So it was 13 last night, it is 24 now and I only live 15 miles from the ocean in California! Anyone else freezing?
I spent the last 2 hours digging in the mud to try and find a shutoff valve for a broken 2 inch water line. I now have no water and am waiting for the line to run out from my water tank so I can fix it. I had water running all night so this wouldn't happen but I forgot about it and turned it off at 8am which caused it to break. That was not my best move ever but at least I managed to make coffee before it all happened!

Verrrrry ccccccold. Live in the Inland Empire and it snowed yesterday! Snow in the SBDNO mtns lower than I've seen in a looooong time.

Odd weather over here. Its usually pretty cold and have gotten snow by now. Today its 60, tomorrow 60, Monday 65, I go out without a jacket. Its wierd but I'm not complaining!

We're "up" to 45 degrees in not-so-sunny-San Diego. Brrrr!

So sorry to hear about the pipes, Colin, that is a major bummer.

Pretty exicted to have a little seasonal weather after the 80-degree days we had last week, though. I have a toddler with a ski hat and new mittens who is just waiting to visit snow for the first time! We're planning a trip to the mountains after OSP-W.

Dawn

Yep...it's usually cold for a couple days and that's it....but this time around it's been in Portland so long, my ground looks more like permafrost. Actually it is permafrost....funny story...(at least I think it's funny). I had a realtor come look at the house yesterday to see what I needed to do to prep it for selling....and as we were walking around the yard I climbed this considerable pile of barkdust (or what is it you Californians call it?...wood chips?)....anyway, coming off the pile I slipped and fell and skidded all the way down! This is the stuff that's supposed to be all soft and fluffy...and here I am taking a ride down what felt like 20 grit sandpaper. Needless to say, I'll be staying indoors today.

Last night was 4 degrees, feels like 7 degrees right now (11:32am) and tonight it's supposed to feel like ZERO (I'm in central Utah just south of Salt Lake City). Brr.

Devner still has too much snow on the ground from the two blizzards we had. It was 8 degress for the high yesterday. I am ready for spring. I need the beach.

It's cold everywhere..
it's just snowing right now in my area....... !!!

its -5 here in colorado today:)

but I am at a pretty high elevation.....



burrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Just had ANOTHER ice storm last night, due for a worse one tonight. However, there is a warmth between us all in here in Missouri because they found Shaun Hornbeck and Ben Owensby ALIVE!!

Its is a true miracle. I still have goosebumps and a lump in my throat. Unbelievable.
I cannot imagine what it was like to get that phone call after he had been missing for four years.

(Sorry if this is a thread hijack, I am just very moved by all of it)

I'm with ya Jennifer - it's crazy in St. Louis. The cold and then finding Shawn and Ben. I've been watching the coverage all day. What an amazing story and such amazing families. It's overwhelming. (Amazing too how the local coverage is so much more accurate than the national coverage.)

Hey Colin, sorry to hear about the pipes... that's no fun at all. My house was definitely designed for coastal weather too, if I turn off the water when it's this cold out the pipe freezes where it comes out of the ground and comes into the house (what kind of idiot thought that was a good idea!). It's a steel pipe and hasn't broken yet, but I do fear a basement swimming pool if it ever does....

(crazy story about those boys too... crazy in a good way...)

~Bill

Brrrr, it is 6pm and it is 27 outside! Forecasted for possible single digits tonight, our all time record low is 8, we may set a new one. Not good in a house with no insulation It was 85 at the beach here 3 days ago, wild.
We worked on the pipes from 8am until 1, good times had by all! We got it working again but then all sorts of other pipes started breaking that had been held together by ice! All told, we have 5 breaks on already insulated pipes! Luckily, the others that we discovered later have shut off valves so I can deal with them tomorrow.
We expect temps in the 20's but this is pretty extreme!

But at least we can go outside-- ice storms? -5? That is a bummer. And thanks for rubbing it in Shelby, 65 sounds great!

It was -14 here in SE Idaho two nights ago. Neither my wifes car nor my car would start in the morning. Had to get a new battery for mine, hers still won't start:) That was the morning of the Bridal Show I was headed to... Good thing I had a partner who could cover for me.

