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Window of opportunity

5/13/2023

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"Life is a window of opportunity."

According to various sites on the internet, the saying was attributed to several authors and inspirational speakers including American physician Dr. Debasish Mridha.

I much preferred that take on the saying rather than the definitions of the phrase "window of opportunity."
"A favorable opportunity for doing something that must be seized immediately," was what the Oxford Languages site said. 
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Those words suggested a direct call to action that cannot be postponed.

Several sites said once the window was closed the opportunity was gone forever.

I found this to be true as I waited for the orioles and hummingbirds to appear for photo-ops at the feeders.

They would not come forward if I had the sliding glass door open.

​They would venture close if I had the door completely closed. So I seized the opportunity and took photos through the glass. While they weren't as crisp in focus as I like, I found that the glass acted as a filter. It kind of put an artistic blur on the photos. Plus, things may have been better if the window was clean, but I have slobber dogs. 

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However, as more and more summer birds arrive, the opportunities abound for photos without the window.

I was able to capture a male hummingbird taking a break.

​First one male showed up. Then two males were there. Then fights over the feeder began. Another feeder was added in a different area. 
Still skirmishes at both feeders erupted. Add into the equation three or four females, and the feeders were very lively places. Several pairs of orioles seemed to appear overnight.

They wanted me to seize the opportunity immediately to fill the jelly feeders that they were rapidly depleting. 
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On a side note, my memories on Facebook brought up two photos from two different years that both featured snow on the hummingbird feeders. Ironically, they were both taken on May 9. Fortunately, this year no snow on May 9. 
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Unfortunately while I was able to use a window for photo opportunities, they don't provide good opportunities for birds. There were multitudes of articles about bird-window collisions. An article titled "Opening the black box of bird-window collisions" on Science Daily delved into a study by ​researchers from Western University and Purdue University on the subject. 
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Bird-window collisions happen all over the world throughout the year, but the frequency and severity of collisions seem to be underestimated by the public, especially at residential settings," wrote Brendon Samuels, the first author. 
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An article on dezeen.com provided sobering stats on the issue. 
"Collisions with buildings cause billions of bird deaths a year. As many as one billion birds are killed this way every year in the US alone ...", according to the post. 
"Public awareness of bird-window collisions has grown in recent years, thanks to surveys for dead birds beneath windows.

​However, as collisions events are difficult to observe directly, there are still major gaps in understanding how and why birds fly into windows, and what happens to the birds afterwards," said the post on Science Daily. 
The post on dezeen.com also mentioned that studies reported that the size of the window didn't seem to matter or have an effect on the overall issue. 
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Meanwhile, several birding sites provided some ideas like window decals that may help curb the collisions. 
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Audubon Pennsylvania and The Audubon Society, both had great articles on the subject. 
Closer to home, we have two wildlife rehabilitation centers that can provide aid for birds injured in window strikes. 

Skye’s Spirit Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Harrisville can be contacted by phone at 814-786-9677 or on their website. 
Tamarack Wildlife Center can be reached by phone at 814-763-2574 or on their site. 
Meanwhile at the pond, while the frogs were safe from window collisions. They weren't so safe from Sadie, the Newfoundland.
An opportunity presented itself when a large bullfrog refused to engage in Sadie's intimidation tactics.

The encounter lasted a brief minute. I was giggling the entire time and trying to steady the camera.
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In the back of my mind, I was slightly fearful that she might actually get this one.
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However, I didn't have to worry as this one got away like many others before it. 

I was able to capture the action and a somewhat surprised Sadie. 
Sadie continued to wait for her window of opportunity when frog hunting.
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I hoped that that opportunity would never come and that the window remained closed. 
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Opportunities for flora photos abounded this week. In the woods and fields, the ragwort added some yellow to the landscape.

​Lady slipper orchids were preparing their slipper-like blooms. Back in the garden while some tulips started to fade, others were still holding onto their petals. 
Trail camera photos and a photo I took showed some of the neighbor does were looking a little round. I hoped that this year I would have a window of opportunity for some fawn photos.

That window was usually closed to me, but open for the trail cameras.

Windows of opportunity open and close. When you see one, you should probably take it. However, don't mourn if you miss it.

There may be another window open somewhere. Nonetheless, the window of opportunity to prevent bird-window collisions is wide open. 
That's just the nature of things 'round here. ​
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Not as planned

4/29/2023

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My idea of what spring weather should have looked like obviously wasn't shared by Mother Nature. The National Weather Center Climate Prediction Center's six to 10-day outlook for May 5-9 showed regional temperatures leaning toward below normal.

However, an updated graphic for May 8-12 showed a trend toward warmer than normal temps. 
​Both graphics listed a chance of near normal precipitation in spite of a nearly continuous forecasts of rain.

The rain was forecast to give way to some sunnier skies. However, that was only after the region suffered through a couple of cold days which included snow.  In fact, the National Weather Service reported Tuesday that "the coldest high temperatures on record for May 2 were observed today. The high at Pittsburgh was 44. The previous coldest high temperature recorded was 47, which was set in 1897. "

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Hence, my plans for yardwork and mowing were again put on hold. Forecasts of warmer weather for the weekend got me optimistic. However, Mother Nature often has different plans than that of the meteorologists.  Honestly though, I wasn't in too much of a hurry to mow as most of the yard sported lovely crop of violets. 
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Kennedy worked to help out with the mowing. However, he's not very thorough and doesn't discriminate between grass and landscape plantings. 
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I had schemed to take a few photos of the dogs underneath the flowering crabapple tree before it succumbed to below freezing temperatures at night. To my surprise, it survived several cold nights with many of its blooms still intact and filling the air with a sweet fragrance. 
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As far as the dogs and blooms photos, some turned out. Others made me laugh. Several serious poses were intermingled with shots of canines searching for treats. 
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Meanwhile at the neighbor's pond, I had expected to be photographing a mallard couple and possibly some ducklings. However, they flew the coop, so to speak, and haven't been seen in a few weeks. 
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Nonetheless, a pair of Canada geese appeared at the pond. Within a few days the mother goose was sitting on a nest. I hoped against all odds that the area predators would let the young ones hatch and thrive. 
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The male goose had been protecting his mate and the nest. He patrolled the pond to make sure the canine swimmers stuck to the designated swimming area and away from his family.

I helped in this regard too. The dogs were restricted access to the area of the pond where the nest was.

Sunday's walk around the pond dashed my plans of some gosling photos.

​It appeared as if something had scared the mother goose off of the nest. It was unclear whether she had been killed or just threatened enough to leave. Eggs were scattered about the nest area. Unfortunately, with all the predator traffic through the pond area, it was just not the best neighborhood for raising young waterfowl. 

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Meanwhile, attempts to get an action shot of a frog jumping did not go as planned. The focus of the photo was rather tasteless. All I could do was repeat several internet sites that claimed, "Frogs will urinate when scared, stressed or want to get rid of a predator." 
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Other photos focused on flora turned out better. Forest and fields continued to be filled with new life. I even spotted the leaves of a lady slipper plant emerging. 
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The first meadow fritillary butterfly of the season surprised me last week with an appearance. Other than the mourning cloaks, other butterflies seemed nonexistent so far this season. 
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With the arrival of one hummingbird more than a week ago, I had planned on seeing more of them. However, that little fellow also flew the coop after only a three-day visit. I haven't observed another hummingbird since then. Nonetheless, the hummingbird and oriole feeders are stocked and ready for the winged-ones arrivals whenever they get here.

