When severe weather threatens, I usually visit our local National Weather Service website and open up the discussion page. This is where the forecasters exchange information: where they talk about how the computer models are converging (or not), the range of possibilities, and how - and why - they come up with an overall forecast. Lots of little details that don't make it into the forecast you hear on TV, using lots of jargon. But this afternoon, the discussion begins very simply: "Probable top ten snowstorm/blizzard for portions of sne is at hand and whereever you are this evening around 7 PM we recommend you be prepared to stay there through at least noon tomorrow". "sne" is Southern New England, and we're talking about a storm that will be among the 10 biggest on record for this area. 20 to 30 inches of snow and blizzard conditions, from late this afternoon through into Sunday. Cape Cod may get in excess of 30 inches.
How should one cope with such a situation? It seems very simple. I'm about to cook up a big pot of stew - beef, root vegetables, mushrooms, celery, red wine, onions, garlic, and herbs. Comfort food for a wild and wintry night. Now, where did I put the potato peeler...?
Posted by geoff2 at January 22, 2005 03:04 PMHere, there's a chill in the air; skies vary from crystal-clear blue to overcast, and occasionally spots of rain. My garden path brims with a meniscus of daffodils and other bulbs, and I have been hacking back the bedding so as not to miss the opportunity before growth really kicks in.
Sometime I'd like to have a really good snowfall so as to go attack it with maple syrup as I used when I was a kid - but on the other hand, there is a certain pleasure in mellow weather.
How does one cope?
get out the candles and heavy duvets just in case
stock the firewood if one has a wood stove or fireplace
make a pot of soup or stew, bake banana bread
paint, draw, write and/or sew
mull some cider or wine in the crockpot
go outside and make snow angels, hike, ski, snow shoe or sled
take a long bath
watch old movies
drink hot chocolate and watch the snow fall
and when one gets tired of all that,
climb into one's bed with a good book and/or a good friend ; )