KathieB Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 I must admit, I am kinda giggling at the plight of the snowbirds.....who are finding to their dismay that winter has followed them down to their chosen nests (mean of me, I know) However, I do hope they have brought their winter driving skills with them. Perhaps they can open winter driving schools? We snowbirds know better than to drive in icy weather while in the South. We know how to handle ourselves on snow and ice (although ice is tricky no matter how experienced the driver), but we aren't foolish enough to put ourselves out there as a target for less experienced Southerners. Our car remained parked for four days and we remained indoors. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alamom Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 We snowbirds know better than to drive in icy weather while in the South. We know how to handle ourselves on snow and ice (although ice is tricky no matter how experienced the driver), but we aren't foolish enough to put ourselves out there as a target for less experienced Southerners. Our car remained parked for four days and we remained indoors. I DO NOT ever drive on any kind of ice! I know my limitations there. Plus, I'm afraid of those others here who have to try to drive in that mess just to see if they can. There is nothing a bunch of guys here love more than their trucks stuck in muck so that they can have a party pulling each other out ( since most of them have wenches on the front bumpers!!! ) All three of my brothers fall into this category, just tell them of a nice big mud hole and see what happens, LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Are wenches on the front of the truck sort of like a figurehead on a ship -- or is that a typo for winches? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kat57 Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 It's fun to make jokes about 'driving schools' for us Southerners and such,and truthfully,I'm sure there were some dummies around my town here with trucks who thought it was a play day,too,but it was no joke to those inexperienced who had to travel in it for one reason or another. Even some law enforcement vehicles were in accidents. I was lucky I didn't have to go far in it to get to work-I had no option as a caregiver to an elderly woman-and I stayed out of it otherwise. Others may have had no option...I made a tacky joke earlier about others and the hot weather to come,and I apologize,because I truly wouldn't wish any hardship on others in any weather. Maybe this prickly mood is because I had a hard,scary fall on ice the first bad day and I know I would hate to think somebody thought that was funny...okay,I'm shutting up now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alamom Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Are wenches on the front of the truck sort of like a figurehead on a ship -- or is that a typo for winches? Oops, wrong spelling, but yes they are sort of figurehead, LOL at myself. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
me-barbie Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Oh, I had a picture of a Rosie the Riveter type figure on the front of the truck, pulling other trucks out.... :w00t: We do get icestorms here, too, and in early winter and early spring, we get freeze/thaw cycles that cause the roads to turn into black ice. We are just more used to it, and yes the infrastructure is in place to deal with huge amounts of snow. While I have ice/snow tires on my car from late October to late April/early May, I know darn well ice means drop my speed down to about 20 kms. And I put ice grips on my boots. We have idiots with 4 x4s who think they are invinciable. All a 4 x 4 does on ice is spin four times as fast. One time, I was creeping to work under such conditions, and this 4 X 4 blew past me at about 110 kms. About 15 minutes later, I crept past the 4 X 4. Up to the doors in snow in the ditch. This winter however, we never did get the Bonspiel (aka January) Thaw. Except for 1 day, when it hit +5. That day started with a blizzard and ended with freezing rain. Crept to work, crept home. Put the car covers on the car when I got to work cause I hate chipping my way into my car.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GirlPiper Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Us evil yankees fall on ice, too, Kat. Having lived in Memphis, I can say a small winter storm DOES shut things down simply because there is no equipment, no mountain of salt, not much exprieince with slippery roads. Go ahead and throw the heat at us...we'll all just go jump in one of the great lakes! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kat57 Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Okay,I was a bit cranky earlier,but I would never call y'all evil!LOL I'm very sorry if I offended anyone here. It was just a dumb report I should have not read,as I know it doesn't represent all Northerners or elsewhere,any more than one report on the South represents all of us! Hope y'all will forgive me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Well the sun came out and our more normal wintery weather returned, so DH & I donned our normal winter daytime jackets and drove down to Big Lagoon State Park and hiked the 3.5 mile perimeter trail. We saw the tracks of deer, pigs, raccoons, a possible bobcat (or really humongous feral houecat) and 'possums; two empty osprey nests (they're all probably still downstate) and a lot of birds, especially mocking birds and woodpeckers. Then we hit our favorite area restaurant for lunch and then headed for home by way of the grocery store; BIG mistake! The parking lot was slap full with overflow of vehicles circling like vultures to grab the occasional vacated space; we'll try tomorrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