​That's just the nature of things 'round here. 
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Planting patience

4/18/2023

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"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished" – Lao Tzo
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An April warm spell had me panicking that I was desperately behind in yard work.

Observations from my commute included folks lawn mowing and unloading various yard work supplies like garden soil and fertilizer. After arriving home, I glanced out the window at my yard that is still populated by many sticks from the various and sundry windstorms.

​ I felt woefully lax in the attention to my landscaping. However, Kennedy, the goat has been a beneficiary of several of the downed branches. 
 
However, a little research on local weather statistics eased my anxiety just a bit. 

​A chart on the National Weather Service’s page of first and last dates spelled out the first and last time temperatures were less than 32 degrees.
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The list of basically the latest frost in the spring ran from 2016 to 2022. Those dates were listed as May 16, 2016; May 9, 2017; April 30, 2018; April 29, 2019; May 14, 2020; May 10, 2021; and April, 30, 2022.
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So while the mercury was rising, the threat of frost remained possible at least until mid-May. 
However, the National Weather Service office in Pittsburgh posted on its Facebook page on April 20, stating, "The growing season is now active in the entire NWS Pittsburgh forecast area, with the addition of the remaining forecast zones as of today. Frost/Freeze alerts will be issued as needed."

Henceforth the service will be issuing alerts until the threat of frost has subsided.

​A quick look at the upcoming forecast led me to believe that a weather statement may indeed be issued for next Monday night.
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On a side note, Franklin may have set a new high temperature for April 15. A look at National Weather Service records for that date, revealed that while the normal temperature should have been around 60 degrees, that day a temperature of 86 degrees was recorded and marked as the new high for that date. 

While a temperature of 81 degrees was documented on April 16, 2023; it fell short of the record of 87 degrees recorded in 2003.

​However, the National Weather Services' Climate Prediction Center's eight to 14-day outlook for April 25 to May 1, forecasted below normal temperatures for the region and near normal precipitation for that date range. 
Nonetheless, the warmer mid-April temps seemed to have blooms bursting forth everywhere.

In the woodlands, the serviceberry shrubs were gracing the landscapes with their white blossoms. ​
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A variety of violets seemed to materialize overnight.

I felt that some of their blooms could have been inhibited by the drier weather. I had kept my eye on a halberd-leaved violet that sports a yellow bloom.

​However, before it opened, the plant disappeared. I had bad feeling that Kennedy may have had something to do with the 
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missing violet. Nonetheless, I was able to locate a few uneaten violets that were blooming. ​
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May apple plants emerged from the ground just in time to open their umbrellas for a few April showers.
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 A quick check of the weather statistics through April 20 for Franklin showed that the region was lacking in precipitation accumulation. The normal accumulation for this time period is 2.77 inches. To date Franklin has received 1.79 inches which is almost an inch below normal.

​The region was nowhere near the total for 2011 which was 6.78 inches. However, this year is shaping up to be better than the year without April showers, 2012, where a .36 inches of precipitation was recorded. 
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"Meanwhile back in the backyard, the spring flowers were displaying their colors.

​Narcissus, daffodils and more were staging brilliant appearances. However, I noticed that some of their performances appeared to be short-lived. 

A post by Jeff Cooper at shuncy.com, offered insight on daffodils and the heat. 

"In hot climates, daffodils prefer temperatures between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. ... If the temperature rises above 75 degrees Fahrenheit, the flowers may wilt or be damaged by the heat," Cooper posted. 

​So a few of the region's 80-degree-days may have in fact decreased the lifespan of some of the spring flowers. 
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With the onset of a couple more 80-degree days, more wilted nasturtiums and daffodils were seen. 


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Nonetheless, the white daffodils I planted last fall have bloomed. They were, as feared, about two feet away from the other spring posies' location. That just meant that they stood out even more. They stood out enough for Kennedy to eat at least one blossom off of a flower. 
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One of my first tulips of the season opened up during the warmer weather, only to close up later when the cold air arrived. Nonetheless, warmer days prompted many more to show off their colors. 
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​There were a few flowers whose early arrival triggered some worry.

Crabapple tree blossoms, peach tree blooms and bleeding hearts could all be susceptible to a hard frost. 

I held out hope that the plants would have a little patience and hold off until the danger of freezing temperatures had passed.

However, the crabapple tree was coaxed into blooming by a couple of warmer days this week.

​Sadly its blooms may succumb to colder temperatures forecasted for the beginning of next week. 
Nonetheless, flowers weren't the only ones showing off their colors.

​I managed to find a cooperative red admiral butterfly who would sit still for a photo. 
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There were still several mourning cloaks flitting around in the woods. However, they were much too busy with mating rituals and territory skirmishes to pause for a picture. 
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The first hummingbird of the season arrived April 16 at the feeder. I shuddered when I watched him return to the feeder on a very cold April 17. I first thought this was just a migrant passing through, but he had continued to show up to feed in the evenings. 
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A few purple finches also visited the feeders in the yard. I was still waiting on the orioles to show up when a Facebook post on the Pennsylvania Birding page stated that one had been sighted in southern Butler County on April 20.

​ I surmised that I had better break out the grape jelly and get ready for their arrival. 
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Yard work procrastination or planting patience was an issue that plagued me as the weather had its ups and downs. I turned to the internet for some inspiring quotes on patience. 
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One of my favorites was attributed to British horticulturist Gertrude Jekyll. 
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​"A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust," Jekyll was quoted with. 
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A quote by Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu also hit home. 
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"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished," Lao Tzo said. 
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Another preferred quote on patience was attributed to American poet. Ralph Waldo Emerson.  
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​“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience," said Emerson. 
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As I dealt with the rising and falling temperatures and pending yardwork, a quote from Saint Francis de Sales provided me with inspiration. 
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“Have patience with all things, but, first of all with yourself," was attributed to the Roman Catholic Saint. 
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While I felt as patient as a chipmunk gorging itself on birdseed, I will try to slow down and enjoy the spring season.

​That' s just the nature of things 'round here. 
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Rough road

4/11/2023

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There are times in our lives when we choose the hard way despite easier paths being available. That happened earlier this month with Sherman.

In some of the parts where we roam, there has been some timbering and excavation activity. The digging had changed the shortcut that Sherman used to take down a hill. There is a less challenging way to descend. However, Sherman remained set in his ways and chose the hard way down.

​I too, was set in my ways and learned a lesson the hard way recently. Rain and darker skies led me to not carry all of my camera equipment one day earlier this month. I figured that I would not see anything on such a dreary day. I did have a camera with me, but not with the zoom lens. Low and behold, when we arrived at the neighbor's pond there were waterfowl that I had not seen before.

​I snapped a photo or two, but the ducks were too far away. Luckily, some folks on a birding Facebook page were able to identify the winged visitors as hooded mergansers. Lesson learned the hard way; I should have just packed the lens and left the regrets behind. 

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I did have my zoom lens handy for capturing a Cooper's hawk that has been hanging around. 
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An Eastern phoebe that had returned to the neighbor's pond this spring was kind enough to pause for a photo. 
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A  red-tailed hawk was showing off its soaring skills on a sunny day earlier this month.

A clear blue sky provided an excellent backdrop for a photo. 

Several hermit thrushes have returned to the surrounding woodlands. 
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They led me through quite a trek through the forest trying to get a good photo. 

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Much to my delight, a pair of mallards had returned to the pond.

They have tried to nest there before. However they had a rough go of it with all the predators that visit the area.

​Hopefully, they will be able to find a safe and secure nest location this go around. 
Other winged creatures out and about this past week included Eastern comma butterflies.

