My rooster was getting frostbite regularly until I started rubbing vaseline on his comb and wattles and bought the heat lamp bulb. It's one of those really big red heat lamp bulbs people put in their bathrooms. It's 250 watts and just goes into a regular (but not plastic) socket. It cost me about $10 and has been well worth it. I only run it at night when it's below -15 and the odd day when it is that cold all day. The vaseline helps a lot too. He struggled fiercly until I started stroking his comb with the vaseline. Then he got really still and just stood quietly though the whole procedure. I think he likes it. I've done it a few times. It's necessary anyway, whether he likes it or not. I laughed the first time, as one of the lead hens came up really close, watching, and asking a quiet question. When she got in his face he gave her a little chirp without moving and she went away. I guess she was worried. It was so cute! I remember that about Thunder Bay. The things that do grow well there get HUGE due to the extra long daylight. The blackflies and mosquitoes are fierce but only for a very short period of time, then nothing. They get so bad in May they drive the moose out onto the highways. I saw my only real life bald eagle up north and up close. I actually had to use the break to keep from running into him with the car. He was flying down the highway in front of us. HUGE and gorgeous bird with a wingspan much larger than our car. I had no idea they were so big! I never have the camera when I need it!

Brooklyn, Yeah I know why the lakes create Lake Affect snow. These bands were moving due south, to southeast. The first burst of snow we got about 1/2 inch but that was on the back side of the low pressure system that is now way up in Maine. This second burst of snow brought about 1/2 inch, but you would never know it because it was so dry and powdery, and we had 40mph winds so it was blowing around like a blizzard. It only really "accumulated" in certain areas. It was 18F when this snow happened so as soon as the snow hit something it just bounced off in the wind and blew elsewhere. Normally the snow will melt just enough to stick but this time it just blew away and only accumulated in cracks or edges of the road or grasses and protected areas. These lake affect bands were traveling more south/southeast than southeast, and somehow were making it OVER the mountains. Normally the orthographic lift of the mountains to our west will wring out what moisture is left from these clouds / bands, but that did not happen this time. Not only did they make it over the mountains, but they regenerated once away from the mountains, then it looked like they were even further enhanced on the leeward (east) side of the Chesapeake bay. Its already noon here and its only 23F. The high today is probably going to be 25F.

Mine has always been nice. I got A+'s in penmanship in grade school and I still have good writing. I'm a Calligrapher as well, so having good handwriting helps me to be even more proficient when I do my artwork. And, one of my talents (if you want to call it that) is that I can copy anyone's handwriting and it looks just like theirs. I used to write all our "hooky" notes in school because I write just like my mom, now 72, who's handwriting still looks just as nice now as when she was younger.

Beginning of a month here. Summer is out by Memorial day--I go patriotic stays until August first. August is the ACTUAL back to school month even though September is the "traditional", so put away the red/wht/blue and get out my fall apples. I am anxious for fall decor and change by August. After that I begin in October with monthly changes. The one exception being Lent. I have some lenten things that will trump whatever month it is. A pet peve is the annuals are all still great...and will be through September, most likely. Mums are in the stores NOW and if I purchased them they will be done and gone by October/Nov when I WANT them to replace my outside plants.