Musings

Cyclonic flow effects

Snow almost BW

Late last night the storm settled in and the rain became white stuff. And accumulated. Not in the street, though.

Wheelofsnow

By late afternoon, the wind and a slight rise in temps above freezing (but no sun) removed the snow from the mesh-table. Not warm enough to sit out for cocktails! 😉

Precip variants

Holly berry droplets

We suited up, commensurate with the weather conditions, and braved the drippy rain to get some fresh air. The Guru wisely returned to the house just after it became true rain, while I made an additional loop. My aged raincoat started to let the moisture seep into the nape of my neck and I headed back to the warmth of the house about a dozen minutes behind him.

Snow airborne

Later, well after dark, we got another spate of big, wet snowflakes, and I activated the flash and stepped outdoors to get a quick, impressionistic shot of cold weather in motion.

Brief, I say

Hellebore pair

You’d never guess by the grey, gloomy afternoon we had that we enjoyed several very brief peeps of sunshine in the morning.

Sleet windshield

Even, for a few moments, we saw sleet in the rain. [BTW, I don’t know how the camera made our white car look dark grey or black in this photo.]

Winter IZ here

Birdbath ice

It WAS cold overnight, and nippy even in the sun today. Somehow, I still managed to be surprised to find myself walking on frozen ground in a nearly sun-free alley, and to find the giant ice-lozenge in this blue-blue, sturdy birdbath.

Puddles of the day

Sidewalk puddle

A very rainy morning yielded about 2pm to no-rain and temporary clearing, and I strapped on my walking footwear and headed out. This is the sidewalk-puddle I was looking into when the sun first emerged.

Park puddle

The sun did last through my first tour of the park. It has a special basin for collecting storm water, which today, briefly, made a good reflecting pool.

Park path puddles

By the time I made my return loop perhaps fifteen minutes later, the sun had faded, yet I was still able to see shadows in the park path puddles (say that three times fast!).

By the time I got home it’d been grey for quite a while, no more sun, just overcast. I was encouraged, though, since the rain did not return.

Note grey sky

Bergman luggage

Loving this corner storefront, with the clock on the sign. The building’s now eclipsed by most of its neighbors. Cranes are filling in the empty spots. The airspace above the roads is webbed by trolley and stop-light/signage wires.

Although just above the docks, I’m guessing that Berman Luggage most served Seattle’s residents and not visiting sailors.

Not frozen

O4WP waterfall

I’m starting to get used to the 20° temperature drop that we went through a couple of days ago to reach “normal” temps. Still, I was glad to walk in intermittent sunshine today, and imagine that it made me warmer—and not the act of stepping out….

Another unseasonal bloom

Quince bloom mostly open

This time: the quince. Fully open tomorrow, I expect.

Quince buds

And this was last Saturday.

Photo day

Clara Meer in flood

Here are assorted photos from our Piedmont Park and BotGarden wander today. Lake Clara Meer is in flood; our favorite water’s-edge stroll is under about 15 cm of lake.

Daffodils in December

These 2016 daffodils are here a year early. Those are brilliant red camellias in the background, but this is their regular time to bloom, or only a bit early.

Lichen roof Japanese garden

I love this aggressive moss garden on the shake roof at the Japanese garden.

Fogged conservatory

In one of the “hot houses,” I arrived just after the foggers shut off. Ethereal.

Busy bee

I was a bit surprised to find the honey bees are also around, not just the untimely early flowers.

Adventure close to home

Rain flooded yard

My, was it ever raining hard. We had lake-puddles in the yard. Until the rain faded and the puddles drained away.

Heron in flight

And when there was a break in the precip, I headed out to get some active minutes and fresh air. Maybe in the opposite order.

Poaching in the neighbors’ koi pond, I found a great blue heron. Who decided that I was too close, or perhaps too threatening. And took off. Whatta wingspan!

Great extended family XmasEve event this evening…over in Cabbagetown. Such fun with leeeeetle kids around….