Ack! It was really cold here all day yesterday! I can't remember the last time I was in my car at noon and had to turn the heater on because it was so cold! It was only 45 degrees! Last night I think it got down to like 23 or something equally ridiculous. Totally not supposed to happen here!

I would do anything for snow. It is like mid spring here, with warm sunlight and cool breeze. Not to mention the 45ish cool nights. Its nice, but I would love it to BE January.

More broken pipes last night. One broke that was shut off 1 inch above the ground! I would have thought the water could move back into the ground but I guess not. Back to it.

We went to Target today and I had on yoga pants, a tshirt, and a windbreaker and I was sweating. I WANT MY WINTER BACK!!! This is just such an unusual winter for us. It was 75 degrees on my birthday last weekend. And I don't think I've ever had a birthday where I wasn't in a sweater and turtleneck and scarf

It's getting cold here now (34 F and falling); we didn't get the snow but it's suppose to hit in the morning. I think I'll get up early to catch some cool fresh powder pics at sunrise. There was a little dusting today but nothing visually appealing. Here's one from today.

Well, it's 24 degrees and falling (we're expected to hit 19 tonight) and we had some snow. Only about 2 inches so we missed the bulk of the storm. There wasn't much visually to look at today as it was gray and cloudy, but here's a few from today's snow fall. As always CC is welcomed and appreciated.

You know something is wrong when it is colder in coastal California than Chicago in January! Cool shots Sam, you have a real talent for nature work.

*edit- I forgot to mention the end (hopefully) to my broken pipe saga: I spent 2 hours today in the medical clinic getting antibiotics and a tetnus shot because of a cut I got while fixing the pipes that has become slightly infected.
This cold weather has got to stop!

strange, it was 55 here one day, and snowing the next. today, it was 20's and not a single cloud in the beautiful blue sky, yet..... a few snowflakes here and there? FROM WHERE, I ask you? It got down to 10 or something the other night, but I cannot imagine single digits. When it was 25, I felt like my lungs couldn't work anymore. how do you handle that?!?!?! (The east coast is WARM? WEIRD!)

Agreed. People here in San Diego found frost on their palm trees this morning! Sorry to hear about your troubles. Just remember to take all you antibiotics!

Its cold up here in No.Cal...thats for sure...but I was just told that all my little friends that grow on vines like this kind of weather because it shocks them into a growing phase...which means a good year for wine!


Looks like all you Colorado folk are getting a real winter...making it quite nice due east.

Global warming?..where is the warmth at the moment?.

-Griff

I heard the vineyard workers out yesterday morning at my neighbors place (L'Aventure). Poor guys, it was 17 degrees!

freaking a!!!
they make a hell of a estate cuvee, i hope it doesn't get that cold down there...

i love my linne calado and turley down the road as well!

snuggle up those grapes!

Stephan is a great wine maker and a really fun guy. I worked for him when he was just getting started- I would eat my leftover pasta with a bottle of Estate Cuvee in front of the winery waiting for customers. He was pretty much undiscovered back then so I only had an hour or two of work and lots of wine to drink I still try to help out during crush but I just don't have that much time. Cotes du Cotes is probably my favorite of his current wines.
Linne Calado is one of my favorites too, as is Tablas Creek.
John- you coming down for OSP West? If you are I would be happy to arrange a tour of L'Aventure for you. You should check out Lone Madrone too. It is Neil Collins' (from Tablas Creek) personal label. I haven't gotten a chance to try it myself but he is a really good winemaker so I am sure it is great.

Here in San Gabriel CA I'm sitting in my shop and it's 38 in here. I'm suprised my computer even turned on. My shop isn't insulated so I can hardly feel my fingers sitting here working. Can't keep my flippin' shop warm no matter what I try. Dangit it's cold!

haha yes! And I found a huge pile of ice blocking the drainage opening near my house! Weird!

27 degrees is FAR to cold for San Diego. lol

cold - bah! It's summer here!!

and a southerly is pushing up a nice swell, looks like it's the beach for a surf at lunch time today!!!