There have been several spotted delighting in the sunny warmer days.
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​I have also viewed many mourning cloak butterflies.

However, a lot of them were cooperative enough to pose for a good photo.

Of course, it did not help that several canine companions kept charging through the shots.

​Nonetheless, one butterfly decided to tease me by landing on my shoulder. 

Earlier this month, the cold kept the frogs in hiding.

​Nonetheless, I did locate some wood frogs in a vernal pool that would let me nab some photos.

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 I do think they may have been too busy with mating and mating calls to pay attention to much of anything else. 
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However, in just a matter of days climbing temperatures in addition to sunny days, had the rest of the frogs including bullfrogs hopping out to enjoy the weather. 
Just as the warmer and sunnier weather brought the frogs out, it also seemed to have made the flowers burst forth.

Daffodils opened overnight.

The catkins on my hybrid pussywillow bloomed.

Crocuses sprung forth from the grass.

​A lot of the trailing arbutus plants weren't quite open yet. However, warmer weather sped up the process and a few blooms were visible. 
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 Although I learned the hard way that the sunshine can have a dark side. I was using the lens ball to try to capture some of the sunny scenes. I had placed the glass ball on a stump. While I was trying to focus the camera, I began to smell smoke. Confused, I looked around.

Then to my surprise the stump was smoldering.

Apparently, the spring sun is quite strong.
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​The glass ball magnified it and started to scorch the dry wood. Thankfully, I caught in time and made sure there was no residual fire. The lens ball was then safely returned to the darkness of my backpack. ​
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I additionally learned a hard lesson about being in the dark. Trying to cope without electricity for a couple of days was almost painful.

Looking at the reports, I was definitely not the only one left in the dark. It did amaze me at how there was light in the sunset on April 1 and that seemed to be the only thing glowing after the storms.

​That's just the nature of things 'round here. 
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These are not "eggcellent" photos

4/6/2023

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An April Fool's Day power outage and a hectic work schedule meant that this year's Easter photo session was rushed.

​The results definitely showed a lack of focus. 
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I maybe got two shots that could be Easter card material. However, the time for making and mailing cards had passed. My props were a big flop. The bunny ears used over several years finally went lopsided. 
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I usually separate Sadie, Clem, Sherman and Gus for single portrait sittings. This year I didn't and they swarmed the photographer. They were only after the treats in my pocket. After I downloaded some photos I noticed a blurry section, that was no doubt created by the drool I had cleaned off the lens earlier. 
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Sometimes seasonal portraits work out. Sometimes they don't. I believe there are several websites dedicated to those that didn't work. Sometimes the ones that don't work out could just be the most priceless photos of all.

​That's just the nature of things 'round here. 
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Feature photo of the day - First butterfly of the year

3/26/2023

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An Eastern comma butterfly was captured sunning itself between the stormy and windy weather on Saturday, March 26. Commas are some of the first butterflies of the season because they overwinter in the area as adults. 
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Water and light

3/22/2023

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Reflection is defined as the throwing back by a body or surface of light, heat, or sound without absorbing it. I fancied the words "throwing back" in the definition. The phrase totally embodied a few recent photos that I had taken.

​In essence, water was throwing back the light from the sun. 
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I have always been fascinated by the textures and patterns created by the sunlight on the water. Sometimes, the surface of the water almost had a metallic quality. Other times, the sunlight filtering through various ripples created delicate designs.
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It turned out that I'm not the only one who thought that way. An internet search turned up several quotes on the subject. However since most of the quotes were found on the internet, readers should be cautioned that quotes may not be factual or attributed to the right person. So the phrases in this post and many, many Pinterest​ photo-quotes could be wrong. ​
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Nonetheless, several statements expressed my sentiments about light, water and reflections. 
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The quote, "You are a pool of clear water where the light plays," was attributed to English writer Jeanette Winterson.
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American author William Maxwell was credited with the saying, "Happiness is the light on the water. The water is cold and dark and deep."​
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"We cannot see our reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see," was said to be a Zen Proverb. 

Jamaican spiritual teacher, Mooji, was responsible for the words, "Your self-image is as ephemeral as the play of light dancing on the surface of the water. "
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"It is life, I think, to watch the water. A man can learn so many things," was attributed to American writer and novelist Nicholas Sparks.
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Laozi, an ancient Chinese philosopher is credited with the phrase, "Water is fluid, soft, and yielding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. This is another paradox: what is soft is strong."

I found that statement interesting since my mom had commented on some Facebook posts saying that some of the photos reminded her of photos of canyons. It was kind of ironic, because most canyons were indeed carved out by water. ​
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Nonetheless, some photos required clear waters to see the textures and patterns of the rocks below. However, several somebodies have bee known to muddy the waters upstream.

​That's just the nature of things 'round here. 
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It's "snow" surprise

3/15/2023

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After this week's return to wintry weather, I felt like I should issue a formal apology for my last post. I wrote about how it was a rather mild and snowless winter. Mother Nature apparently took notice and replied with a "challenge accepted."
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According to some weather observations posted by the National Weather Service office in Pittsburgh, Franklin received between 2 to 3 inches early Tuesday morning. A report from Tionesta stated that the area had seen around 4 inches of snow. Here in Pinegrove Township, I believed we got at least 3 inches. However, it was hard to tell as the wind created drifts in various areas. Nonetheless, it provided enough snow for Clem, the bloodhound, to dump, Gus, the St. Bernard, into. 
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With only days left until the calendar declares it's spring on March 20, the snowfall seemed like a slap in the face to those of us waiting for warmer weather. It was especially hurtful because of the mild February weather. The stats for February, according to data on the National Weather Service's website, recorded that Franklin only had 1.3 inches of snow for the month and at least two 68-degree days. So far for March, we have dumped on February's total. As of March 15, it was reported that Franklin had a total of 4.2 inches of snow and only one 64-degree day so far. 
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According to the National Weather service, Pittsburgh also had exceeded its February snow totals.

A day before the "big snow", the office posted on March 14 that "We just measured a quick 0.4 inches of snow with the band here at the office.

That brings our daily snow total to 0.6 inches. 

For perspective, that's three times our entire February monthly snowfall."

Of course, according to reports, Pittsburgh added at least another inch to that total on March 15.
Nonetheless, these totals were nothing compared to the Blizzard of 1993. Monday, March 13, marked the 30th anniversary of the storm. 
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The National Weather Service office in Pittsburgh put things in context by posting "since November 2022, we've measured 14.6 inches of snow for this 2022-2023 season.

On March 13, 1993, we measured 23.6 inches of snow in a single day, which is the longstanding record for maximum one-day snowfall for Pittsburgh.

​Nearby Latrobe, Pa., recorded 36 inches with ten-foot drifts!". More information on the storm can be found at this site. 
However, the office offered a more hopeful post on Wednesday, March 15.

​"According to @NWSCPC, we should expect normal to below normal temperature, and above normal precipitation", the post said of the eight to 14-day weather outlook.

