I've been wondering about how to describe cold. There are certainly a litany of words you can use to describe it. But can you actually portray the depth of cold? Or the degree of being cold?
Friday night, with the promise of a "cold snap" due to settle into the region, I got up in the middle of the night to snap this photo. I was intrigued with the rush of hot air meeting the cold air and instantly creating a steamy, foggy, cloud on my front step. I grabbed the camera so I could capture what cold looks like. You know its cold when the heat of your home escapes through your open door and suspends in the air, as if frozen in time.
The house had been literally "cracking" all night, making sounds like that of a piece of pine kindling in the campfire. The sound would rip through the house and jolt us awake momentarily, signaling to us it was getting drastically colder throughout the night. We awoke to the news that it had gotten down to minus 33 degrees overnight and had broken the previous record of 32 below zero on January 2nd of 1885.
I get quite a kick out of the all the facebook status' that read "It's cold! Brrr, its a high of 20 degrees today!" And I just want to say, unless that says 20 below... are you sure thats cold? Cuz, I beg to differ.
What an amazing photograph of 'cold'...You caught it, Vicky.
ReplyDeleteA record-breaking temperature...and you stepped outside? Oh, my goodness, Vicky.
Do they call school off for days like this (tomorrow?) I do hope that you stay well....stay warm..and take care of you.
Warrrrm hugs from Jackie
OMG Vicky!!! That is a cold I am familiar with and you have captured it perfectly with that photo!! Brrrrrr - weather travels east, so I'm sure it is on its way here. Stay warm!!
ReplyDeleteNow I feel like a cry baby.
ReplyDeleteAmen, sister! My bones are creaking like your house... what people don't understand is -20 here doesn't even include the WIND CHILL!!! :)
ReplyDeleteJackie, no they won't call off school for just cold weather... we'd miss entirely too much school!
ReplyDeleteBonnie, oh shoot, hope it doesn't reach you at all! We do without it altogether. A few more days and then we're due for warmer, and of course, snow!
Mark, he he :) To be fair, cold is relative! But nothing quite compares to below zero.
Oh Sara, I just know they have to be! I almost added the no windchill part! Hope you are staying warm and dry at least!
And I thought our -18 degrees was bad this morning. Our house will also crack and moan during subzero weather. It's also interesting to hear the tree limbs that crack and snap during cold weather...poor trees!
ReplyDeleteStay warm tonight Vicky.
Vicky, that is freaky about your house cracking. I just can't imaging that. minus 33 is cold, I don't know if I want to experience that sort of cold. I think my fingers and toes might fall off.
ReplyDeleteThe coldest temperature on record over night in my city is 28.4
Oh WOW, that's cold!!!! It's about 14 degrees here this morning and I'm freezing.....of course, the fever I have isn't really helping me much:( I can't even imagine what it would feel like if it got below zero here! Try to stay warm! ((Hugs to you))
ReplyDeleteThat was a totally COOL - or should I say COLD - picture!!!
ReplyDeletethings are popping and cracking here, too ... it may warm up to -20 soon, though!
ReplyDeleteWow! That will explain it!
ReplyDeleteAnd I thought it was cold here-I won't complain anymore :) although honestly I think having to carry 4 kids around by yourself when it's 30 outside really makes it 30 degrees colder. :)
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ReplyDeleteI remember cold like this, when we lived at 7500 ft. elevation in Colorado! Our highs would then only be anywhere from 0-20 degrees. I just never realized that North Dakota got that cold too!
ReplyDelete-33 Man!! What is with the freaky weather the world over! I am so not used to cold, India being such a tropically hot country and when I went to the Northern parts for a vacation where it was +10 I cringed! Keep warm! I am so glad the internet is working well and you're still connected to the rest of the world!
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