How much snow this year?
Ever since the middle of November we have been mostly below normal for temperatures. The trend looks to continue into the weekend into next week.
Did you realize we have already had 0.4″ of snow this season? Most of it melted on contact when we had that brief snow on Friday Nov. 21 and flurries on Nov. 18th.
The winter outlook is for normal temperatures and above normal precipitation. That is cooler than the last couple of years, so who knows maybe we can add to our season snow. Let’s just hope we will be able to see it or play in it; instead of it melting on contact.
Christmas Decorating Update
We got our Christmas tree over the holiday weekend and brought it inside. It is tall and slim, and very fresh. We go to a family lot that is located off Farrington Road in Durham. They bring fresh trees all the time. I hauled it home on top of my old station wagon and got it inside without a mess or an accident.
I will put over 1000 lights on it. I still have to get those lights up outside. Our “deer” family is outside but not plugged in.
With only three weeks til Christmas day from today, I am starting to wonder that once I get all the decorations up will it be time to take them down?!
Snow Removal Is Costly
On average we get almost 7″ of snow during a winter. I have been told by different city folk that we don’t get enough snow to justify the cost of having enough plows and resources to be able to clear the snow like they do up north.
Economically that makes sense, but it can paralyze us when we get accumulating snow, sometimes as little as 1/2″, remember 2005!
Well up north they get enough snow that they have sufficient equipment to handle most snowfalls. I grew up in Chicago and this article amused me today.
They had about a 2″ snowfall earlier this week and it cost the city almost $500,000 to clear that for them is a minor snowfall. In these tough economic times the mayor now wants to ban overtime pay. So if you live in Chicago and you are waiting to get plowed out and it’s quitting time; you will have to wait till the next morning during regular business hours. Oh well just remember it’s 5 o’clock somewhere.
Smile In The Sky
Well I saw it and didn’t realize it. Last evening while wheeling out my garbage, I noticed the first crescent moon and a couple of bright stars in the the sky. I thought how nice, but then started thinking about the clear skies and how that might effect the weather. Oh well, once a meteorologist always a meteorologist and not always an astronomer.
I do love following astronomy, but this slipped by me. But how neat, Venus and Jupiter were within 2 degrees of the moon and in some parts of the world the crescent moon was under the two planets making it look like a smiley face. Tonight the skies should be clear and in the evening the moon will be farther away from Venus and Mars, but the sky should still look cool. Just don’t forget to bundle up.
Leftovers
Have you had your last turkey sandwich for awhile? We continue to eat at least part of our Thanksgiving dinner everyday or so. Now, as we move into December, the leftovers are almost gone. It is always interesting to see what food goes first and what is still hanging around. It could be used as a good indicator of what food was a big hit and what wasn’t.
At our house the stuffing and sweet potato cassorole go first, we still have some squash cassorole left. Mmm.
Now that December is here, its time to move on to egg-nog and all the good food that Christmas has to offer.
Raleigh Tornado 1988
Twenty years ago on this date a killer tornado unexpectedly touched down in Raleigh in the middle of the night. It flattened a K-Mart and killed two people in apartments, it lasted 2 hours killing another two further to the northeast.
That weekend was the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, I was working at WTVD at the time and had been off for the last four days. I watched the weather that Sunday night to make sure everything was fine and to get caught up to speed before going back to work that Monday morning. (Remember there was no Internet back then.) I remember that night that the weather was eerily warm and humid for a November 27th.
The phone rang around 1:30am informing me that a strong tornado had struck near Umstead Park in Raleigh. It was a surprise, since the chance of a tornado had not been mentioned as a possibility the night before.
Needless to say I got in to work in a hurry and we broadcast reports on the tornado continuously until 12:30 pm. Later that week I got to fly over the damage; and it is, to this day, the closest I have ever been to the damage of a killer tornado.
Anytime that I drive down US-70 and pass the Walmart near Pleasant Promenade; I remember that storm. I think how unbelievable it seems that that storm literally flattened a massive store that was a Kmart and took the lives of people, all without any warning. I will never forget.
Chocolate Pumpkin Pie
My niece, an avid pumpkin pie lover and a chocolate lover, thought it would be delicious to eat a chocolate pumpkin pie. I usually cook a pumpkin pie for our Thanksgiving meal; and this year I am adding a new twist. Basically the pie is made like a traditional pumpkin pie with the canned pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, spices etc.; but it has 6 oz of melted semi-sweet chocolate in the batter. Also the crust is graham cracker with 3oz of bittersweet chocolate melted and spread on the crust before the batter is added and cooked. After the pie comes out and cools a drizzle of melted milk chocolate is added to the top.
I haven’t made it yet, but tonight it will be made and tomorrow it will be tasted; hopefully by more than just my niece!
Griswalds? Not even close.
We enjoy decorating for Christmas every year. I do admit, it does take awhile. But we do it in little bits at a time. Last year we had honorable mention in our neighborhood for the outdoor lighting contest. I do take care of all the outside lighting and every year it seems to take a little longer.
However, our house is subdued when you think of some of the houses out there that go all out. Nothing blinks or pulsates in our yard and we use all white lights.
We will buy our tree the day after Thanksgiving (tradition), then start the process of lighting and decorating. I must stay motivated this year; because Thanksgiving is later than last year, and as of today, I only have 30 decorating days until Christmas!
Apple Pie Topping
When I make apple pie, which I did yesterday, I only make a bottom crust. On top I use a topping that my mom used to make when she made pies for me when I was growing up. She gave me the recipe and it is mighty tasty.
Here it is, it’s simple. Mix 1 stick of butter with 1/2 cup of brown sugar. Then stir in 1 cup of flour. This makes a crumbly mixture that you sprinkle on top of the pie. I gently press it down to cover the apples completely.
Typing this makes me want to rush home and eat another piece.
UNC State Frozen Football
Saturday at noon will be a cold at Kenan stadium when the Tar Heels kickoff against the Wolfpack. OK it might not be freezing, but it will be in the low 40s. At least there will be sun. 
Our seats are on the north side, which is the sun side this time of year. There will be a huge difference from folks sitting in the sun versus those in the shade. In September, and October usually, being in the shade is a benefit. Trust me sitting in the sun, it always feels 10 or more degrees warmer than it actually is. So I guess tomorrow will be pay back for having sun seats during the hot weather.
While tomorrow will be chilly, I remember a UNC, Duke game in the 90s that was colder. 30s and snow flurries. When I shiver a little tomorrow, I will try to think back to that game and try to feel warmer.
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