​Yet, a post on Friday mentioned possible snow showers in the future. 
Nonetheless, the calendar marches toward next Monday, the first day of spring. 
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Some of my photos from 2020 and 2012 showed that there were crocuses out in the yard and even tadpoles in the neighbor's pond. In contrast, this year only a few crocus leaves have emerged and the pond still has ice cover. 
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Meanwhile, a trail camera photo from last year shows that this year has followed suit as far as snow cover in March. 
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Although, an extra hour of daylight in the evening, has been a bit of a blessing. The sun actually showed up on a few occasions. In fact, by Thursday, March 16, the temperature had climbed to 52 degrees and most of the snow was melting. This was a little disappointing to at least four canines who rather enjoy romping in the white stuff. 
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As the temperatures warmed, I hoped that the pair of Canada geese that I had seen at the pond last weekend would return once the water opened up again. 
I wasn't the only one bird watching.
My husband decided that Lil' Bit, the cat, needed a window feeder so he could view the birds close up.
So far the feeder's been a hit. No birds have hit the window, because I don't do windows.
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However, Lil' Bit has jumped at the window a couple of times after the birds on the other side of the panes. We may need to purchase him a helmet. 
Birds visiting the feeder included those of the smaller variety. Titmice, chickadees, goldfinches and nuthatches have been the ones to tryout the new feeder. 
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​Some of our summer returnees to the bird feeder included grackles, red-winged blackbirds and European starlings. Currently some of our winter birds like dark-eyed juncos and American tree sparrows are still hanging around. 
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"Are we done with the snow?," was a question I asked myself. I even hesitated to write about a possible warmup for fear of retaliation from Mother Nature. That's just the nature of things 'round here. 
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Almost spring or do I need a "clout?"

3/5/2023

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“Spring, are we there yet?” That was a question I kept repeating to myself over the fluctuating weather of the past weeks.
The calendar boasted less than 15 days until spring, or the vernal equinox, which is scheduled for Monday, March 20. On a side note, we spring forward an hour for Daylight Savings time on Sunday, March 12. 
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While the wall calendar said it's not spring, last week several National Weather Service offices’ Facebook posts announced that March 1 marked the beginning of meteorological spring in the northern hemisphere.

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​As the offices welcomed the beginning of their spring, they also wrapped up February’s weather stats. 

​A Feb. 22 post from the National Weather Service Office in Cleveland, Ohio, said “It could be one of the least snowiest Februarys on record! Cleveland, Toledo, and Mansfield are currently (as of Feb 22) on track for No. 1 least snowiest. Youngstown and Akron-Canton are on track for No. 2 least snowfall. Erie, Pa., is No. 3.”

​A graphic listed that, as of Feb. 22, Erie had 1.6 inches of snow for this year which was only slightly above the total .50” for 1998.
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​A post by Erie News Now's meteorologist A.J. Mastrangelo said that “snowfall (or lack thereof) was the 6th least in recorded history.” A graphic on the page touted that the city’s average winter snowfall is 77.5” compared to this year’s dismal 19.3”.

​The post relayed that the city saw more snow in November than during the rest of the season. 
The National Weather Service office in Pittsburgh posted that “February 2023 was the least snowy February on record with just 0.2 inches of snowfall and the fourth warmest February on record for Pittsburgh.”
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The Pittsburgh office celebrated the first day of meteorological spring on March 1 by saying “five of our six climate sites either tied or broke their daily record high temperature."
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“Pittsburgh fell one degree short of the record, clocking a high of 71°, with the record 72° set back in 1972,” the post continued. 
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The office went on to report that “winter 2022-2023 was the 12th least snowy winter for Pittsburgh with just 11.1 inches between December and February (meteorological winter). It was also the eighth warmest winter on record.”
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A little closer to home, the National Weather Service weather station at the Franklin Airport recorded the high for March 1 at 61 degrees at 4:56 p.m.

​However, things went downhill from there. The high for March 2, according to the station, was 48 degrees. Highs for March 3, 4 and 5 hovered in the low 40s.  
 
While the warmer temps were welcome, the weather service cautioned that it may not last.

The office in Pittsburgh posted that “probabilities are increasing that the middle to late portions of March will feature below normal temperature (normal average temperature rises from 35° to 45° through the month).”

​Folks can view graphics on the potential cool down from the ​NOAA NWS Climate Prediction Center at ​NOAA by clicking on "Interactive" to view different ones. 

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From those weather service posts, I surmised it was not, yet time go without a "clout."

An article by Ben Reed on spring season sayings inspired a new word use and phrase for me.

“Cast not a clout until May is out” is described by Reed as an "English saying that warns against casting aside winter clothing too early in the year.”
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The post elaborated on the phrase by saying “'clout" is an Old English word meaning "patch of cloth." In later times, this term widened to include garments in general.
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I secretly hoped that I wouldn’t have to wait until May for warmer temps. Nonetheless, I continued looking at other spring weather sayings. 
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​Of course, there’s always the Mark Twain that said, "In the spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours." The quote seemed to adequately describe the weather this season.

It seemed that snow, rain, wind, cold, sunshine and warmth could all be experienced within just a matter of hours, sometimes minutes. I felt like March’s winds and April’s showers had all been crammed into the month of February. 

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​However, I felt a quote attributed to American screenwriter and novelist, Millard Kaufman appropriately summed up this time of year. "I glanced out the window at the signs of spring. The sky was almost blue, the trees were almost budding, the sun was almost bright.”

I saw some budding trees and lilacs. Their buds remained tightly closed against the cold.
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Some of my snowflake flowers had bloomed and survived a wintry blast of snow already.

I planted some snowdrop flowers last year to replace some of mine that had died out. I think I saw one of the newbies forcing its way above ground.
Meanwhile, in the basement, a few gerbera daisies and a Shasta daisy flower made an appearance.

And I was able to capture my first robin photo of the season.
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However, as another saying declares, "not one sparrow makes a spring."
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That’s just the nature of things ‘round here. ​
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Never Walk Alone

2/21/2023

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​A recent Valentine’s Day gift of a T-shirt heat press had me thinking about the phrase “Never Walk Alone.”

The connection between the press and the phrase may seem a little farfetched, but I used the press to help recreate one of my favorite shirts. 

​The term “Never Walk Alone” was printed on the front of the shirt along with a hound dog and a leash.

I decided to take this phrase and design a bit further by adding a paw print and a hoof print to a hooded sweatshirt. I additionally decorated the sleeve with cutouts of representations of my walking partners. I almost ran out of room.
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The back of the original shirt sported the saying, “It’s not where you walk, it’s who walks with you.”
I did not embellish the new hoodie with that for a couple of reasons. The first being, that it was plagiarism or possibly a copyright violation.
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The second reason was due to the statement, “it’s who walks with you.” 

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​Kennedy, the goat, walks with me. I didn’t feel like advertising that obvious lapse in good judgement.

 Kennedy is the one who butts anyone walking beside him. The dogs have learned this. They sometimes get stuck behind Kennedy on the trail. When they attempt to pass him, they get butted.

They wait until he is distracted by food and then go around.

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When Kennedy is distracted by food, he regularly falls behind, way behind. He is never in a rush to catch up.
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He also must mess with every trail camera along our path. Last week, I was far ahead when I noticed he was tampering with the trail camera at the pond. “No problem. I will fix it tomorrow, “I thought to myself as we continued on. However, that was one of the windier nights that week and unbeknownst to me, Kennedy had unhinged the camera.
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The next day the camera’s memory card was full and there were more than two thousand photos of a particular tree branch swaying in the wind. 

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​Nonetheless, Kennedy continues to walk with us.
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I have walked alone in order to get certain photos. If my photo subjects are near a roadway or can be easily spooked, I will go it alone.
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​However, for the most part, I will continue to not walk alone in the woods. I always feel kind of selfish for not taking the dogs and the goat with me. They will all stand at the kennel gate and look upon my lonesome steps with sadness, and/or jealously.
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It should be noted that the dogs’ and goat should probably never walk alone for safety and sanity’s sake. 
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​Despite the noise and the disruptive companions, we are not often alone in the woods either. The recent warmup in temperatures have the neighborhood deer herd out and about.

