Friday, November 5, 2010

Cold Enuf for Ya?

We had a low of 19 degrees this morning which meant a hard freeze, for sure. But this was only our second one so we squeaked by much, much longer into fall than we usually do. Our previous low was 29 degrees a couple of weeks ago.

The raised beds first thing this morning.

Frost on the pumpkin . . . I mean Suburban.

The ice on the pond wasn't very thick but definitely the most we've seen so far.

All the wild Mallards are gone except for Mama Mallard and the ten little ones (no longer little) she raised here this summer. They are congregated around the spot where the water flows into the pond through the culvert under our driveway . . . the only place that wasn't frozen this morning.

Minutes before I took the above shot, Mother and Father Goose came waddling down to one side of the pond and Father Goose launched himself into what he thought was water. 'Cept it was ice.

Oh, how I wish I'd had my camera ready for that! His left leg went south and his right leg went north. His wings were going like windmills and he struggled for about 15 seconds trying to make it back to shore. You could almost see the totally bamboozled look on his face. "What the . . . ??"

We hit a high of 40 for the day and with a breeze blowing, I gotta say it was mighty invigorating out there. Sure felt good to come in to the warmth of the wood stove.

As hubby said, "I think we can now assume our long, warm fall is over." Yup.

9 comments:

The Apple Pie Gal said...

Do you think Father Goose did like we do?

(Laughingly) "Oh shoot, I hope no one was looking!"

Erin said...

Ducks on the ice, that never gets old LOL! I just had a great evening cleaning my sewing machine while listening to old 40's big band stuff on the radio, wool socks on... I think 19 degrees sounds lovely right now... but I've been drinking, haha! Stoke up that stove tonight, baby it's cold outside!

Jane @ Hard Work Homestead said...

To cold to fast here too. I am not acclimated. I feel like the duck.

mtnchild said...

The picture you 'drew' of Father Duck had me in tears laughing!! I just could not stop. I need a tissue for the tears!!! LOL Could it be akin to Bambi the first time he hit ice ...

Thanks for the laugh!!
Yvette

Jenyfer Matthews said...

Yeah!! Time for scarves, sweaters and QUILTING!

Sue said...

We had 34 for a high today. And snow--lovely, wonderful snow!! I sat in front of the picture window with a mug of steaming coffee and just SMILED!

Poor Mr. Duck! Ya gotta wonder what they think. Maybe you should set up one of those web cams down at your pond that runs streaming video. Very cool!

Kelly said...

Thanks for the chuckle this morning, that goose must have been quite the sight!

Mama Pea said...

APG - As a matter of fact, once he hit solid ground, he shook his mussed feathers into place and then did a nonchalant stroll away as if nothing had happened . . . much as I've done after picking myself up off the ground and checking to see if anyone saw my prat fall!

Erin - Apparently "winter" is over. Our low last night was 28! And in my book, that's warm. Sounds as if you had a loverly evening on your date with your sewing machine!

Jane - I truly does take our bodies a certain amount of time to adjust to the cold, doesn't it? ('Course, if we'd cave and dress for the weather right away, it would help!)

Yvette - I had just taken a couple of pics and shut my camera off when Father Goose did his Bambi impression. Oh, if only I could have gotten that shot! (Probably would have been blurred though.)

Mama Pea said...

Jen - I THINK we finished the last big outside job yesterday (I hope so anyway . . . until the next unexpected "crisis" comes along) so time for quilting is looking better and better!

Sue - You've had snow?! We had one five minute period of flakes falling last week sometime but the temp was 36° at the time. Other than that, nothing to amount to anything yet. I'm ready.

Kelly - I had to feel kinda sorry for him (he didn't know what the heck was happening to him), but it was so funny I just had to laugh! I waited and waited (with camera on) for him to try it again, but he was smarter than that.