How cold did it get here in New Hampshire this past weekend? It went down to -48°F, and ‘wicked cold’ doesn’t quite cover it. Double-pane windows and good doors with storms just can’t handle that kind of wind and cold. Everything leaks air, and a furnace is not equipped to be very efficient at that temperature either. The entire house was cold including the floors and the walls even with the furnace running full blast to try and keep it at 68 which isn’t all that warm to begin with.
We made it with no major issues. Vehicles started, main water pipes didn’t freeze because we took great efforts to keep that from happening, but small pipes freezing/melting and leaving water behind couldn’t be avoided.
Monday morning found us at the hardware store buying weather stripping and new thresholds for doors. I hope to never experience that kind of cold again, but it sure brought out weatherizing issues that could be updated.
A local gardening friend lost both her honey bee hives because of the cold, and Mount Washington recorded a recorded -108°F over the weekend. I’ll leave the ‘cold’ summary right there.
Yesterday was sunny and in the 30’s, and it sure felt balmy after the weekend. I took advantage of it and picked up another truck load of downed tree branches. I couldn’t get everything because many of them are still frozen into the icy snow on the ground. Once the ground is not covered in snow and ice, I can get the rest, and we have two trees that have major branches that need to come down but require planning to make sure they land correctly.
While picking up and loading branches, I stopped to notice some of the interesting things I was handling.
Have a great week! 41 days until Spring, and if you’re wanting to plan for the upcoming season, Smithsonian Gardens has a great library of webinars.
NewEnglandGardenAndThread 
Those windchills were pretty amazing, for sure. Mt. Washington even exceeded Alaska’s record of -105º… wow. I’m grateful it only lasted two days and we’re back to the ‘balmy’ 30s!
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The sun and temps in the 30’s are feeling pretty darn good. 🙂
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You are so right: “wicked cold” doesn’t do justice to what you just went through. New England got hit hard. It really isn’t possible to imagine the kind of cold you just experienced. I sure hope it never happens again. But you went out with a gardener’s eye and saw the wonders — what a study in texture and color! I had no idea that lichens could be that vivid. I hope all goes well in the aftermath!
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I’m at recycling this morning pulling off my branches, glance over and see this gentleman that I’ve seen before. He comes and loads up his pickup with free wood I’d guess for a fireplace or a wood stove. I looked over and said, ‘Good morning, you have a good selection today.’ He said, ‘All it takes is one good storm.’ I had to laugh out loud. Everything in life is relative. I’m hauling wood from all over the property that came down, but he’s finding treasure. 🙂
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A good point to be made! I think he has the easier job, however. So glad you were able to make another delivery — kudos!
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Oh, it was cold, wasn’t it? We stayed warm only because we have three kinds of heat, and they were all on full throttle. (Can’t wait to see the bills next month.) Glad you came through relatively unscathed, especially as you live in an older home. But we handled it —-you and me and all the other hardy folks who live in northern New England. Somehow that’s a good feeling. But like you, I hope we don’t have to handle it again.
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Yes, those of us who live in New England are hardy, but I’m glad it only lasted a weekend or our metal might have been tested. 🙂 It’s a nice, normal 31°F with bright sunshine. I’m smiling. Hope you are having sun too, it helps to melt the ice on the windows. 🙂
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Nice and sunny in central Maine and ever so much warmer. And you’re right. Our metal would have been tested if the polar punch had lasted longer. That, and our budgets. 😉
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I am looking forward to flowers shows again! Got my calendar marked for the Vermont Flower Show!!!!
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Now you’re talking! What a great thing to have on the calendar. 🙂
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Meet you there! https://cvexpo.org/event/vermont-flower-show/
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I looked at the website, and I love this: “Display theme will be Out of Hibernation! Spring Comes to the 100-Acre Wood, an adaptation of the world and magic of Winnie the Pooh, by A. A. Milne. “
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I know! I can’t wait. It sounds like great fun, and a wonderful way to welcome the show back after the Covid absence.
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I saw a video of Mt. Washington. Unfathomable temps. The photos were stunning art in nature.
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The ice sculpture that just appeared that looked like the Old Man of the Mounter was truly breathtaking, but the fact that it was colder than Alaska was unbelievable.
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This was certainly a weekend to remember for the brutally cold temperatures. We weren’t as cold here as you, but even with layers on in the house I couldn’t stop shivering from the cold. One and done will be fine with me! I’m so thankful we never lost our power.
I love the pics of the lichens and the paper wasp nest. They make interesting frozen art work!
It’s 20 degrees right now, but even that doesn’t feel so bad in comparison with the weekend. What’s wrong with this picture?! 🥴
Spring isn’t far off. I swear, the first Robin I see I’m going to kiss him!
Stay warm my friend. Be careful out in all that snow and ice. Remember, your bones are as old as you are, and you ain’t no spring chicken!
