The Winds of Winter

So Winter really blew in last night.

We got (as we sometimes do) what is called in these parts a "Blue Norther", a cold wind that blows in from the North rapidly dropping the temperature.  It really is a cold front of course, but "Blue Norther" sounds a great deal more poetic.

The cold (so far as I am aware) comes straight from Canada and blows south, which is not surprising considering the fact that there is really nothing between us and Canada except the Great Plains.  It comes on like a train:  suddenly the wind starts whipping the trees and the howling and the temperature starts to rapidly drop.  How rapidly?  From 71 F to 36 F in the course of an hour.

My pepper plants - the survivors of last years moderate winter - are already hanging with limp brown leaves (note to self: 1) Peppers will overwinter; 2) If overwintering peppers, plant them in something you can bring inside).  The garlic and onions standing straight up yesterday having fallen over (thought they will likely recover).  All the trees throughout the neighborhood which were still clinging to their semi-green leaves will be shedding them within the week, I trow.

Today was a balmy 25 F when we stepped out for church (with wind chill, 9 F) and is expected to reach a "high" of 34 before dropping down to 23 tomorrow morning (less wind chill factor, although at this point it is sort of a contest to see what it comes back at). The wind has not stopped blowing since last night, a cold dry wind that steals away the warmth and dries the skin in short order,

The bright point of these whole exercise in cold? The mosquito population may finally be finished for the year.  That may actually make the temperature trade off worthwhile.