Winter Is Coming!

[MineralMan]

No, not in Game of Thrones. In Minnesota. Too early. I woke up this morning to 3" of wet, heavy snow on the ground. Global Climate Change has altered the timing of the seasons, I'm pretty sure.

Normally, 3" of snow wouldn't be a problem, really. But many people, like myself, weren't ready for it. My monstrous silver maple tree just finished its annual leaf drop, so I haven't had time to mulch them all. Dump 3" of wet snow on top of wet leaves, and my snowblower is not happy. The leaves and snow mix and clog the outlet of the blower. Yuck!

Anyhow, the driveway and city sidewalks are now clear, but at the expense of my 73-year-old, aching back. My wish is that the precipitation had fallen, instead, in California, which appears to be on fire, again thanks to Global Climate Change, which has denied that state the rain it needs so desperately. I have a nephew who lives with his family in Newbury Park, right where the fire was last night. I haven't heard from him, because he's a Captain with the Los Angeles Fire Department and is off working on the fire.

Anyhow, Winter Is Coming! Beware!

[shraby]

1. We finished up the leaves here yesterday. Couldn't believe the timing.

[MineralMan]

2. Yeah. I should have done that yesterday, too.

I knew there would be a little snow, but wasn't expecting 3". Phooey!

[dembotoz]

17. condo in wisconsin....the landscape grass cutting guys seemed at frantic pitch yesterday

not all that sure what they did but they sure did it

[ProudLib72]

3. You know those kids you're always yelling at to get off your lawn?

It's time to invite them back onto your lawn to clean up the mess.

[MineralMan]

6. LOL!

If only. So far, nobody has come and offered to do the work. Most of the kids in my neighborhood are too young, actually. But, they're all welcome on my lawn, and they know it. On Halloween, we handed out 150 full-sized candy bars to those "rotten little kids."

[ProudLib72]

10. A little preseason bribery can go a long way!

I'd call full sized candy bars thinking ahead...strategically!

[MineralMan]

14. So I believe, too. My wife and I have been doing that for

several years now. The children are familiar with us, since we walk our dogs in the neighborhood every day. They come out to pet the dogs, who love children madly.

They know who has the big candy bars. Yes, they do.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

4. Inch and a half in NW Chicago area. The hanging sun shade over my deck is sagging from the weight.

Normally I've taken the shade and stuff down and moved the bikes indoors by now but election work pushed everything back a few days.

[ananda]

5. It's getting cold here too, down in the 50's.

Brrr

[Siwsan]

7. We got a heavy, wet "dusting", this morning

They said it was 1" but I know I cleared at least 2 off of the car. Fortunately, the road surfaces are still too warm for any build up. Unfortunately, they are warning that the melt will freeze, tonight, and roads might be treacherous.

My back yard, early this morning:

[MineralMan]

9. Looks like your leaves are about to go to ground.

I'm not ready for Winter, yet. Soon, though, I will be.

[Siwsan]

15. They certainly are

I'm not a leaf fuss budget, in the back yard and lot. For the last few years they didn't fall until after the first substantial snow so I cleared up what was left, in the Spring. They are coming down a LITTLE earlier, this year.

[MineralMan]

18. I just mulch mine with the mower.

I hate raking and bagging leaves. It works great, but I hadn't quite gotten to the job yet.

[Siwsan]

19. That was my plan, this year, but the timing just didn't work out

We'll see what happens next week, but again, it's the back yard so I'm not bothered.

[MineralMan]

20. Yeah. I don't' bother with the back yard, either.

I'll mow the leaves next spring back there. We don't really use the back yard. Our dogs do, though, which makes it a bit of a hazard for walking around, anyhow. I fenced it in a few years ago and installed a dog flap through the kitchen wall. They come and go as they please in and out. They have a little porch outside of the flap, with three steps down to the yard.

Oddly enough, they love the snow. As it accumulates, they keep a path open around the perimeter of the yard, with random pathways through the center of the lawn. After each snow, they bound through the snow on that path until it is beaten back down on the pathways. I do shovel off their porch and steps after each snow, though.

[thbobby]

8. Predicted first freeze tonight in North Texas

seems a little early to me, but a farmer friend said it is about right. Not terribly late though. Snow and/or freezing rain forecast for Monday. We probably like Winter here more than people in Minnesota do. I used to live in Detroit and still, I loved winter - but I was a kid then.

[MineralMan]

11. I don't mind winter, really.

I just wasn't quite ready for snow yet. Oh, well.

[MrGrieves]

12. My leaves are not up yet!

If we don't get a break this november I am going to have a nasty spring mess to clean up

[msongs]

13. never snowed there before in November? nt

[MineralMan]

16. Sure it has. I just thought I could get away with

waiting on dealing with the leaves until next week. Wrong again. I'm just grumping a little.

It's going to warm back up to the 40s next week, so i'll mow the fallen leaves into tiny little bits then. I mulch them with the mower, instead of raking and bagging. I think it's easier, and they decay under the snow and fertilize the lawn in the spring.

Usually, I estimate the time of the first snow that's deep enough to need removal better. Oh, well...

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

21. Me either w the leaves. Just leaves.

The trees just hung on to them this year. May just let them go this year. Hate to do it, but, you know...we have to keep doing politics and now the protesting and marches will use up my 'free" time. I only work part time after retirement but, I try to get as many hours in as I can to bolster social security for the coming generations. Every bit helps.
re the yard...They're just leaves. My neighbors never rake anyway so, I usually get to rake about ten bags of theirs that blow in too. Oh well. They're just leaves. (Have I said that enough? heh heh.) First time in over 50 years I have left them in the yard though. I like to be squared away.
Props to your nephew.