me-barbie Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 We have a national park on our doorstep here in Dauphin. We see deer, bear, coyotes and elk quite often. And cougar tracks. There are cross country ski trails, snow shoe trails for winter, winter camping...and BOY are the potties COLD! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alamom Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Went to Walmart tonight and I guess folks are making up for being shut in so much this past week, it was packed!!!! On the way home was a four car accident ! Sometimes it is hard to drive without the ice too! Wherever everyone lives, and whatever weather situation there is to deal with, just be as safe as you can be and pray for others too! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kat57 Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 What a nice thing to remind us,Paula,and I second it!Glad you made it home safe,too. Holly,when we first moved here,late one afternoon we had a bobcat casually stroll across our front yard! Magnificent animals! We've had visits from raccoons,opossums,armadillos,grey and fox squirrels,tons of birds,a baby alligator,a rat snake,a cottonmouth,and last spring a herd of wild pigs destroyed our yard over several weeks of almost nightly visits. We live in our own little nature park! I love it! I still just wanna see a deer and that is the one critter that has not showed up here-Go figure! I decided to stay inside today and rest up,even though it was very pretty,and now I think I saw that tomorrow's weather forecast is rainy! I always have such bad timing! Well,at least it is warmer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grazhina Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Speaking of southerners and driving in ice & snow, you should see Arizonans drive through puddles in streets after an August monsoon rainstorm. So many just don't know to slow down when driving through deep puddles. When I lived out there I was drenched on several occasions by high walls of water. Up here it's supposed to be rainy & mid forties tomorrow, with 30's and sun through midweek. Most of the state is getting snow tonight, but not us along the narrow coastal strip. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Kat, if you want to see deer in your yard, plant yourself a garden. The first year we were here I had a compost heap started and after several days of rain some squash seeds that had wound up out there sprouted, so I let them be, thinking to remove and replant them when they got enough bigger; never happened, next morning there deer were out there chawing down on the sprouts. Then our neighbors across the street told us the first two years in their house they had actually tried to keep a garden, and fed a whole herd. We still see them roaming the neighborhood, especially during hunting season... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alamom Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 What a nice thing to remind us,Paula,and I second it!Glad you made it home safe,too. Holly,when we first moved here,late one afternoon we had a bobcat casually stroll across our front yard! Magnificent animals! We've had visits from raccoons,opossums,armadillos,grey and fox squirrels,tons of birds,a baby alligator,a rat snake,a cottonmouth,and last spring a herd of wild pigs destroyed our yard over several weeks of almost nightly visits. We live in our own little nature park! I love it! I still just wanna see a deer and that is the one critter that has not showed up here-Go figure! I decided to stay inside today and rest up,even though it was very pretty,and now I think I saw that tomorrow's weather forecast is rainy! I always have such bad timing! Well,at least it is warmer! Kat, my neighbor across the street puts out food for deer. He has floodlights out too, so at night when my dog goes out I get to see the deer. He has also attracted the raccoons and foxes. We have lots of birds, squirrels, chipmunks and rabbits in our back yard. The neighbor behind me has a big black pig, so I guess we have a little bit of a zoo around here too. Our weather here is rainy too. I guess if we don't have freezing cold or blazing heat, we have to have rain. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 I haven't noticed feral pig sign in our little patch of woods next to us. Ever since my pig family encounter hiking at Wakulla Sprins I do watch out for them; they can be aggressive and destructive. I was VERY surprised not to see any basking reptiles enjoying the sunshine along the trail, which is lovely WHITE sand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grazhina Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Deer - bah humbug. They have plants in woods all over, so why do they have to eat my plants. What's my yard? a dessert bar? The deer are so bold over in a section down the road a ways, that they come right onto the porch and eat the potted plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kat57 Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 I don't garden,sorry,not edibles anyway. I love my relaxing flower beds and other greenery as a hobby,but have no time or interest in a food garden I'd have to keep up. Besides,the pigs went crazy enough for the acorns in the yard-the lot is covered with oaks,front and back(I'm lucky my flowers do grow!),and I guess I hadn't thought about the deer being so destructive-I especially wouldn't waste a food garden on that! So,they can just stay away! When I start my album I'll post photos of the pigs and what those hideous creatures did to the poor yard-I know all about real destruction now. I had never seen anything like it or them before-they are definitely scary looking! We'd have at least 12 to 15 at a time. Wild pigs destroyed a lot of gardens and yards in our area for several weeks. I have no idea if they will be back,but I hope not...the only thing that will stop them is a bullet and I don't do guns! Oh,Paula,my son would go nuts to see a fox,as he loves them! I haven't ever seen a chipmunk-I don't know if we have them here. We do hear the coyotes. Oh,one last thing-at least one farmer down the way has a donkey in with his cattle-they keep the coyotes at bay! We used to be really puzzled when we heard all the braying at night! