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Saturday, November 4, 2017

It's Here!

The transition was abrupt. There were still colorful things to see and in a day or two it all changed to monochrome. Last weekend was the first significant snowfall and while it melted along the lakeshore for a few days, the snow has continued a little at a time and accumulated slowly. Once you get a half mile from the lake it doesn't melt.

I left town for a day or two last weekend and waited until later in the morning to leave. I didn't trust the road conditions. Fortunately, the main highway by the lake was only wet and driving wasn't bad although there had already been a couple of storm-related highway fatalities to the south of us.





There is (was) a railroad bridge toward the west end of the county. Over the years several trucks had been just a little too tall to get through it. A couple of months ago it was hit particularly hard. The decision from the Highway Department was to remove the offending section. It hadn't been used for about fifteen years for an actual train, so they shut down the highway for a day or two and with a very long, dirt road detour removed it. It looks different now, like a bridge to nowhere.

I got down to Duluth and while there were still some leaves on some of the trees they were being discouraged by the snow from trying to hold on to autumn.





Two days later I drove back up the shore and found that most of the snow had melted. I could still look up the hill away from the lake to see that there was still snow in the higher elevations. I just had to stop for one quick look at the Split Rock Lighthouse, though.

The snow is supposed to continue today and tomorrow so I guess it is officially winter now. I started wearing my fleece-lined jeans a couple of days ago. Here is what it is like today.





 The good news is that in about seven weeks the days will start getting longer! Woohoo!

  



26 comments:

  1. Oh, man, it seems too early for snow, doesn't it? Hopefully it will melt and bring back fall for a couple of weeks. . . No? Well, I have to say the pictures are beautiful, so maybe that is some consolation.

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  2. Unbelievable. It's a bright, warm fall day in SC. We have yet to get a frost!

    Lovely photos. :)

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  3. Oh my. Oh my, oh my, oh my.
    jenny_o is right. It is beautiful.
    And that lighthouse!!!!!
    Stay warm, stay safe.

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  4. I can't wait 7 weeks! I want more daylight NOW! ;-)

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  5. What a wonderful post today. I see and hear the quiet. Beautiful !
    Daughter lives right on the Canadian border and they have had rain, ice,sleet, snow, repeat.

    It has finally turned to fall and we desert people are very happy.

    cheers, parsnip

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  6. I said I would never miss snow, but after eight years I long to feel the cold and to touch the snow, to make a snowman and a snowwoman with their snowdog.

    Love,
    Janie

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  7. Love your shot of Split Rock Lighthouse. We've had a warm fall in our new home in southeastern PA . . . and now we've decamped to South Carolina for a cpl of weeks. We're sissies when it comes to snow, tho' we're sure to see some back at home in Dec or Jan.

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  8. Your photos are beautiful, as always. And "In seven weeks the days will start to get longer": Spoken like a true optimist!

    We were dismayed to get a dump of snow a couple of days ago, too. So much for our rainforest island retreat. We got about six inches and the power was off three or four times for a few hours each time. (It was only zero and we have a generator, so no big deal... but still. Grrr.) Hoping it goes away soon.

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  9. jenny_o, It does seem a bit early, but what's a couple of weeks?

    Jennifer, Sigh. I grew up in Delaware where there were only three months of winter and it was never severe.

    Elephant's Child, Easy for you to say when you're in the throes of late Spring! At least your pictures keep me warm.

    anne marie, If I had THAT kind of power, I'd be retired by now. Hell, you'd all be retired by now if I did.

    eViL pOp TaRt, It really is unless the wind is howling.

    angryparsnip, The border climate is often very unsettled this time of year. Glad to hear you get some relief about now.

    Janie Junebug, You could fly north for a weekend this winter and get your fill. Then you might remember why you opt out.

    Tom, You are getting the best out of climate comfort with your travels.

    Silver Willow, Thanks!

    Diane, I have to be optimistic about SOMETHING. Our power has gotten more reliable in the past couple of decades, but a good storm can still wreak a bit of havoc.

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  10. We're still having days in the upper 80s here, so these pictures are unimaginable to me.

    I loved the ones of the bridge and of the horses, though. Fantastic!

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  11. Ugh. Yuck. Winter arrived here on Nov 1st. I'm sick of it already.

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  12. And I think in St. Louis this weekend it was 70-something degrees.

    Wow! I can't wait for the snow to come to us.

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  13. Fleece lined jeans, oh my, those sound very cosy. Gotta get me a pair. No snow here in my corner of S Ontario yet, in fact, yesterday was very mild, wet, and foggy. Better than snow in my opinion. But it will be here only too soon.
    I hope somebody remembered to tell the train people that the bridge is gone.

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  14. Lovely pictures. Especially the light house and the horses. Looks so cold and wet though. Fur lined underwear is a minimum no doubt.

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  15. Harry, 80 would feel pretty good for a few days, then I would have to cool off and rehydrate.

    Debra, I am more than willing to support any efforts on your part to change the inevitable.

    Sioux, Iowa must be the big transition zone about now. The snow is slowly working its way toward you.

    Shammickite, Lined is the permanent state of my pants for at least the next five months. There is a big pile of gravel on the tracks of the upper side of the bridge. I doubt that it would stop a train, though.

    Blog Fodder, Yes, I have put away my bell bottom shorts for the season.

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  16. Wow, that was so fast. It's pretty though. No snow here yet. We don't usually get anything of substance until February or March, so it'll most likely be a relatively warm/dry Thanksgiving and/or Christmas.

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  17. ABFTS, I suppose you have to get up in the mountains to get reliable snow, but yours comes and goes so fast I'm not sure I could say what season it is and be very accurate.

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  18. Pretty pics!! Luckily, it's a little too early for snow for me. Whew.

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  19. We are having a thunderstorm with temps in the low 70's in Pittsburgh. Your scenic pictures stir a longing for some snow.

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  20. This native Californian feels for you, though the snow is beautiful. I really like the lighthouse picture too. Colors, alas!
    Stay warm. Be safe and well, Jono.

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  21. I spoke too soon..... we have snow on the ground this morning here in my corner of S Ontario. Not much, but it's -11C out there.

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  22. Ah, but it looks so beautiful (she types as she is listening to the hum of the air conditioning)!

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  23. how lovely to look at gloomy snowy views through your lenses .
    liked the "bridge to nowhere" sometimes it relates to life a lot.

    light house looks more awesome after melting snow .
    Oh these horses need sweater for sure

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