Thank you, stargazer. Yes we have been told about the blue moon on January 31st, which will be an eclipse and also a blood moon, whatever that is. Doesn't blue and red make purple? A purple moon, perhaps?

I hope you all aren't suffering too much from the untoward cold weather that has afflicted the Eastern seaboard of North America. At least the temperature is going the right way. Today, according to Australia's Bureau of Meteorology, my Australian home town is officially the hottest spot on the entire planet, having had at 3.35 pm a maximum temperature of 47.3C. That is to say, about 118 degrees Fahrenheit. We aren't even in a desert or in the tropics, either. Just sandwiched between Sydney, the Nepean River, and the Eastern escarpment of the Blue Mountains.

This is the time of year we ask "Why do we live here?" It's been a while since the temperature has risen above 0F/-17C. It may hit that mark today.

Well, I've been looking at the lovely sunny mornings after 9 am, and thinking how odd it is that it's only 2 degrees C outside! I'm recuperating from a chest and sinus infection, so it's nice not having to go out in it.
And it wasn't until after I got sick that I discovered I'm currently living in the worst city for asthma in this country. Damp and polluted, eh?
It can only get better!

We're getting a brief warm-up this week after some rain this morning. We desperately needed it, but it wasn't very much. Next rain chance is this Friday and it comes along with the next major cold snap. Back into freezing temperatures again.

Yes, Friend Wiggle, isn't it great to see Orion again in the evening hours? (When the skies are clear, which is not that often this time of year.) Beautiful!

What a change in temps from the weather out west to back home, 'stargazer!

For a couple of weeks now we too have had very cold temperatures: around -20C/-4 during the day (but lower with the windchill) and around -30C/-22 at nights (feeling colder with the wind). Talk about fresh!

We had about a foot of fresh snow fall last night. That was on top of another foot we'd received over the past month, some of which has melted and much compressed, but it's been white for a long time now, yay!

Today is the first day in what seems like a long time that one didn't step outside and immediately freeze. But with the temperature rising, all the snow has become quite heavy. We're supposed to go above freezing on Wed and Thursday (with potential freezing rain), then dropping cold again. It is January, after all. Another round of snow could arrive on Friday through Saturday.

wagga, I simply melt at those sizzling temperatures in your part of the world!

My apologies wagga. I keep forgetting that.
Indeed, my friend hobbit. I am hoping that the current warm up will be accompanied by some clear skies tomorrow night to allow for some viewing.
We are expecting a second day in the 30sF. But the " other shoe drops " early Thursday morning when the cold moves back in accompanied by snow. Just when grass was starting to show up again.

I'm going out of the house for the first time in a few days, and will be really bundling up! It's a cosy warm house, but only 2 degrees out there so far. Hmm, I hear the ironing and a coffee calling me!
(I need to buy groceries, plus a couple of other errands to do).

Yes we have been told about the blue moon on January 31st, which will be an eclipse and also a blood moon, whatever that is. Doesn't blue and red make purple? A purple moon, perhaps?

Total lunar eclipses are sometimes called blood moons because the moon takes on a reddish hue. I believe the name didn't catch on till recently, when a series of 4 total eclipses in a row (a 'tetrad') occurred a few years ago and some people attached theological significance to them.

The past few days have been very warm here in east central Minnesota, with highs around 38F/3C. The bottom falls out again beginning tomorrow night, when a storm brings in wet heavy snow and possible blizzard and whiteout conditions. The cold returns this weekend with highs struggling to reach 5F/-15C.

Thank you stargazer. There is an old saying to believe only what one sees and only half of what one hears. It is good to be able to check reality with someone.

Well, I've been looking at the lovely sunny mornings after 9 am, and thinking how odd it is that it's only 2 degrees C outside! I'm recuperating from a chest and sinus infection, so it's nice not having to go out in it.
And it wasn't until after I got sick that I discovered I'm currently living in the worst city for asthma in this country. Damp and polluted, eh?
It can only get better!

I'd believe it, wherever you are. Each time I went to UK I ended up with some sort of 'lurgy', and a visit to the doctor. I hope you are better and haven't had the dreaded "Aussie flu" the International Express' latest edition was rabbiting on about. Did you have a real "White Christmas"? Or was it just plain chilly?

wagga, I simply melt at those sizzling temperatures in your part of the world!

