Sunday, December 04, 2005

Ice and Flowers

This pattern was in our pond ice this morning. I am guessing it was caused by a warm spot but I have no idea why there was a warm spot there.



The Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) was in full bloom yesterday in spite of icy winds.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah well, dial-up and all, it's not like really being connected. That plus the computer I use was rescued from a dumpster. . . I really like Sugar Mountain Farm's practice of placing daily high and low temp's on his blog. Would you consider it? Give us back-woodsers more of an idea of what a dandelion requires in the way of climate? Here today L 12F, H 26F. Burning too much wood already, but like being toasty.

Ontario Wanderer said...

KR, Tell me about dial-up. My 56 kbs modem pulls in the internet at a screaming 28 to 31 kbs. That't why I crunch my photos down about 3 times before trying to upload them. Not sure how the do the temperature thing on my blog. Perhaps, if I ever get a spare moment, I shall look into it. It's not too cold here yet. -8 C with wind chill of -15 (17.6 F & wc 5 F) this morning and going up to near freezing later in the day. I found Witch Hazel flowers blooming at -20 C (-4 F) in January a couple of years ago. They are supposed to bloom in September and October but obviously got confused that year. One can also find Chickweeds blooming under the snow and I even found a very confused Violet blooming at the end of November under the snow. (Yes, I knew it bloomed late and just dug through the snow to check one day.)
We are heating with fuel oil and have turned down the heat and put on long johns and sweaters. Toasty happens in summer.

Anonymous said...

I have seen those high tech temp "thingie's" on other people's blogs. SMF appears to just type it at the bottom of each post. High, low, and moisture. Kinda' like Grandad's diary entries. Except he included barometric pressure and wind direction and velocity. (You know, there's a hard wind a howlin'. - that sort of velocity description.) Am currently burning a mix of that huge hackberry that used to grow at the east end of the old sawmill. I had to have it taken out a couple of years ago as it was splitting, and the heavy end was headed towards my car shed. Oh yeah, the mix: some hackberry, and some locust and some mulberry. The propane truck was here the other day and the driver did glare at the chimney. So far the only propane being burned is in my kitchen stove and in the library. Just enough to keep the pipes from freezing.

robin andrea said...

Interesting pattern on that ice. I'm starting to notice the winter flowers here. Thanks for steering me in that direction, OW, or I might have overlooked some of the hardiest little blooming things. We're definitely not as cold as you and KR, so we still have pansies and rosebuds! I'm sure all of that will disappear with a few more deep frosts.

Anonymous said...

Could the hot spot be generated by decomposing stuff at the bottom of the lake? Maybe methane gas is rising at this point and dispersing when it hits the ice?

Ontario Wanderer said...

KR, OK, if truth need be known, I have temperature for 5:00 a.m., wind direction, wind speed, barometer reading, humidity, sky conditions, forecast highs and lows for the day, forecast possibility of rain or snow, long range highs and lows, record highs and lows for the day, and current sunspot numbers as well as sunrise, sunset times, moon phase, and personal information such as heart rate, weight, blood pressure,.... Am I my grandfather's grandson or what? Sure I could add temperature to the blog for the days that I manage to publish if that would make you happy. I think I'll sit on most of the other information however.
We are burning elm (good wood) and cedar, pine, and box-elder (poor wood) in our fireplace in the mornings while we have coffee and some evenings, but it does little to heat this century farmhouse.

RD, We had roses until a week ago but no pansies this year. I did buy some cold weather pansies last year that lasted until December as I remember. Glad you are looking for other wild flowers now. There is more to see in winter than most people know.

P, I think you may be correct. There are about a dozen places where there are similar, but smaller, patterns on the ice. I know that there are a variety of things on the bottom that could be decomposing. I wonder how one could check out the theory.

Anonymous said...

Ah, jeez. No daily cholesterol readings? That explains the rumble of the earth. (The ancestors no doubt turning in their graves.) I had previously thought it was the gravel trucks.

You didn't stand a chance you know. Your mother was describing her chest pains while walking in sub freezing temps the other morning before sunrise. Being the "good child", I had delivered Nitroquick to her the previous day, and although it took a 2nd dose, all turned out well. Am thinking of sending her your way for a long visit. oh yeah: 5.9F @ 4:30 AM, 12-6-05

Crowe said...

It's a giant aquatic chick starting to chip its way out of its ice-egg ...

Anonymous said...

lots to read and see here. love the ice flower...or is it a star. i look forward to peeking around here a bit.

Ontario Wanderer said...

KR, The daily walk does seem necessary and better to die outside than lying in a hospital bed.

SGJ, Aquatic chick? I hope it's not too hungry.

Y, Glad you are finding things to enjoy here. I keep trying to comment on our site but often get thrown out. Your site just does not like me I think. I do enjoy your photos and script!