Winter’s Late Arrival
Thursday, 06 November 2008
[EDITORIAL NOTE: The reason for the weekly Sunday Election Issues post would seem to have passed into history. This week, however, it would be nice to post links to elderblogs with stories of the aftermath and followup to the election. If you have written one you would like to share with others, please get a link to me via email (click "Contact" in the upper left corner of this page) by end of day on Friday.]
We watched and worried and held our breath for so many months that I’m surprised the collective exhale Tuesday night didn’t send Earth out of orbit. For now, I’ll leave the post mortems to the people who get paid for it and use today as a transition, a way to clear our minds of political detritus and get back to daily living.
Although I don’t have a lot of experience yet with Maine weather, it seems to have been a remarkably long and warm fall this year. A native agrees. He told me that by now there has usually been at least one big snowstorm, but so far I’ve counted only two nights during which the temperature fell below freezing and most days have been in the 40s and 50s F.
On a recent walk around the neighborhood, I tried to capture the astounding array of color in the local foliage. You don’t need to drive to the woods here for leaf peeping. There is a wide variety of trees which turn at differing rates and times.
Still Green
Light Green
Orange-y
Mixed Colors
Colorful Vine
Red and Pink
Red and Green
Bright Red
And just because he’s so damned cute, Ollie the cat.
Feel free to continue discussing the election if that's on your mind. Consider today an open thread.
[At The Elder Storytelling Place today, a message from me.]
Your pictures could be Nashville.
It has continued to around 70. Saying we will have 50's for the following week. Unusually warm
and though I am not ready for massive snow I would like to start wearing sweaters. Wonder what our winter will be like? So nice to settle down now that election is over.
Posted by: Ern | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 04:04 AM
That is one precious cat! Dee
Posted by: Dee | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 04:38 AM
Nice pictures! And...I'll trade cats with you. Ours is named Rupert, and he is gorgeous, but stupid as a brick -- we call him Rupert the Supert!
Here in middle Georgia, it's still in the mid to high 70's in the daytime and 50's at night. Few of the trees have started to turn. Our winters are usually mild, and snow is a fluke! The weather is warm for this time of year, and the trees are very late.
Posted by: Mike Nichols | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 04:55 AM
Oops! Our cat's Rupert the Stupert, in honor of Red Skelton. Do you remember his hilarious sketches?
Posted by: Mike Nichols | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 04:57 AM
Hi Ronni,
It is almost 50 here this morning. Yesterday we had to go to the Apple store in Portland so had lunch and a walk on the beach at Crescent.
In the last few years our first frost date has gone from anytime in late August to the middle of October.
Everyone, including our waitress was sleepy from staying up lat the night before.
Posted by: zuleme | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 05:21 AM
The leaves have finally turned in East Tennessee, but the show is not as magnificent as last year.
I am a wildlife rehabber and usually get in baby squirrels in February/March and again in August/Sept. Two days ago, I took in 7 hairless, eyes-closed babies! It's been so warm that the Mom squirrels are having THREE litters instead of two!
Posted by: tnwoman | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 05:40 AM
AH-HAH! An Ollie cat picture! Yippee! Actually, nice pictures all around today, Ronni, thank you.
hugs from PA
Connie
Posted by: connie | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 06:37 AM
Seems like a pretty typical Maine autumn to me. Last year the fall foliage was lousy, but this year is more like it.
I remember a few fall snowstorms in the past, but (global warming aside) the autumnal climate here is lot more moderate than it used to be. As I understand it, 100 years ago Maine could expect to be locked into winter snow cover well before Thanksgiving. Last year, a few inches of snow fell in early December and stayed. In our time, that was early.
In general this is the time of year (as the foliage fades) that I always begin to wonder why the hell anyone lives here. About six months from now, I'll know the answer again.
Posted by: Pete | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 06:41 AM
I love it when you post photographs. I miss the vibrant color of a more northern fall, thanks for the color "fix" this morning.
Its interesting how we are all collectively tired from the election. It seems that way to me in any case, even for those who shun political discourse.
Ollie is indeed quite the feline specimen. I like the photos and love the stories of him. You tell us about yourself, you know, when you talk about him, and I happen to like that a lot!
Posted by: | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 07:22 AM
ooops, I hit send before signing in for the above comment. My apologies.
One day I will send you a photo of one of my cats, Nicky, who has some interesting stripes and spots too!
Posted by: candace | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 07:24 AM
Lookit my Elvira, could be your kitty's twin! Nice photos!
Posted by: DaisyDeadhead | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 08:39 AM
yep, we're all kind of played out here after the big event. though the mild weather in new york city made it easier to campaign, couple of us mentioned this morning that it's not what it should be.
wonderful photos of the leaves and that man in the cat suit. always a scene-stealer!
Posted by: naomi dagen bloom | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 08:55 AM
Ollie is one cute dude. Since Fall is not colorful here I really enjoy all the photos from around the country. Thanks for sharing.
This is our first cool day since last winter. It is only 58* at 10:35 am. Until now the days have remained unseasonably hot.
Posted by: Darlene | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 09:38 AM
Looks like Ohio. And Ollie is macnificent as always!
Posted by: Kay Dennison | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 09:39 AM
I'm tellin' ya: Maine Has It All!
Posted by: Citizen K. | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 10:40 AM
Ollie, the cool, cool cat. :)
Thanks for the leaves changing pixs. I grew up in Colorado where the leaves go from green to yellow to the ground. Nice to see just what the phrase "the leaves are changing" really means.
Posted by: la peregrina | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 12:34 PM
Ollie has the most beautiful markings. I know I've said that before.
It was 75* here today and will be even warmer tomorrow. Our leaves are not very colorful this year, except for a few trees here and there.
Posted by: kenju | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 02:18 PM
First of all, I love your Ollie! he's such a cute guy! Secondly, your photos are lovely, such a beautiful array of colors. It's one of the things I really love about autumn. We have beautiful colors here in Seattle, too.
Posted by: Sylvia Kirkwood | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 03:57 PM
I love New England's fall colors so appreciated your photos. Luckily saw some pretty spectacular colors in Michigan toward the end of Oct. just before the election and my returning home to Calif.
Also while in Michigan I rec'd a cat dosage with two pretty rambunctious ones as they busily tried rather successfully at times to train me to do their bidding.
Ollie appears to be quite regal as he poses for your photo, so wonder if he assumes he's in charge in your household?
Our So. Calif. weather has been warm this fall with occasional cold snaps in 50's to 60's (yeah, I know, that's not cold!) We're back to a heat wave in the high 70's to 80's as the week progresses. Seems much warmer this year this late in the year. Thank heavens we actually had some rain within the past week or so.
Posted by: joared | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 05:30 PM
I hope Ollie gets to go on walks with you sometimes. Does he do "leash"?
And yes. He is so damn cute.
Posted by: chancy | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 08:17 PM
The photos are beautiful. Is Ollie stll under house arrest and not allowed on the patio, after his Houdinin hijinks? And any progress with the problems with neighbors in the building?
I love the comment about the collective exhale following the election. I have been thinking along similar lines. It's almost as if the air is easier to breathe now; molecules crowding together in tension are spreading apart somehow so there is a new lightness in the hope. I can never remember a new president being greeted so enthusiastically. Perhaps it's just the press overdoing things as usual.
Posted by: TropiGal | Friday, 07 November 2008 at 05:47 AM
Ollie made my day! It's been high 40's and low 50's here in the Pacific NW, leaves changing have made me homesick for the East coast.
Ollie cheered me up. Thanks for sharing this
Posted by: Georjina | Friday, 07 November 2008 at 10:21 AM