It could have been worse. Sydney is one of Australia's largest cities, as you would expect, since it was the first one established, and it is rimmed with a collection of country towns that ended up as outer suburbs in what is called Greater Western Sydney. Some, like Penrith, Richmond, Hornsby and Campbelltown, are cities in their own right, with their own suburbia.

I noted that Sydney gets the glory for the hottest place on Earth last Sunday, according to the Washington Post, but, as locals said here in the news, Sydney is a good 60 kilometres away from the hot spot in question. The local minister there on Sunday preached a sermon on what hell is, but I doubt he meant such a literal interpretation. By the way, the highest temperature in these parts was 47.8C in Richmond, in 1939.

I'm melting, melting!

That kind of heat is even harder to imagine since we're back in the deep freeze for the weekend. Spots north of here sank to about -30F/-35C overnight, and here it is a balmy 4F/-16C in mid-afternoon. The sky is crystal clear so the bottom will fall out again once the sun sets about two hours from now.

I'm sure all the (American) football fans are glad we have an enclosed stadium for tomorrow's playoff game, especially since the opponent is from New Orleans, a Southern city that doesn't get very cold even in winter (by local standards, anyway).

Off topic I know, but the remark about the game must be responded to. After watching the local team (The Vikings) almost lose in front a home crowd after leading for more than half the game, well, it just makes a fellow want to curl up and hibernate for a hundred years
Anyway. Local weather, more suitable for the great Northwest, came back to stay awhile. Snow, light, and fluffy, came at times horizontally across the yard. That's not too bad, if you are able to grow with the wind. Not so fun otherwise
Fortunately as I said, light, and fluffy. Four to six inches by my guesstimat. Of course I have been known for inaccuracy at times, and blowing snow hardly stays still enough to measure properly.

The local minister there on Sunday preached a sermon on what hell is, but I doubt he meant such a literal interpretation. By the way, the highest temperature in these parts was 47.8C in Richmond, in 1939.

And excuse me while I .

So, that mild 24 hours last week with abundant rain was enough to melt much of the snow we had. Quite something! The grass was showing for a wee bit, but then the temperature dropped last Friday and we had a good few inches of more snow, hurrah ... a white landscape again! It has remained very cold since, which meant that all the water on the ground from the melt, froze. Icy conditions were present for a while, that's for sure. We are expecting more snow this afternoon and overnight. I would think that this winter thus far we have had over a couple of feet of snow in total.

I am enjoying my early morning (dawn) and early evening (dusk) walks most days. There is no doubt I bundle up (it was near -30 with the windchill a few nights), but when one is dressed for it, it is really lovely, especially greeting the sunrise just outside our village before 8 a.m., and then watching the sun set over the fields at the opposite end of the day. ♥ Stunning.

There is a slight warm-up coming (nearing the freezing mark) towards the end of this week, but we're hoping it won't go above 0C too much. It shouldn't at this time of year!

We're apparently at risk of having some snow later today. Not had any for a month. I want to go out this afternoon, so I will need to be well wrapped. (I'm recuperating after some sickness, trying to be well enough to work - going out in the cold is not the best option, but there are things I need to do).

Did you get the snow, Auntie?

Winter made a comeback here yesterday, with the area's biggest snowstorm since February 2011. The airport received 12.4 inches/315mm, the town I live in received 14 inches/355mm, and areas in southern Minnesota reported blizzard and whiteout conditions with 19.5 inches/495mm. With lots of wind we had to shovel a few times.

I could be jealous of you stargazer. My snow blower has been gathering dust all winter. What little snow we have/had is mostly melted.
Though I am no fan of heavy snow fall, it would be nice for some just to cover the brown lawn.
The possible advantage is for all the cold reaching some of the mosquitos will be frozen out. Or so some bug experts say

No, we may have had a bit swirling around, but I didn't see it. Just a bit of rain, with some milder temperatures recently.
This might account for the crocuses I saw poking up in a bit of grass beside the main road near my home.