However, the raccoons’ winter den in the hollow tree has been abandoned. The masked mammals are roaming around looking for food and mates. The hollow in the tree now really seemed hollow without them.
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Mammals weren’t the only critters on the move.

On Facebook, folks were posting about the spring arrival of certain birds.

Posters were seeing robins and red-winged blackbirds returning to their respective areas.

​I had spotted a blackbird under our feeder, but I failed to get photo. The bird’s arrival was right on time, according to Gary Edwards. In his book “Birds of Venango County” he wrote that they arrive in mid-February.  

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​Other Facebook posts showed that I was not alone in hoping that we might be ready for some spring growth.

Folks touted snowdrops and snowflakes popping through the thawing ground. More and more skunk cabbage blooms provided a little color to the woodlands.
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I hoped that with these signs we were marching toward spring. I’m sure I’m not alone in wondering why this February seemed more like March with all the windy days.
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The reasons behind the weather changes were a little hard to pin down.

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​After an internet search, I found that “You’ll Never Walk Alone” is a song that was part of the part of the Rodgers and Hammerstein show, “Carousel.”

The search additionally turned up many other song versions by various groups and singers.

The lyrics, while different in some versions, communicated that one does not have to face adversity alone.
During my search I also uncovered many, many quotes on the internet about going it alone.

There are times in life when you should walk alone and times when you shouldn’t.
​Nonetheless, there are many times that I have been ready to let Kennedy walk alone.

​That’s just the nature of things ‘round here. 

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Nature on ice

2/11/2023

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Last weekend, hundreds braved freezing temps to look at some ice in Franklin. Of course, it wasn’t the river ice or just any old ice. There were beautifully carved sculptures by some very talented folks at DiMartino Ice Company of Jeannette that were placed throughout one of the city’s parks.
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Mother Nature appeared to cooperate with the display at least temperature wise.
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She also managed to create some works of her own in the fridged weather.

From icicles to frost, expressions of the cold abounded.
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At 4:56 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, a weather station at the Franklin Airport recorded that the temperature bottomed out at 1 degree.
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The station reported the high for Saturday was 26 degrees with a windchill of 15 degrees.
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​However, that wasn’t technically the high for the day as southwest winds drove temps up to 29 degrees at 11:56 p.m. that night.  
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While the temperatures cooperated for Saturday, Sunday was a different story.

The station’s stats for Sunday, Feb. 5, proved that Mother Nature didn’t help extend the longevity of the ice sculptures or any of her own icy art.

A high of 44 degrees was recorded.
Meanwhile, by Monday morning some of the manmade structures had already succumbed to the warmup.

​There may have also had some human helping hands that made sure the icy compositions didn’t topple onto some unsuspecting bystanders as they melted.

By midweek, the sculptures were pretty much nothing but memories.

​The same could have also been said about any ice structures nature had created.
According to the weather station in Franklin, Monday, Feb. 6, started out warmer at 40 degrees at 12:56 a.m. and then by the end of the day dropped to 29 degrees.

​However, it was too late for ice sculptures and any of nature’s ice art. 
By Thursday, it was clear that any icy creations wouldn’t have survived any way.
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​The National Weather station at the airport posted that at 7:56 p.m. the temperature was reported at 61 degrees.

​The weather service had already posted that at 1 p.m. Thursday's temperatures were 20 to 30 degrees above the average high for this time of year.

​Pittsburgh reached 70 degrees which topped a previous record of 68 degrees. 
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​The hike in temperature also let to the disappearance of many nature ice creations.
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On my daily treks, countless different ice formations were observed during the cold snaps.
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​I spotted an interesting formation that mimicked the shape of an oak leaf.

I was unsure whether the ice had formed around the leaf or if the sun had melted the ice in that pattern.

​The pattern contained some lines that were indicative of cat-ice. 
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​An article posted on yahoo.com by Andrea Romano described the formations. 
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“Cat-ice, which is marked by pretty “’contour lines’ that make swirls or concentric circles in puddles or other small bodies of water, is named because the thin ice could only potentially bear the weight of a light-footed and agile cat,” Romano posted. 

​​Thinking about the cat-ice I had viewed; I wasn’t so sure than any Applegate felines could cross it without crushing it.
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I was well aware that our family canines were capable of the destruction of cat-ice. As I tried to snap some photos, in the background I could hear many of the delicate formations being crushed under their paws.  
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Cat-ice is also known as shell ice. A post on squarespace.com said that "shell ice is a layer of ice that forms on top of a puddle.  It is often widespread when it gets cold after a thaw has left puddles on the ice. It comes in two types."
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The post continued with "Wet Shell Ice:  Still has a puddle underneath.  It usually looks a lot like new black ice. Dry shell ice:  Has air underneath after the water drained away."
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​The post went on to say that “Wet shell ice lasts only until the water freezes all the way through the puddle.  Dry shell ice forms when the water drains away before the skin freezes all the way through.  The dry shell is often held up with a network of thin crystals that form as the water drains.  It often lasts until the next thaw.”
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Also in Mother Nature’s ice art collection was some frosted flair that included hoarfrost.

AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski posted on AccuWeather.com about hoarfrost. 
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Titled “What is hoarfrost?,” the article went into some detail on the weather phenomenon. 
“The term ‘hoarfrost’ is derived from the Old English meaning of frost resembling an old man's beard,” Sosnowski wrote.
Sosnowski added that “frost and hoarfrost can only form when the air and objects are at or below freezing. However, while frost may form when the air is relatively dry, the air must be quite moist for hoarfrost to form.”
​Other sites mentioned that hoarfrost can also appear as featherlike or leaflike structures. These structures can be found on exposed plants or branches near open waterways.
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That’s exactly where I found several of the delicate forms. 
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​This year I wasn’t as dedicated in photographing the frost as I had been in years before. 
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​Usually, the process required me to take my gloves off in the frigid weather and change a lens.

Facebook memories from last year, showed me that I had went the extra mile to get the closer shots. I probably even had waded into the creek.
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 Earlier this year, some of the ground frost gave way and I slipped into the creek. When the canines saw me crawling on all fours out of the stream, they decided that I since I was down to their level that it was time to wrestle. I was not in a wrestling mood at that time. ​
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​Back to the icy memories, I was reminded that three years ago in February, there was substantial amount of freezing rain which provided an icy coating on everything.
While the warming weather took its toll on both man-made and nature ice, the plants seemed to welcome it. 
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​Skunk cabbage, which is known as one of Pennsylvania’s first wildflowers to bloom in the spring, was popping up along the open creek beds and wetlands.
However, skunk cabbage has a little trick to help it deal with the frozen ground. The plant uses thermogenesis to produce heat. 
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“During the winter when temperatures are freezing, the flower buds can warm up to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, which melts the snow around the plant,” according to a post on nwf.org.
The post went on to say that while the plant loses it leaves annually, the plant itself can live up to 20 years. 
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​Skunk cabbage wasn’t the only thing breaking through the frozen ground.
In the yard, snowflake flower leaves were seen among the grass. A few daffodil sprouts brought some green color to the dead leaves.
While the weather warms, there are still some definite chances to view some of nature’s icy art as the night lows continue to dip below freezing.

