The Big Freeze after the Big Snow

This morning, the temperature was 23 degrees, breaking a previous low for the date. I brought in the tropical plants that are still portable, and covered the ti, which is not portable, with a fleece blanket we got from some "save the wolves" organization.

Tonight, the weather man said we will experience another night of "hard freeze", so Daughter and I hung a bed-sheet from the bolts in the patio overhang, and brought the small pots into the shelter between it and the house. I'm hoping the overhang, the sheet, and the warmth from the house will be enough to prevent them from being killed.

I'm sure it was already in the 30s when I got home from work at 8:15 this evening, because my cheeks were stinging when I went out to retrieve the mail. We've insulated the outdoor pipes and I have to remember to leave a faucet dripping when I go to bed, so the pipes don't freeze.

Despite the cold and clear skies, this is a "burning not recommended" day - to preserve air quality, people are being discouraged from using their fireplaces because there is no breeze to disperse the smoke.

Snow Flurry in Cameron Park

Marty and I drove up to Shingle Springs this morning to see the snow. There was still a trace on the ground in El Dorado Hills at about 11 a.m., and in Cameron Park, there were several inches on the ground, the rooftops, the guardrails and road signs, the trees ...

We went one stop farther, to Shingle Springs, before we decided the conditions were getting a little dicey for us, since we have no chains. Although the roadway was clear, the off-ramps were not, and we had to drive really slowly to avoid sliding around. After we turned around and were passing Cameron Park again, we drove through this snow flurry. What surprised me was the no-color-ness of it all - there was only white and shades of gray. It looked just like a Christmas card! Exciting stuff!