How are you all down east?

Heard your temps are pretty cold, huh? Hang in here, it can't last that long. Pam, even you guys in Saskatchewan in the deep freezer. Didn't even know about theis cold snap until I watched the news tonight. Bummer!

Nice temps....drops 15 degrees in a couple of hours....huge snowflakes.......wind picks up.....Blizzard......bitterly cold temps (typical Saskatchewan winter). However dem Eastern provinces had better warm up.......cold temps here are a drop in the bucket as far as oil prices go. Their cold temps are going to push prices into the stratosphere. :S

Well, DH and I have done my part by setting our thermostat to hold at 18 degrees C, and leaving the east altogether!

I just arrived at my dad's house in Saskatoon a couple of hours ago...where it is at least 5 degrees warmer than Ottawa was. Hope the kitties are keeping warm back home..... Fortunately their caretaker can be relied upon to keep their bowls well-filled until we get home again. In fact, we'll probaby have to put them on a diet in January! :-)

I'm worried about the birds at home tho' - haven't seen any in weeks. I've got a ton of seeds for the feeder, but no action.

Hmmm "Down East" sounds like Florida or so and I wish I was there right now even though it's also cold there (though not as cold) ;)
Yes that Alberta Clipper got it down to -28 yesterday over here and it's still -20 right now but supposed to warm up today. Lucky I have a few days off so can avoid going outside :).

Good morning y'all. I was sitting here all bundled up in my many layers of clothes, feeling really sorry for myself, if the truth be known. *sigh*

"So", I said to myself, "Self, check in on the Canadian group and see what's goin' on up there weatherwise". BOY, did it ever bring me to my senses real quick!!! Campared to your temps, we are having bikini weather. It's 54* here now, and the wind has died down. Last night it was 41* with the wind chill factor 38*. I would have added a Brrrrrrrr, but I was afraid you would laugh at me! *grin*

I watched a Travel channel show last night about a town in Alaska called North Pole. They have the only McDonald's snowmobile drive through in the world. It was -28 and there were at least 25 snowmobiles in line. I don't think I EVER wanted a hamburger that bad!! LOL

I wish each and every one of you a HAPPY HOLIDAY, and remember, spring is on the way!
Pati the lurker

LOL, sorry if I threw ya there Milan, but for me down here in the "the West", you people in Ontario and Quebec are "down east"!!! What can I say? Now if I was living in Ontario or Quebec, I guess Florida could be considered "down" east. LOL

Pati, for you in Florida, the temps you decribed are pretty cool, huh? I have a stepson in Texas and he tells me it's been cooler than normal there too. And well, look at California lately. Kinda scary this weather. Down here in God's Country, (hee hee, I can almost hear Pam & Lynn clenching their teeth) the temps have been pretty normal. We usually hover around the freezing mark, but over the past week we were up to +8 -+10 a couple days. It has cooled down a little but not much. Got some freezing rain the night before last, but thankfully it melted off the streets when the sun came up.

Shannon, hope you enjoy the Christmas R & R at your folks place. Has Saskatoon got much snow? You are off to Manitoba for the big day, aren't you. Enjoy, and don't worry about those kitties. You know they are just going to be "napping" on the heat registers a lot while your gone. (So what;s new, huh? LOL

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas Pati and thank you so very much for bringing some of your Florida warmth to our forum!! :D Must admit right now I am soo tempted to hop on a plane and visit you and weeds! I'd be the one *not* wearing a jacket there.

If you had complained, too much, we have tiny little violins.... ;)

Donna :b

Welcome home Shannon!

Pati in Florida........the mild weather is with us again on the South West Coast of BC....I'm still wanting to take off someplace, where I could spend my day in shorts, though! Happy Holidays to you too! Elaine

Thanks, Pam and Donna! It's good to be west again. Especially knowing that the kitties are in good hands while we're gone...probably soaking up the heat from the registers right now. We have learned where the warm spots are on the floor, from watching where Scruffy likes to sleep.

Hmm....Milan, I think Donna's on to something....the east-west center of Canada is in Manitoba! :-) By this reckoning, you and I would be eastern-dwellers. And I think the actual geographical center of the country is near Baker Lake....NT, so we're all really southerners :-) Hey Pati, want to come visit us in "southern" Canada? It may be cold, but the sun's shining! Better wait til summer....

I'm amazed by how little snow there is here in Saskatoon!!! In Gatineau it's up to our knees, and the pile of shovelled snow beside our driveway is up to my chest. Here, the ground is barely covered. Boy, I hope these fields get some more moisture before the winter's over.