​That’s just the nature of things ‘round here.
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Blooms in the gloom

1/30/2023

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Lamenting the many, many colorless days this season, I headed to an unusual place to find some brighter shades. In the basement, I have sheltered some flowers that I hoped to keep alive. I planned to return them outside when the growing season gets underway in approximately five months. 
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There is part of my home's basement that is referred to as the back room. It was separated from the rest of the area. 
It was not cemented and featured a dirt floor. 
Long story short: When grandfather Stover was cementing and digging out the rest of basement, there was a stone in the back portion of the area. Grandfather decided to dynamite the stone out to continue finishing the concrete work. The blast blew out all the windows in the basement. Nonetheless, the stone remained and is still there today. Grandmother Stover was not thrilled with this attempt. I have a feeling that this disapproval halted any more blasting projects in the area. 
Fortunately for me, this made an awesome place for some grow lights and a winter refuge for a few plants. 
The dirt floor means that I didn't have to be careful with watering or any potting soil that might spill out. Dirt is dirt. 
The grow lights that I put up featured different types of light. This casted a glow that picked up a few novel hues. That was the case when I photographed a cyclamen in bloom. The flowers were actually white.​

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A post on thespruce.com, described the plant as a "tuberous perennial, meaning it dies down to its thick roots (tubers) during its summer dormancy period and then regrows quickly each fall. ... It's commonly grown as a houseplant." A Wikipedia post stated that cyclamen species are native to Europe and the Mediterranean Basin east to the Caucasus and Iran, with one species in Somalia.  Some of the varieties are known to bloom in the winter. If I remembered correctly, mine died back and bloomed at different times throughout the year. That may have possibly been when I forgot to water it. 
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Adding color to the basement darkness, was a black-eyed Susan vine. While they share the same coloring as black-eyed Susans, they are really different plants. 
A post by Bonnie L. Grant, on gardeningknowhow.com described the plant as a "tender perennial that is grown as an annual in temperate and cooler zones. You can also grow the vine as a houseplant but be wary as it may grow to 8 feet ... in length." I had put mine outside during the summer and moved it inside during the winter. It has currently vined out in the basement into the floor joists and some gas lines. I surmised that moving it outside this summer might involve some pruning. 
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Among the blossoms, there was the plant whose name I can never remember.
I was sure it started with "diplo-something."
That prefix only brought up the dinosaur diplodocus in an internet search.
I added "flowers" to the search terms. That only brought up dinosaur planters. While cute, they were not the results I needed. Finally, I demined that the red flower is a dipladenia or rock trumpet flower. 
​A post on plantly.io said, "A member of the flowering plants, this species is a native of South Africa." It went on to provide tips on care and the difference between dipladenia and mandevilla plants.  
The post also added, "since dipladenia are accustomed to warm temperatures, you must bring it indoors when the winter season comes." 
So far, this plant has survived at least two years by being brought indoors in the winter. 

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Likewise, several begonias were overwintering in the basement refuge as well.
​At least here, they were safe from hungry deer. Some of the begonias have been around for at least three or four years. 
A planter of Shasta daisies was added to those plants that were "saved" from the cold. 
​A post on almanac.com said, " ​A European native, Shasta daisies are now naturalized throughout North America. Like clockwork, these daisies return every spring or early summer and bloom until early fall. "
The post additionally warned that the daisies were considered aggressive growers.
This was my first year growing the daisies. After reading the information, I decided that I will likely keep the daisies in their planter. 
However, aphids have attacked some of the daisies. I have had problems with the little buggers before, but they usually resolve themselves. It's funny how I have never really had problems with aphids when the plants were outdoors. 

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The blooms in the basement had me yearning for some spring blooms. I planted several poises including some white daffodils last fall.  However, I was curious to see if I actually placed the bulbs in the flower bed. I had a feeling that there may be several white daffodils located two or more feet from the rest of the flowers.  
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A look back at spring photos in the past provided a timeline of growth. Last year, it was Feb. 24 for the first signs of green shoots outdoors. In 2021, on Feb. 28, there were tulip leaves popping up through the snow. In 2020, snowflakes, the flowers, were budding through green grass on Feb. 24. 

While the weather outside is frightful, there are signs that we are progressing toward spring.

A Facebook post Monday, Jan. 23, by C&A Trees, a Clarion greenhouse, said, "Happy Monday! Two weeks from today we start planting in the greenhouse and 56 days till spring..." 

Hopefully, it won't be too much longer until I view a little more color outside. 
However, the timing of the growing season is up to Mother Nature. 

Until then I will enjoy my artificial growing season and its blooms. That's just the nature of things 'round here. 

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Up and at 'em

1/29/2023

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On Thursday, many Pennsylvanians will wait for mammal meteorologist Punxsutawney Phil to emerge from his den.

​As temperatures warmed recently, I noticed that other animals were out and about. 

According to the wildlife notes on the Pennsylvania Game Commission website, "Woodchucks begin denning up with the hard frosts of October. Few remain active past the first of November."

The note went on to say that the males emerge from hibernation before females, and during February and March fight aggressively.
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I thought to myself that might be something to see, a woodchuck fight. With my walking companions I can say that we have never encountered a groundhog on our walks.
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We do come across deer on our daily walks. Last week after some wintery weather eased up, the deer seemed to be everywhere. 
The neighborhood herd of does remained strong at around eight.
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Meanwhile, the trail camera captured some bucks passing though. 
One buck that we saw on the trail was missing a horn.

That could mean that some bucks have started to shed their antlers already.
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However, a buck caught on camera was still sporting a full set of antlers. 
Also on the trail cameras was evidence of increased coyote activity.

​The game commission's wildlife notes provided some explanation for this.
 
Female coyotes "have one heat period that lasts four to five days, usually in February," the note said.
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So, it was possible that they were out and about for breeding season. ​Coyote litters are born from mid-April to early May. The note added that "Coyotes are monogamous; they maintain pair bonds for several years. The social unit centers around the mated pair and its offspring."
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As well as the coyotes, the trail cameras grabbed some photos of a fox or two in my parents' backyard. 
"In late winter, foxes can be heard barking at night, making their presence known to members of the opposite sex. Breeding usually takes place in February," said a game commission wildlife note. 
Not making an appearance yet on my cameras were any bears. 
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"Bears enter hibernation late in the fall, with pregnant females being the first to enter dens, typically during mid to late November. Males den several weeks later," a wildlife note said. 
The note went on to say that on warm, late-winter days, the bears may emerge and wander nearby their dens. 
However, folks can watch a bear who is denned up on camera online at this site.
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Also missing from my trail cameras so far this season were any turkeys. During out walks, I have not viewed any signs of the large wild birds either.

​The game commission is also looking for turkey sightings from now until March 15. Residents can report their information with this link. 
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Meanwhile, several gray squirrels have been spotted under the bird feeder and have triggered quite a few photos on the trail cameras. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, "squirrels never actually hibernate in winter but will hole up and sleep soundly through several days of snowstorms or extreme cold." 

The post went on to mention that there are peaks in the squirrels' breeding activity in January and February. There are peaks from May to July, but that squirrels can be reproductively active throughout much of the year, the post continued. 
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Also holed up during the winter weather, were some raccoons. I tried several times to get a good photo without imposing on their den. I believed there were at least three or four raccoons in the hollow tree. 

"​Many family groups (mother and offspring) stay together through the young raccoons’ first winter," a wildlife note on the game commissions' site said.

In spring, the juveniles will disperse from the areas in which they were born, the note continued.  

