I think, if we are attentive we have been inundated with weather pattern knowledge and perhaps climate trends the last 10+ years. It seems when the El Nino pattern dominates, it means strange weather for the west coast and moderation in the Midwest. That has certainly been the pattern this year. Late January/Early February in Minnesota can be challenging. This year with El Nino we have received little or no snow and forecasts are for temperatures in the 50s next week. Outdoor tennis in late Januaryr/early February -- who knew??? I hope your weather shifts soon enough.
That's wild that you haven't gotten much snow. As soon as we learned it was an El Nino year, the forecasters here said we wouldn't get much snow. Technically, they were correct--this storm brought only a couple inches. It was the ice on top that got us. I think El Nino is very unpredictable. But I hope you enjoy playing tennis outdoors!
Jan 24·edited Jan 24Liked by Charlotte Rains Dixon
Last year at this time we had received 40+ inches of snow. This year less than ten. My large group of old man tennis lovers have our own nets and rollers to clean up the courts. Whenever we get unexpected weather we go to the courts like a grounds crew and have an experience. Kinda fun as it always ends with bloody mary's afterwards :) Last year we played outdoor tennis in Minnesota in ten of twelve months. This year we will likely go 11 for 12. I think in an average year 8 is a good bet.
There is a park nearby us where the state reintroduced the bison many years ago. There are now 150 of them in a bit of reclaimed prairie. I think the next time we walk there they will be out of the paddock -- not normal for January/February in Minnesota!
I can't even imagine 40+ inches of snow. We got 12 inches dumped in one day last year and that was a record. Love the image of your "Old man tennis lovers" cleaning up the courts. And the bisons! That is so cool!
I am originally from WNY. 40" of snow can fall before a Bills game :) -- 50" is a pretty big snow year for Minnesota. Moderation of the ocean sure help ya in Oregon. The good rule of thumb is 1" of rain is 12" of snow.
I nearly took a job in Portland many years ago. Beautiful country, so lush. I would have had to give up outdoor tennis :) but would have traded it for many wonderful outdoor activities
So inspiring, as always. 😊 I've had the bitter cold weather, too. Lots of snow, hazardous roads, and below zero temps. So I've been staying inside too! I wrote a couple of bonus chapters for subscribers over the last two weeks, and I'm plotting out my next novel. I've been reading the Chris Fox series about plotting and fast drafting, and it's helping me think more about how much to plan and how much to let myself discover (I'm never going to shoot for 5000 words an hour, but there are some helpful takeaways). I think for me, there's just a feeling (maybe it's a fear) that if I start too soon, then I'll flail around and have crappy chapters that have to get rewritten or cut--or in my haste, I'll force the story in the wrong direction. But really, I know I need to just write the first chapter. Parts always get rewritten and cut, so I don't know why that feeling of "getting it right" is so strong.
I'm glad you're staying safe and don't have to get out in the weather! That's always a huge stressor for me. I'm still learning how to cope with Midwest winters!
Ouch, you had all the problems we had but with below zero temperatures. Ugh. And it sounds like you have been making good use of your time inside. I think that feeling of "getting it right" rears itself once you start publishing. Up until then you can convince yourself nobody will ever really see it. And then suddenly you know people will! It's a lot harder to still that inner judge once that happens. And yes, we need to remember that there's cutting and rewriting all along in the process!
I think, if we are attentive we have been inundated with weather pattern knowledge and perhaps climate trends the last 10+ years. It seems when the El Nino pattern dominates, it means strange weather for the west coast and moderation in the Midwest. That has certainly been the pattern this year. Late January/Early February in Minnesota can be challenging. This year with El Nino we have received little or no snow and forecasts are for temperatures in the 50s next week. Outdoor tennis in late Januaryr/early February -- who knew??? I hope your weather shifts soon enough.
That's wild that you haven't gotten much snow. As soon as we learned it was an El Nino year, the forecasters here said we wouldn't get much snow. Technically, they were correct--this storm brought only a couple inches. It was the ice on top that got us. I think El Nino is very unpredictable. But I hope you enjoy playing tennis outdoors!
Last year at this time we had received 40+ inches of snow. This year less than ten. My large group of old man tennis lovers have our own nets and rollers to clean up the courts. Whenever we get unexpected weather we go to the courts like a grounds crew and have an experience. Kinda fun as it always ends with bloody mary's afterwards :) Last year we played outdoor tennis in Minnesota in ten of twelve months. This year we will likely go 11 for 12. I think in an average year 8 is a good bet.
There is a park nearby us where the state reintroduced the bison many years ago. There are now 150 of them in a bit of reclaimed prairie. I think the next time we walk there they will be out of the paddock -- not normal for January/February in Minnesota!
I can't even imagine 40+ inches of snow. We got 12 inches dumped in one day last year and that was a record. Love the image of your "Old man tennis lovers" cleaning up the courts. And the bisons! That is so cool!
I am originally from WNY. 40" of snow can fall before a Bills game :) -- 50" is a pretty big snow year for Minnesota. Moderation of the ocean sure help ya in Oregon. The good rule of thumb is 1" of rain is 12" of snow.
We are much more accustomed to our rain than snow!
I nearly took a job in Portland many years ago. Beautiful country, so lush. I would have had to give up outdoor tennis :) but would have traded it for many wonderful outdoor activities
So inspiring, as always. 😊 I've had the bitter cold weather, too. Lots of snow, hazardous roads, and below zero temps. So I've been staying inside too! I wrote a couple of bonus chapters for subscribers over the last two weeks, and I'm plotting out my next novel. I've been reading the Chris Fox series about plotting and fast drafting, and it's helping me think more about how much to plan and how much to let myself discover (I'm never going to shoot for 5000 words an hour, but there are some helpful takeaways). I think for me, there's just a feeling (maybe it's a fear) that if I start too soon, then I'll flail around and have crappy chapters that have to get rewritten or cut--or in my haste, I'll force the story in the wrong direction. But really, I know I need to just write the first chapter. Parts always get rewritten and cut, so I don't know why that feeling of "getting it right" is so strong.
I'm glad you're staying safe and don't have to get out in the weather! That's always a huge stressor for me. I'm still learning how to cope with Midwest winters!
Ouch, you had all the problems we had but with below zero temperatures. Ugh. And it sounds like you have been making good use of your time inside. I think that feeling of "getting it right" rears itself once you start publishing. Up until then you can convince yourself nobody will ever really see it. And then suddenly you know people will! It's a lot harder to still that inner judge once that happens. And yes, we need to remember that there's cutting and rewriting all along in the process!