Punxsutawney Phil, the perennial groundhog, declared he saw his shadow at sunrise, Friday February 2nd. Groundhog Day.
No early Spring for us.
How often is he accurate? Less than 50% of the time according to this article by Justin Boggs.
Hope he’s inaccurate this year.
I’ve been to see this event twice which might be in your bucket list. And Last year’s Groundhog Compendium
I was going to post the results of a light snowfall in Ohio where I’m visiting… but then –
my friend Kristin from Florida (and steadfast blog follower) texted a dozen photos today that fascinated me.
Thought you’d enjoy seeing the Ice Hotel in Quebec City. Hotel de Glace.
I’ve never been to an Ice Hotel but I loved the virtual tour via her photos.
I asked if your lips stick to the glass made of ice. You lick it first. Brrrrrrr.
(Maura said it reminded her of Elsa’s Castle in Frozen)
the only bathroom they saw 
Although I’m in Ohio, I got to experience a taste of the winter Carnaval Quebec in Quebec City today. What fun!
A group effort on the photography, thanks to Kristin and Rick.
Quebec City-today’s “temperature was a balmy 25 and yesterday a -2”
See their exhilarating toboggan ride video below.
Linda with Bonhomme -mascot of the Carnaval
“Bonhomme is the official representative of the Quebec Winter Carnival. Snow white, he proudly wears the red tuque and arrow sash of the heroes of our past. This living representation of the Québécois’ joie de vivre is represented by an Effigy modeled after him.”
Kristin (native Floridian ) framed by the intricate ice sculpture.
(Linda,I love your sockhead knit hat!)
Join my friends on a fast toboggan run!
You might remember the pie pin map at Grant Bar in Millvale when Kristin and Linda visited me.
Along the Monongahela River.
The thin white tree branch over the dark trunk seemed to connect the bridge reflection in the river. Tie it together.
I photographed this image earlier in the week.
But-we’re not talking about the weather or what it’s doing outside my window right now.
It’s winter for certain.
These gas company workers have been working outside for several days in bitter cold.
The thermometer in the negative column and windchill making it more severe with no relief in sight. Laura and James home didn’t experience the problems some neighbors did. I can’t imagine how the early settlers made it through the winters.
I know it’s colder in other locations around the country as I heard from a friend in NH and it was 35 below zero
I admire these men for working hard to get the heat snd hot water to the neighbors.
According to Wikipedia The Cathedral of Learning is 535 Feet High and 42 floors
With the addition of trees and lamp post
Cathedal of Learning Sidewalk with Purple Salt
I haven’t written a lot about the weather on the blog. Some blog readers live in a different hemisphere are enjoying summer temperatures and swimming. I heard from K that it got up to 44, even if Florida. Deb wrote that we’ve got ice on the rivers.
Storms, low temps, windchill? I know two people who had to get a new furnace.
Weather? You see it on the news. The computer. Experience it first hand. Shovel your driveway or your walks. Listen for two hour delays or school closures.
Tying to not feel down like the snowman, but hey, it’s WINTER!
Weatherman’s prediction is start at 4 AM and snow until 5 PM. Dress warmly.
My sister had 11 inches of snow in New York City. What are you experiencing?
and of course, returned to the park. It’s just blocks from my house. And the light was low, the visibility poor. A stark and magnificent beauty in the midst of the storm.
What were the trees doing today? One day winter, one day Spring, one day freezing and dark, one day a warm sun but a chill in the wind. I wanted to see the branches outlined in snow. The dark branches highlighted with the new fallen snow. Actually, falling snow.
I was rewarded with a stunning winter scene, just before dusk.
It had started to snow while I was at school. The sky heavy and gray. Big big flakes. Melting on the street as it was 38 degrees. I drove home in a snow globe.
Oh yes, today I got out of the car, scared off a squirrel and photographed the snowy park bench and my favorite tree. The sounds muffled by the new snow, barely sticking to the road but highlighting the curved lines.
these are unretouched color photographs
Two roads diverged….
Home to tea. Homemade spaghetti and cheese, steamed broccoli. Leftover fortune cookie and a mandarin orange. Winter.
Another in my winter tree series. Actually I drove through the park today and the snow is gone. See the tree below.
I wanted to post the trees in silhouette, though and the sinking sun behind the trunk.
It ‘s the warmth of the sun on the snow that appeals to me.
My drives through the park after school on my way home have help me appreciate the beauty of the winter.
A different tree but this is the angle of the sun at the time I was driving into the entrance of Highland Park.
Today on the way home, the car thermometer read 63 degrees. Here’s what my trip into the park yielded Monday afternoon. Find the car to check the scale of the tree. Because of the mottled peeled bark, I believe it’s a giant sycamore. Long shadows and blue sky with pretty clouds made it feel like April.
Back to the park after school. I was later today. The sun was sinking in the west and this was facing east. When I wrote taillight it didn’t look correct but I checked it out with Merriam- Webster online and it is spelled right! I thought about cropping out the car end but changed my mind. I think it adds perspective and information, allowing one to judge how tall the pine tree is. It looks dead to me, but I am not an arborist.
Looks like the snow glows from the reflected setting sun.
It is a pine tree, isn’t it?
detail