This is most likely do to fact that breeding takes place in January or February and a new litter will be born in March and April. 
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While the raccoons stayed cozy in their tree, the deer were left to brave the snow and wind. However, a Facebook memory from January of last year, showed that they had it a little easier this year in terms of snowpack. 
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Meanwhile, the Applegate canines were also out and about. They enjoyed the snow and battling each other in it. Sometimes they rolled around in it and ate the non-yellow parts of the snow. However, they are fortunate to return inside to a heated house where they can hibernate on the couch.

​That's just the nature of things 'round here. 
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50 days of gray?

1/18/2023

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I saw a shiny object in the sky the other day. I was confused and wasn't sure if I had viewed such a thing over the past few weeks.
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I took several photos to document the occasion. I even pulled out my crystal ball to make sure the sighting was real. 
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Sure enough, it was the sun, and it made an appearance for the better part of two whole days. 
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When it sank below the horizon on the first of those two days, it made graceful and colorful exit. 
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However, by the second day the clouds started to absorb the sun before it even had a chance to make to the horizon. 
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Over this winter season, it seemed to me that the sun had gone into hibernation like some of the animals in the region. Nonetheless, whenever the sun came and went, it did make a brilliant entrance or exit. 
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In fact, a sunset on Dec. 28 was very spectacular.

It appeared that its brilliance wasn't just limited to this area.
Facebook pages and posts from across the state graced my newsfeed that evening and into the next day.

​However, it seemed that that event must have been a grand finale of sorts before the sun went back into hiding. 

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I was determined to try to narrow down just how many the days the sun had been incognito. With help from some National Weather Service data and an internet search, the sun appeared to have been out of sight for quite a few days. 
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If I tallied things up correctly, there have been 28 overcast days observed from Dec. 1, 2022, to Jan. 18, 2023, by a weather station at the Franklin Airport. However, within that time span, there were 15 days of missing data. These were times when the instrumentation did not measure the sky cover. So far only Jan. 15 and 16 were listed as days pegged with the clear designation. 
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A little further research on the internet turned up that western Pennsylvania winters are more clouds than sun. A post on the Current Results site listed the "Cloudiest American Cities in Winter." The post included a chart listing the major U.S. cities averaging 50 or more days during winter when clouds covers over three-quarters of the sky. Pittsburgh came in with an average of 64 days of heavy clouds which added up to 71 percent of the winter days. The steel city was beat out by Buffalo, New York, that posted 68 cloudy days totaling 76 percent. 

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Despite the absence of the sun, the days are getting longer. According to timeanddate.com, Oil City should see nine hours and 34 minutes of sun, when the clouds part. The site listed that the sun currently rises at 7:41 a.m. and sets at 5:16 p.m.
By the end of January, the site posted that the sun is scheduled to set after 5:30 p.m. Whether or not we will be able to see the sunset through the clouds remained up in the air. The 10-day forecast on several weather sites didn't appear very optimistic about any sunny sightings. That's just the nature of things 'round here. 
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Feature photo: A little blue

1/15/2023

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Blue skies partnered with some sunshine brought to light an eastern bluebird on Sunday.  Local birding expert Gary Edwards in his book "Birds of Venango County," listed the bluebird as a common year-round resident. He wrote that their numbers have fluctuated over the years, but "the numbers continue to increase." 
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Sherman's snow day

1/8/2023

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A few inches of snowfall over the past weekend, left Sherman outstanding in the cold.

​However, being a Saint Bernard, he delighted in it. 
The elder Saint Bernard is a real poser, and I took advantage of his prowess to snap several photos against the snowy backdrop.

In one photo it looked like he was watching over our homestead.

More than likely, he was watching my parents' house waiting for someone to come out and pet him. 

His curiosity over an old pitcher pump that has been in the yard since he was born, prompted several pictures.

​He of course nailed the modeling thing down pat and struck a pose beside the pump. 
I posted several photos of Sherman on a Saint Bernard forum on Facebook.

​He of course was lavished with praise for his handsomeness.

​Instead of the internet fame, Sherman would rather have had the in-person attention and pets. 
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Not to be excluded, photos of the younger Gus were also posted. However, Gus was too busy exploring the snowy scene to stop and pose for photos. 
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Perhaps, Sherman could teach him a thing or two about being a model. 
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However, Gus did teach the old dog some new tricks. Sherman wasn't sure about crossing a creek until he saw Gus do it.
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 Sherman hesitated at first. Gus had no hesitation. 
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Of course, Sherman and Gus, were not the only ones entertained by the snow. Sadie, a Newfoundland, and Clem, the bloodhound, were stirred by the snow. They also stirred the snow up in several places. 
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Kennedy, however, was not exuberant about the cold white stuff. Nonetheless, he trudged on. 
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Meanwhile, I was delighted with the weekend covering of snow. Perhaps, it was just the change from gray and brown to some white and blue hues.

​To me this was the perfect snow. It fell softly and slowly outlining bare tree branches as it piled up. It was unlike the blowing vortex of flakes over Christmas that were driven by winds up to 50 mph. As I walked our daily trek, I couldn't help but exclaim to myself, "How beautiful." Despite the panting of a curious canine or two, the woods were silent. 
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It appeared that no creatures were stirring. Before the snow fell, we had spooked a herd of at least eight deer on a couple of our walks. However, the deer must have hunkered down over the wintery weekend. I didn't even see very many tracks once the snow covered the ground.  
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While the wild animals didn't seem to be out and about, there were still plenty of photo opportunities.

​Snowflakes clustered atop some common burdock burrs created a slight spectacle. Whether or not the snow will stick aroundt is up for Mother Nature to decide. Short-term forecasts show a warming trend with rain instead of snow. However, these forecasts like the weather are up in the air.
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That's just the nature of things 'round here. 
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All Clear

1/3/2023

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What a difference a few days made. Last week, the Allegheny River and Oil Creek in Oil City were packed with ice. This week only remnants of the icy chunks remained on the river and creek banks. The river was clear of everything except fog on Wednesday.
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Last Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022, the ice pack could be seen clogging up the river from the Wye Railroad bridge to at least a half-mile past the Oil City Marina. 
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An inquiry to the National Weather Service office in Pittsburgh last Thursday prompted a cautious response about the dangers of a possible ice jam. 
"We're watching carefully, but (it) should be warm enough tonight through tomorrow night to continue melting a good bit of the ice," the office said. It also said that rainfall forecasted for last Saturday shouldn't have been enough to cause significant issues.
​The office's statement which was issued last week was right on the money. 

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This week the river was cleared of most of the ice. However, some fog lingered, and recent rains helped river levels rise. A chart on the National Weather service's site, provided some information. On Jan. 2, the Allegheny River at Franklin was at 6.55 feet. The level jumped to 8.62 feet by Jan. 4 and had risen slightly to 9.25 feet on Jan. 5. 
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Reports from the Kinzua Dam on Jan. 4, said the Allegheny River temperature was at 36 degrees which was at least 15 degrees cooler than the air temperature that day. By Thursday, Jan. 5, the river had cooled a bit to 35.8 degrees. The Tionesta Lake reported on Jan. 4 that its stream temperature was 33.4 degrees, and that the lake temperature was frozen. Tionesta Lake officials also reported on Jan. 4 that "we are starting to discharge a higher volume of water to compensate for the rising lake levels." The lake's stream temperature climbed to 37 degrees on Thursday. Meanwhile, the National Weather Service office in Pittsburgh is looking for some help reporting river ice conditions. In a Facebook post, they reported that at 4 p.m. Jan. 11, they would host a training seminar on Facebook Live on how to report river ice throughout the winter season. 
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While the ice exited this year without incident, folks more than 96 years ago were not so lucky.  My grandmother had kept some photos that were found in the backseat of a used car they had purchased. The photos stamped with the name Jerry M. Lynch were of the 1926 March flooding in Oil City.
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A post on the website greenerpasture.com listed a several news bulletins. One with the dateline Oil City, Pa., on March 21, 1926, said "Flood waters are rapidly rising here. ​A flood stage of twenty-five feet and six inches of was reached by the Allegheny River late tonight and the water is still rising."