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grazhina Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Kat, the deer eat flowering plants like tiny rosebuds and phlox buds and coneflowers etc. I gave up on some blooming plants and ripped them out. My phlox look so gorgeous when they bloom, I'm seriously considering transplanting them again, so I can build a big cage over them and admire them from my kitchen window. I gave up on strawberries years ago because the squirrels just went after them like crazy. I gave up on raspberries because they got inundated with some kind of bugs year after year no matter what I tried. I gave up on sunflowers because a ground hog ate them all just as they started to bud. Speaking of foxes, we didn't see them last summer. Chipmunks burrowing under my brick sidewalk caused it to collapse one year. Moles and chipmunks like to burrow through the flower garden in my front yard every spring and nibble on the roots of some of my flowering plants. I lost a lovely blue bellflower to them one year. I wish I were asleep. I stayed up till 4:30 last night and it looks like I'll be staying up till at least that tonight. My brain just won't shut down. It didn't help that I zonked out in my chair this evening. I had sprayed the stove with cleaner after I loaded up the dishwasher and decided to sit down and put my feet up for a couple of minutes while the cleaner soaked into the spattered sauce. Next thing I knew it was 9PM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Kat, we have chipmunks here; we've seen them. They're not as aggressive as up north's. We also have flying squirrels, as we find the parts the owl drop. We used to see foxes all the time in back of our apartment when we lived in Tallahassee, although my favorite wildlife story from FL's capital city was the black bear that wandered through from north to south, and got spotted every now & then. I guess we got rain last night, although I never heard it whilst I was up between midnight and 1 AM waiting for my arthritis to calm down enough to go back to bed. The driveway looks wet this AM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GirlPiper Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 I didn't know there were armadillos in Alabama. They can be pretty destructive, too, as I recall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Warmer today in the Northeast...40s. We are expecting some snow tomorrow but do not really know how much. Matters on how the storm lands. A dusting to 3 inches. It will hopefully end before my appt tomorrow. I have to travel on highway to RI and I do not like driving when it is really coming down. Darn Ground hog let me down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
me-barbie Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 My parents live in the interlake area of MB, quite a populated area (Gimli/Winnipeg Beach). However, Mom's cat is not allowed out at night, as to the coyotes and bush wolves he is fast food. Bush wolves are also known as coy-wolves and yup, they are a wolf-coyote hybrid. We had a hard winter a couple years back and the bush wolves were attacking livestock. A small hobby farm close to my parents had a giant donkey to protect the horses (expensive dressage show horses). The bush wolves took the donkey down first and then got the prize filly. They also aren't afraid of humans. A very dangerous, if beautiful, animal indeed. They go after the cattle and dairy herds too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Gloria, armadillos migrated into the southeast some time in the late 1940s, I think; they began showing up as roadkill in Palm Beach County in the early-to-mid 1950s. We had a nest of them living under our pumphouse at our Havana house. I used to keep a compost pile going next to the pumphouse, and one day as I was dumping veggie scraps four baby armadillos came tearing towards the pile; one hit my ankle (they apparently can't see worth a darn) and bounced backwards, rolling into a tight little ball a few inches from my foot; it started to unroll, looked at me and rolled right back up again until I left. Baby armadillos are almost as ugly as baby conyers. The weather today is MUCH more seasonal (for us)! Daytime temps going into the high 60Fs with 50% rain chance. We went to the grocery store this AM and it was infinitely more civilized! Apparently all the Super Bowl munchie shoppers hit the store yesterday, leaving it free for us regular grocery shoppers today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparklepuppies Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 The day started very foggy and 49, now it's sunny and 72! It's supposed to start raining in a few hours though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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