Have fun in the cold!

my camera is at my best friend's house, and i went out earlier but drove home cause the roads aren't salted or anything (doesn't usually snow this much down in the valley!) i'm just upset because i don't have my lifeline, my camera! ARG! okay, so i took picts with my isight cam (thank you apple!)

It was -30C/-22F (if you include windchill, -38C/-36F) just last week here. But that is normal Edmonton weather. This week it is quite balmy at -3C/26F.
I'm totally surprised that Cali & Texas experienced snow this week, it's extraordinary.

my boss is a weather man for the local station in flagstaff,
he was telling the staff of our building the low a few nights ago was -12, and the next niight was -10 and last night was 2. It will continue in this fashion for a while oh boy!

Heck yeah it's cold! We turned out water on slightly overnight to prevent the pipes from bursting, and I came outside yesterday morning to check on everything, the hoses were frozen!

This was NOT taken at a high shutter speed, it was taken at 1/60 That is a hose pop

Hi Jen,

Are your pipes OK?


Thank you Colin! Wanna know something funny? I've never seen myself as a nature photographer. Portrait photog yes, but not nature. Wow, isn't it funny how others can see things you can't see?


You guys must like sweet wines, me too! Hey, I've never tried these so I will have to check them out. Anytime you want to go on a tasting spree just let me know. I'd fly out for that...

Thanks Sam, yeah, the pipes thankfully seem to be ok, I'm surprised!

OK, it's official - the projected low tonight is -5 F w/the wind chill. I love the cold weather but right now it's 18F outside and dropping. I tried a few night shots of the frozen ice but it was just too D_ _ _ cold outside. Here's pic from this morning I captured on my way to work:



(This one is from yesterday)


Please share your "It's Cold" pics with us. And, it would be really cool to see some of those frozen grapes you guys were talking about!

great news-
any good zins down in that area Colin?

I trust you will keep us posted on what we need to pack clothing wise for OSP west-
I was expecting coastal weather-but a bit warmer-

..if you could get right on that LOL!

perhaps it should be a WIKI request.....

I'm from Louisiana and I am freezing!! That is a big change for us. Muggy is more like it. Good to have some of what the rest of the world has, but I don't even want to leave my house. I can't imagine functioning with this weather more than a few times a year. Keep warm everyone. get some hot chocolate......

First of all, a fellow Nikonian! And, I'm from Baton Roughe (was just there) - LSU all the way baby! Where are you?

Around Lake Charles LA actually. Sulphur. And yes oh yes LSU is the way!! and the Saints too. Can you believe that these teams are putting us on the map??? That and all the hurricanes I guess. Nice to meet you Sam the Man.

i can finally go out and party up here in the disco friso! its 11pm and its only 45! thank the lord!

we snapped the cold streak...


can't wait for vegas people..!
=griffin

Cool, I haven't been to Sulphur but I've been to Lake Charles. The Saints are playing the Bears right now so I've got to go but wanted to say Hi! Chat with you later gater!

Hi OSP!

Yes, it's still cold, but we've survived. There hasn't been much sun in my "neck of the woods" but here's a few pics from a new series called "The Colors of Winter." As always, please let me know what you think, and yes I am crazy for standing out in the cold to take pictures. I can't help it, the photography bug has bit me.

#1 - Lunar Surfaces


#2 - Lunar Surfaces
(This one is interesting as people either love it or hate it. This was an attempt to "break out my shell" creatively. This reminds me of a space probe shot of one of Saturn's moons)


#3 - Winter Love


#4 - Winter Sunrise


#5 - Good Morning Winter


#6 - Lunar Surfaces


#7 - Still Standing

Number 3 is fantastic Sam, great work.
Lisa- Lots of great Zins. Dusi ranch (the vineyard most Zin producers try to get grapes from) is just down the road. Turley is around the corner and Rosenblum gets a lot of his fruit from this area. The area is better known for its Rhone wines but thankfully there are still some amazing Zins.

Thanks Colin, I really appreciate the feedback. And, we've got to do an OSP Wine Tasting Tour. Do you have a website where I can order some of these wines?

.