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The post continued with another bulletin also on March 21, 1926. It said that the ice had covered the river since Feb. 26, 1926, had started to move. The ice piled up at "the eastern end of the city, with the result that the lower parts of Oil City, along the river were flooded," the bulletin continued. 
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While the old photos provided some visual insight into the catastrophe, it was hard to imagine just how much ice there was. One photo was labeled as a picture of the ice above the railroad bridge in Siverly taken on March 14, 1926. After enlarging the picture some, I surmised that the black figures on the ice were humans, albeit not smart ones. 
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An article published March 24, 1926, in The News-Herald estimated the flood loss in Oil City to be around half a million dollars. Companies that sustained substantial damages included the National Transit Pump and Machine Co., Joseph Reid Gas Engine Co. and the Kramer Wagon works. Oil City wasn't alone in flooding woes. The ice also took out the Big Rock Bridge at Franklin on March 21. 

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While much has been done over the years to prevent the flooding, Mother Nature is still very unpredictable and sometimes dangerous. That's just the nature of things 'round here. 
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A White(out) Christmas

12/27/2022

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The lyrics "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas" may have seemed like more of a nightmare for those dealing with the winter storm that impacted the area over the holiday weekend.
White-knuckled driving and life-threatening wind chills didn't add much to the holiday festivities. 
Some of the wind gusts were forecast to reach 50 to 55 mph. ​
On Christmas Day the National Weather Service office in Pittsburgh posted on its Facebook page, "Yinz, we have 1" of snow on the ground, hereby making it a White Christmas!." I almost commented on the post saying, "here in Venango County we have 1" over here and a 4-foot drift over there." 
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Nonetheless, the weather-tough critters of the Applegate clan decided to brave the weather to continue their daily walks. However, the human leader of the pack did limit their time exposed to the frigid temperatures. 
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There was no escaping it the wind was brutal. As we attempted to stay upright against the wintry blasts, snow devils or snownadoes raced across the fields and hills.
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The trail cameras were inundated with photos that were predominantly white.
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Night vision photos showed snow blowing one way, then another and then another.
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Nonetheless, the Applegate canines appeared to enjoy the snow in spite of the subzero temperatures. 
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There were a few times that Clem displayed the "cold foot" pose. However, that didn't stop him from exploring the frozen tundra. 
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One area of exploration included the neighbor's pond which had frozen solid in what appeared to be overnight. The smooth white surface provided an interesting backdrop for photos. 
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My animals were not the only ones withstanding the freezing cold. The bird feeders were filled with puffed up birds sporting snow encrusted eyes. Visitors included dark-eyed juncos, tufted titmice, white-breasted nuthatches and American goldfinches. The feathered ones struggled to find shelter from the winds in the   garden debris and in the trees. 
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Meanwhile, the beginning of this week was a different story.
​The wind died down and the temperatures started to climb.

Our walks became more endurable and enjoyable. One could not draw a breath without nostrils freezing together.
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Remnants of the previous week's freezing rain could be seen on the trees. 
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The forest animals were on the move again. Over the past weekend almost no deer tracks were seen. At the beginning of this week, the deer were everywhere.

They visited my yard, my parents' yard and traipsed around our trails in the woods. 

As the warmup continued, a Facebook post on the National Weather Service's Pittsburgh office's page said things were looking up temperature wise. "Confidence is high that above average temperatures will occur in the Ohio River Valley between Dec. 31, 2022 to Jan. 4, 2023," the post said. 
It also added that there would be an above average chance of precipitation and that would most likely fall as rain. 

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As we approach the new year, the birds appeared to lose weight. It was not due to their resolutions. Merely they just smoothed out their feathers a bit. While the Christmas weather was white and wicked, it seems that New Year's will be warmer and wetter.

That's just the nature of things 'round here.  
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What is picture perfect?

12/24/2022

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Several years ago, I decided to torture my pets by dressing them up for the holidays. My main concern then was to create a perfect photo for our Christmas cards. 
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There was lots of crying, screaming and gnashing of teeth from all parties involved. I learned a few tricks over the years. Treats and positive reinforcement were much more successful than yelling and scolding. ​
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Additionally, adding elastic straps kept hats in place just long enough for a photo. 
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For this year's session, I was blessed with a sunny day over the Thanksgiving holiday. My parents' house was often seen in the background of my holiday photos. So, this year I decided to use my porch Christmas decorations as a backdrop and for the most part, the photos turned out well. 
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I got what I considered a perfect bunch of photos to use for Christmas cards. However, it was the shots that were imperfect that provided the most delight. 
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It seems my focus for holiday photos had shifted from the perfect photo to just enjoying the moments with my crazy critters. 
Many of the outtakes had me laughing out loud and my pets' reactions were priceless.

The best photo from this year was one where Sherman shook off a pair of reindeer horns.

​There happened to be enough light that day for me have a fast enough shutter speed to capture the pair suspended in midair. 
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I was so amazed at how much more delightful the whole holiday hat photo session was when I turned my focus to the experience rather than expecting "perfect" results. 
I pondered how much less stressful the holiday season may be if I stopped focusing on the perfect Christmas and just 'pawsed' to enjoy the experience. 
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Finding joy in life's little imperfections may just be the perfect way to enjoy the holiday season with less stress.
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That's just the nature of things 'round here. 
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Feature photo(s) of the day: The Sundog

12/20/2022

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It was nice to see the sun on Tuesday and even nicer to view a phenomenon called a sundog or sun dog.
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"A sundog is a concentrated patch of sunlight occasionally seen about 22 (degrees) to the left or right of the sun. Sundogs often form in pairs on either side of our daytime star when sunlight refracts through icy clouds containing hexagonal platecrystals aligned with their large, flat faces parallel to the ground. Technically known as parhelia (singular parhelion) they are often white but sometimes quite colorful, looking like detached pieces of (a) rainbow, with red on the inside, toward the sun, and blue on the outside," said a post at skyandtelescope.org.
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A post at foxweather.com repeated the same information. "These 'side suns' are colloquially known as sun dogs, officially known as 'parhelia,' which is Greek for 'next to the sun.' And just like other rainbow-type displays in the sky, sun dogs result from light refracting off precipitation ...," the post continued.  
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However, an excerpt on Wikipedia said, "A somewhat common misconception among the general public is to refer to any member of the ice halo family as a 'sun dog' (especially the 22-degree halo, being one of the most common varieties). However, sun dogs represent just one of many different types of halos. For referring to the atmospheric phenomenon in general, the term (ice crystal) halo(s) is more appropriate." 
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Taking in the natural beauty of the sky in all its different forms is like a delicious treat for the mind and the eyes. That's just the nature of things 'round here.
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    Author

    "The Nature of Things" features the writings and photographs of Anna Applegate, who is a lifelong resident of Pinegrove Township, Venango County. She is a graduate of Cranberry High School and Clarion University. After a 15-year career in the local news industry, she made a change and now works at a steel finishing plant in Sandycreek Township. She is a avid lover of animals and nature, and a gifted photographer.

    ​Very happy to be able to share Anna's great "The Nature of Things" blog.

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