I'm the most east of all the Canadian members...5 km from me is the Atlantic...no stops until you hit UK. It's been a mild fall here. We have had three 10 cm snowfalls so far this autumn, but this past week we hit 12 C four times! I'll soon have to mow the lawn again! LOL! Seriously though, I do have a cluster of 36 Crocus speciosus in full bloom that I plan to pick for Christmas Eve....the first time I've had flowers open in December, let alone for Christmas! I'm dreaming of a 'green' Christmas! Long range forecast is rain and 10 C for Christmas Day....with luck, in 3 months the spring crocus will start. A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS to all the Canadian members!

First I'd like to say Merry Christmas to you as well.

Secondly :b......there's a snowball coming your way!

p.s.can you *see* the crocuses through the fog???

LOL. Getting picked on again Todd! Seriously though, I did hear just today that Newfoundland is giving British Columbia a good run for it's money in the temperature department. Very mild, so says the Weather Network. Good for you. I vote for "Green" Christmas too, so enjoy! And have yourself a very Merry Christmas on "the Rock", Todd!

Well its been so mild that my Viburnum X bodnantense is showing pink in the buds! I expect I will loose all the flowers when winter really sets in. Do you have that one in Castlegar? If so, I guess they might bloom anytime in winter.

Lilypon, I have special fog-penetrating glasses!

Looking forward to seeing a picture taken through them Todd!

This message was edited Dec 22, 2004 11:36 PM

I hadn't even heard of this shrub before, so it was interesting to learn about it. I'll have to watch for this shrub blooming in our area in February. Gorgeous blossom!

Viburnum X bodnantense

Who knew? Donna, I like your attitude towards learning new things. Plumeria looks like an enthusiastic flowering plant...there are some gorgeous pics of different Plumeria species in PDB too.


Never mind....it's not plumeria....spot the newbie! ;-)

This message was edited Dec 23, 2004 10:40 AM

Sorry Shannon, I should have pu the name of the shrub Todd was talking about. I edited that message now.

It's a Viburnum X bodnantense. Who knew, is right! Cool plant.

So are you in the Edmonton area now, Shannon? You are really gettin' around aren't you? Good for you.

The flowers of the Viburnum are quite lovely, but the fragrance is a knock-out! A few stems will smell up the whole house. Listed as zone 7 in most books, some say zone 6, but I'm in 5b and from a 2 foot twig it is now a robust 7 feet shrub. Here's a pic of mine.

Very lovely, Todd.

I'm gonna have to get me one of those!

Todd, I agree on the Viburnum. My SO came home the other day with a flower from one she'd seen and said what's this, I want one. They are blooming now around here, and really fragrant. It's on my 'to get' list.

Linda

todd - newfoundland deserves a decent winter have the cold icy underhanded treatment you're getting from the feds. there ought to be a between election spot where we can register our disapproval of specific actions of the feds. I know I would light up the board on this one.

Our weather has been resembling a roller coaster of late but really it hasn't been that bad so far and afterall we only have 8 weeks to get thru now.

Whoo Hoo!! Don't get me started, Lynn!

A-Ha....yes we could have some great political discussions.....but do we know that we're all on the same side of any one issue?? :-) Could be interesting!

Let's not get started on politics....needless to say, offshore oil rights and the fed's backpeddling on the topic gets us Newfoundlander's really steamed!

I bet we could have some great discussions on our gov't and it's actions (inactions) And compare our provincial bozos, oh, I mean leaders, as well.

What! Gordon a Bozo...say it isn't so? :D

You all good at treading water?

My tongue has been stuck to a metal pole.....sometimes you're safer when that happens. :S

Yep.

speaking of politicians, Pam, I was VERY impressed with your premier's contribution to premier poetry today. He should get first prize!

q: ....still stuck to the metal Lynn.

Should I come running with the boiling kettle in hand Pam? :)

Milan..........

I wouldn't touch you, with a
thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole.


You're a vile one, Mr. Grinch.
You have termites in your smile.
You have all the tender sweetness
Of a seasick crocodile.
Mr. Grinch.


Given the choice between having my tongue stuck to the metal pole
or your help with the boiling water.........

I'd take the seasick crocodile.

My contribution to the poetry discussion. :)

My Goodness...what did you do Milan? And I thought you were just being nice! Surely she knew you'd let the water cool a little...

LOL.......he's not going to get me to unstick my tongue Donna. :) It would hurt too much!!

Look she blabbers away like there is no tomorrow now so the tongue must have gotten unstuck on my threat only :) ( and I didn't even plug the kettle in yet LOL)

The three words that best describe you,
are, and I quote: "Stink. Stank. Stunk." :)

Has that something to do with my bean breakfast today ?????
;)

Could be or....
Seems I remember you said something about stinky socks before???? :)

This message was edited Dec 24, 2004 2:51 PM