A nice break in winter

[Rick Potter]

Winter in So Cal is mostly weather in the 50's with overcast clouds and some rain. We have had a wet winter this year, 20" at my house since Jan. 1 (that's a whole normal winter), but today we got a nice break. An unseasonable 82 degrees right now, and I used the AC in the car. A nice break, 81% chance of rain tomorrow.

Our temperature depends on whether the storms come from the North or South Pacific.

[Matt Day]

Seriously? You need a break from 50's in, what you seem to think is, the "winter"?

Sorry, just jealous.

[Jim Becker]

Ha!! Wednesday it was 65º and sunny here and our honeybees were enjoying a nice mid-winter "bathroom break" doing circles around their hives. Today, as I write this, it's 19º out less wind chill and there is a few inches of snow on the ground. Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter all in one week!

[John K Jordan]

Wednesday in TN I was working outside in a tee shirt and today the water in the llamas tub had ice on the top. Our weather depends on whether it comes from the warm gulf or frigid Canada. We are often right on the edge of things, too far south for the fun Jim is having now.

I've spent considerable time in middle and southern California and every time I start to think of the great weather I remind myself that's why it is so crowded now and the cost of living so high.

JKJ

[Wayne Lomman]

It's been a cool summer here in Tasmania. Not much above 20C and this morning the first poplars are turning yellow so autumn is here. I guess it's green tomato pickles this year. Cheers

[Brian W Smith]

Rode motorcycle on Wednesday,low 70's

[Bruce Wrenn]

Mid seventies last Wed., thunder storms early yesterday morning, lower 20's this morning, expected to be in upper 70's on Sunday. No snow in forecast!

[Brian Tymchak]

Pretty much a snow drought in central OH-IO and temperatures for the most part have been well above normal. My lawn never went fully dormant. Still green. Very unusual. I'm worried we're going to have the flowering and fruit trees bud up and then get nailed by a freeze.

[Dave Anderson NH]

20F out right now. We got 16" of white sunshine yesterday. Still slightly below the normal snowfall for the year since we've only had about 45" so far. More snow tomorrow, possibly Sunday, and certainly on Monday.

To the New England folks who have lived here all their lives and still complain about the snow.... It's New England, it's Winter, it snows, what's the big surprise?

[Bert Kemp]

Dave I miss the snow I really do, just hate to have to move it LOL I don't miss the wind and bone chilling cold tho.

20F out right now. We got 16" of white sunshine yesterday. Still slightly below the normal snowfall for the year since we've only had about 45" so far. More snow tomorrow, possibly Sunday, and certainly on Monday.

To the New England folks who have lived here all their lives and still complain about the snow.... It's New England, it's Winter, it snows, what's the big surprise?

[Rich Riddle]

Rick,

I am guessing you are saying you have had 20" of snow, not 20" of rain, since January 1.

[John K Jordan]

Pretty much a snow drought in central OH-IO and temperatures for the most part have been well above normal. My lawn never went fully dormant. Still green. Very unusual. I'm worried we're going to have the flowering and fruit trees bud up and then get nailed by a freeze.

Around here many trees and shrubs are budding, leafing, and flowering. Earlier this week bees were in the red maples, one plumb tree looks green from 50' away, the blueberries are budding, I took pictures of daffodils, amaryllis are 8" high, one bush by the house is covered by yellow flowers, and I see other flowers around. The peacocks, and turkeys were fully into their spring mating behavior.

Then I woke up to temps in the mid 20s. What a confusing winter!

JKJ

[John K Jordan]

Ha!! Wednesday it was 65º and sunny here and our honeybees were enjoying a nice mid-winter "bathroom break" doing circles around their hives. ...

Oh Jim, if you haven't done so be sure to check the hives' honey stores. My very wise elderly bee guy warned me months ago that this winter would likely be warmer than usual. The bees then fly more than usual and use far more energy than when huddled, depleting their food supply. He said people often lose hives in a warm winter. This is the opposite of what I imagined.

I know I see a lot flying here during warm spells, some far from the hives. When I wear a bright fluorescent yellow jacket or shirt bees always approach and land, I guess to see if I'm a big flower. I also see them foraging in mass for water.

This year I'm using thin "winter patties" (placed on top the upper frames below the inner cover) that the bees can eat during warm spells when feeding syrup won't work. I also saved two full supers of honey in a chest freezer to thaw and put on top of light hives if needed. I don't disrupt the hives and pull out frames for an inspection but just lift the back to try to get a feel for the weight.

Hey, I wonder if anyone makes a thin scale that can be slipped under the the back of the hive to eliminate the guesswork. Ooo, I just had an idea - a fish scale suspended from a stick frame with a thin metal hook on the end and a cable crank (or lever) at the top to lift the back of the hive - I can make that.

JKJ

[Jim Becker]

John, Professor Dr. SWMBO has checked them periodically and they have both their own stores as well as supplemental from her. I provided 2" feeding shims with doors on the back to assist with the latter and that's worked out nicely since she can check feed without pulling off the quilt boxes.

[Rick Potter]

Rich,

Nope, that was 20" of rain. Plenty of snow on the mountains behind us. They even had an avalanche on Mt. Baldy right behind us, and had to rescue some people. The daughter has a condo in Big Bear lake at the 6,000 foot level, and it had 4' of snow. She couldn't go up there because they had the lot plowed, and they left a 10' high pile of snow/ice right in front of the access to several buildings. Idiot plow guy. The other side of the parking lot is empty ground.