Mary Soderstrom's Blog, page 17

Saturday Photo: More Bad News on Climate Change, But Winter Is Terrific Here

 March 5 here, and there's still a lot of snow on the ground.  This has been a great winter for skating, playing in the snow, skiing (I guess, I don't) and just enjoying brisk and sunny days.  Often by now the snow is gone, and certainly skating outside is problematic.

As I've been enjoying the weather (much prefer sun and cold to mild and grey) I've been wondering if we all should be storing up a lot of memories of what a good winter is like.  The latest report by the International Panel on Climate Change says that things are going to get worse. 

According to to the background info: “This report is a dire warning about the consequences of inaction,” said Hoesung Lee, Chair of the IPCC. “It shows that climate change is a grave and mounting threat to our wellbeing and a healthy planet. Our actions today will shape how people adapt and nature responds to increasing climate risks.”

Take heed, everyone.  And enjoy what we've got when we can. 

Saturday Photo: Well, Now That Maybe We're Going to Be Able to Get out and about...

  A friend just sent this.  Seems it was made nearly two years ago, but it's still funny today.  Maybe we'll eventually get out of this .....

Saturday Photo: What I Feel Like with Rain and Turkeys demonstrating

Well, actually it's just a snow person who's a little the worse for wear, given the couple of days of above-freezing temps.

But given all the stupidity going around, I'm feeling just as out-of-sorts as he  does.

I've spent far more time on pickets lines and at various demonstrations than I care to remember, but I've never seen such folly as in the last few days.
 

Saturday Photo: The Light Is Different These Days

The days are getting longer, and during the days themselves, the sun is riding higher in the sky.  The result can be glorious, cold days like today after a little snow.  Makes winter worth it.
 

Saturday Photo: Solution for the Housing Crisis?

 Fixer-upper near all conveniences.  Or ready to move in if you've got a good  snowsuit!  This cold January has had some very fun moments for kids in or neighborhood.

Saturday Photo: Fum��e de mer, or Freezing Fog

 Awfully cold here.  The St. Lawrence is warmer than the air, and is in effect steaming.  But once the mist rises it freezes leaving ice-encrusted bushes and trees and magical landscapes like this.

Saturday Photo: Fumée de mer, or Freezing Fog

 Awfully cold here.  The St. Lawrence is warmer than the air, and is in effect steaming.  But once the mist rises it freezes leaving ice-encrusted bushes and trees and magical landscapes like this.

Saturday Photo: My Living Room Forest

The hibiscus are taller than I am, and nearly as old as my kids who have been on their own for decades.  I bring them in every fall and cut them back but they still grow and grow.

There's a decorative orange tree too, that spends the winter at the top of the stairs under a sky light.  Until last summer we took it outside too, but it now is really too big to wrestle down the stairs.  Last summer we got it out on a balcony, but I dont know how long that dodge will work.

Nice to have plants that live a long time, particularly when the world seems to be so dangerous these days...
 

Saturday Photo: What to Do on a Sunny But Cold Saturday

 SKATE!

The photo was taken several years ago, but I still like it.  Saw several kids out this morning trying their skates out.

 I hear our youngest grandkid just graduated from two-blade skates to the real thing, and I imagine he's out today despite the cold.

 The only thing to do in the middle of a pandemic, even when it's cold, is go play outside!

Saturday Photo: What I'd Like Everything to Be

 As we start the new year, I've been doing quite a lot of reflection about where we should be going.  At the moment, I'm really not sure. But I think we'll find the proper destination if we keep looking for it. And to do that we need to keep our spirits up.  Hence the mantra "All's Good."  

Remember it, friends, when the way looks obscured ahead.