,Irene, the weather is what it is. The house is not that well insulated, but it's not to bad. But it's not too bad, between the natural gas furnace and the wood fireplace. (We laid in part of a winter's worth of firewood yesterday.) So we are cozy enough. If not, the fastest way to warm up is by putting on a sweater.
DeleteBlessing and Ber hugs!
I hope you have an excellent weekend too ;o) Sounds like everything is in order at your house ;o) It's cool here too and we have snow, but not that much! Big Hugs ;o)
ReplyDeleteWe've been having an excellent weekend, thank you. As I mentioned to Irene, we've got part of our winter's wood supply. I hope you're not getting too cool!
DeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!
Oh BRRRRRRR! I will stay in Texas, thank-you-very-much, even with that awful ice!
ReplyDeleteBirds? I think our birds gave up but I have seen some hawks lately!
Warm bear hugs to you and yours. Stay warm!
No, no, no Refffie! It's not BRRRRRRR!. It's brisk, bracing, and invigorating! The bird are still coming to the feeders, and I got yet another feeder as a Christmas present last night at our daughter's annual, big Christmas WAHOO Christmas!
DeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!
Bear, there I was, thinking that a few below freezing days in NYC with snow arriving tomorrow, meant that we were in the grips of winter. Even before winter officially arrives.
ReplyDeleteAnd then, I read your post and was reminded that we are cold weather babies down here.
I am trying to remain relaxed about my own Christmas preparations. Little by little.
May I deduce that hibernation is not yet in effect up there in Canada?
xo
I must admit, Frances, that "cold" is a relative term. It tall depends whether your relatives are in western Canada, or on the Atlantic seaboard.
DeleteDelighted to hear all your Christmas plans are progressing so well. You are the giver of the most delightful presenst.
As for hibernation, I should be sound asleep by now. But, as I mentioned a while ago, the Cubs have absolutely no interest in hibernation, so they are upsetting all our schedules. I hope I don't get too cranky before the winter is over.
Blessing and Bear hugs!
The coldest I can ever recall experiencing was 3 F. I was in college going from one class to another and I thought the wind and cold was going to crack my knees apart. I can't imagine what you are living with.
ReplyDeleteOnly 4.5 more hours of 13th. So far so good. :)
EnJoy the remainder of you weekend, Bear.
Sorry to hear of your cold-weather experience. You were obviously not dressed for the occasion. Back in those days, perhaps, a seal-skin parka would have been an excellent fashion statement that kept you cozy warm.
DeleteWe've had a good weekend. Hope yours was the same.
Blessings and Bear hugs!
Hope you have a wonderful weekend as well. Stay warm! ♥
ReplyDeleteWe had a wonderful weekend, thank you, Kathy, and even managed to stay (more or less) warm. Hope you did the same.
DeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!
Yes Texas is getting more snow than usual! My son who has lived there 2 years told me that their area only gets what he calls "vanity snow", just enough to look pretty, then it melts.
ReplyDelete"Vanity snow"! What a delightful term. If he can turn a phrase like that, he should be a writer. Like his Mom.
DeleteBlessings and Bear hugs to all your crew!
Sounds like you are having a true winter, Bear.
ReplyDeleteAnd I know that bears rest and relax during that time of the year, so don't forget to do both.
Sending you warm hugs,
Jackie
Thanks of the hugs, Jackie. I have been looking forward to hibernation for some time. But the Cubs have decided they're not hibernating, and since they spend a lot of their time here, I'm nog sure whether J or I will get any hibernation time at all. This is really serious, if you're a Bear.
DeleteAnd, yes, winter is upon us. Snow every day — and its' starting to add up.
Blessings and Bear hugs in the meantime!
C-c-c-c-cold temps those are. I bet it is beautiful up there in the snow, however. It warms my heart thinking about your well-stocked firewood supply and ample seeds for the birds.
ReplyDeleteHope you will remind me about your poem when it is up.
Cuddle up with that floppy-mopsy and have a good weekend, Bear.
Well, yes, the weather is a bit on the cooler side, but we're surviving, with firewood, and birdseed, and food for ourselves.
DeleteI've had a reasonably relaxed weekend (aside from stacking firewood), but I haven't finished the poem. Perhaps tomorrow.
Blessings and Bear hugs, Lydia!
Friday's good. Saturday's better.
ReplyDeleteBut you've got to watch out for Monday!
DeletePeace and joy!
True enough.
DeleteHope you survived yesterday unscathed. We are dogless too, first time in over fifty years for me, very strange feeling.
ReplyDeleteWe're doing just fine, Cait. I could have a half share in a Irish Wolf Hound cross, but he is rather large, and sleeps elsewhere, so I'm not so sure about that. But it is strange without a dog!
DeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!
Dallas really did get a bad mess of ice- I'm thankful it didn't do much here, except scare everyone into buying all the milk and bread in the area.
ReplyDeleteFriday thirteens don't usually bother me much- but I should probably go find some wood to knock on..just in case.
Glad you've survived the cooler weather, though having bread and milk would have been nice. Also glad you survived Friday.
DeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!
Dear Bear
ReplyDeleteWell your birds are well taken care of. I have bags of bird seed, too, in the garage. Your temps are the same as ours but for some reason, my old house couldn't take it this year. Never a prob. before. I think you know 2 pipes burst. Ka-boom. Your new house is a lot better constructed, I'm sure. But it didn't touch the upstairs so that is where I sleep and hang out. What a merry time you'll have in your new home.
Button up your overcoat.
OH, dear! I seem to have missed your comment. That will never do!
DeleteThanks for all the kind wishes. And our new-to-us house was built in 1928, so it isn't all that new, and because it is not-that-well insulated we keep wondering about the possibility of burst pipes. (We've also been thinking of using some of our closets as auxiliary refrigerators.)
I trust you'll have a wonderful year-end, and will be able to find a contractor who can help fix your house.
Blessings and Bear hugs!
I've just come by to read your reply to the comment I left a couple of days ago (the 13th) and see that it isn't here. Now I can't recall quite all I wrote but I do remember mentioning the strange case that the traditional reason for understanding a Friday 13th is because that's when Eve shared a forbidden apple with Adam. Didn't this happen before the Julian calendar was devised?
ReplyDeleteI said too that I hope you'll have some help with the snow shoveling.
Well, susan, I put on my deerstalker hat, assumed my Holmsian mind-set, and sleuthed out your missing message. In fact, I've already replied to it. Clever Bear, or what?
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I got help with the snow shovelling.
Blessings and Bear hugs!
I am not afraid of Friday the 13th. And I have to say it looks kind of cold there! I am ready for Christmas too.
ReplyDeleteGlad to know the 13th is an OK day for you, and that you're ready for Christmas. I expect to be ready for Christmas by early January.
DeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!
Can't wait for the poem! :)
ReplyDeleteEep that's horribly cold! Thinking of you while I die of the heat in South Africa. :-P
ReplyDeletePhew, I survived Friday the 13th... Just wanted to wish you Nadolig Llawen. Bear hugs back xxx
ReplyDeleteThis is a year in which you have survived a number of things, Friday the 13th being the least of your concerns. So glad you are still with us, and great to hear from you!
DeleteBlessings, Bear hugs and Nadolig Llawen!
At least with the living floor mops it will cut back on housekeeping duties!
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely holiday my ursine buddy! love , zoe and the caniche!
Truth be told, the floor mops are capable of causing more housekeeping problems than less. But they are our daughter's dogs, our grandpuppies, so. . . .
DeleteThanks for the holiday greetings. The same to you and your caniche!
Blessings and Bear hugs!