Ginger
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That Robin will be surprised. 🙂 I have been very careful on some ice on the walkway from the garage for sure, and I’m grateful the driveway is down to asphalt and safe. Stay warm, and those weather forecasters don’t even have to tell me the temperature unless it’s going to be below zero. Anything above is a gift. 🙂
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I wonder if it will affect any trees or perennials. That is reallly cold!
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I can only imagine that it will, but it will be interesting to see how as in will the whole tree/plant be dead or part of it, or will it not bloom. I have galvanized stock tanks full of perennials. I’m guessing those are toast for sure. It will be an interesting spring for sure.
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I heard about the NH wind chill on the news and immediately thought of you. I guess I knew you’d be prepared to see it through, but the discomfort of cold seeping into the tiniest cracks escapes no one. Just glad it’s over.
Our cold was in the 20s, bouncing back up to 40 today with rain, so the weather weirdness continues.
Btw, I remembered you once spoke of the handiness of a “reaching tool” for yard work. I bought one for my “difficult to shop for” husband for his late January birthday. Our yard is full of sticks to pick up, so I know he’ll have fun out there with his new toy when spring finally arrives! Appreciated the idea!
Finally, your pictures describe the complexity and beauty of nature. So many textures, so many colors, shapes, sizes…and all of it relying on a healthy balance of weather and predators for survival. That’s all in the hands of humans. I hope we don’t goof it up any further.
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I’m so glad your temps were more normal. Oh, I do hope he likes his grabber. I was using mine this week to pick up small pieces of pine branches. It sure saves the back when you’re trying to pick up a lot of small things. I think the healthy balance of weather has definitely been impacted. A good gardening friend here in town lost her two bee hives. You definitely understand ‘no bees, no food.’ Scary in several ways.
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I guess this winter is a poster child for climate change, eh? Sure was cold. Record warmth coming Wednesday?
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I think you’re right, and it is hard to wrap your mind around the volatility of jumping from -48 to +48 today.
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Even with the severe cold, nature does have its beauty. We had record cold this past weekend as well (but not as cold as you!) and I haven’t venture out into the garden quite yet. Glad you made it through the extreme temperatures safely.
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I’m glad your temps didn’t get this cold, and I’ve been trying to remove tree branches from the beds but have to do it a little at a time as they thaw, and I can pick them up. I’ll be at this for a while. 🙂
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Hi Judy, I think I mentioned that my daughter and new husband were in VT on those two coldest days in a decade! They came home with all their fingers and toes (which was a genuine worry for me). And they created memories, despite the conditions.
There is always a silver lining, right? Without that extreme cold, you might not have been motivated to complete the ‘weatherizing’ projects that needed to be done.
Lovely, wintery photographs. Spring is just around the corner!
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I’m very glad they had a good time in Vermont. It is a beautiful state. I really thought our weatherproofing was in pretty good shape until that wind hit. 🙂 It’s going to be 50°F tomorrow. What a weather swing.
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Oh my I can’t imagine that kind of cold. Are you still using the pellet stove for supplemental heat? I am visiting my sister in New Mexico and the cold her earlier last week has been ordering draft dodgers for her front and back door and me ordering flannel pajamas. Nothing like what you’re going through however.
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We haven’t used the pellet stove in a couple of years. It produces a lot of heat but in a localized area so if we want heat in the whole house we need to use the furnace which is fueled by propane. We also used a couple of small electric oil heaters in two areas that were extremely cold. I used every draft dodger I had in the house and have been looking online for bigger ones. 🙂 I hope you have a wonderful visit with your sister and stay warm.
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Brrrr. Glad you are all right.
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Besides my daylilies in the ground, I also held some in two galvanized stock tanks for a plant sale. I’m thinking they’re probably toast, but spring will tell.
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Okay, I won’t complain about -3 degrees that we had here for a couple of days. It’s the coldest winter in 10 years they’re saying here.
I was worried about our pipes as well. They seem to be okay.
We and several neighbors discovered we all have broken roof tiles and a few have broken pipes from snow sliding off the roof hitting the pipe and breaking them. That’s how a neighbor discovered all our broken tiles. He was up on the roof inspecting the pipe and his tiles when he started looking around at his neighbors roofs.
We’re amoung the luckiest with one broken tile which has been repaired already.
I’m glad it’s warming up for you! I keep the house at 68 as well and I’m always cold!
The red lichen is neat and a beautiful color. Was that a pearl of amber in it?
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That’s still plenty cold in your area, and I’m glad you were able to fix your tiles. Frozen pipes are strange issues. Sometimes, they freeze, break, flood. Other times, you get a crack and the water seeps, and even sometimes it freezes, thaws, and drips. Ours apparently was the last which I was grateful for, but family had a part in their dishwasher freeze, crack, and flood their kitchen ankle deep in water. That cleanup took a lot of work. Wasn’t that red lichen interesting. I was getting ready to toss the branch in the truck and I really couldn’t believe it. I don’t know a lot about lichens but from a distance they look similar, but when you get close they are quite different. I tried to look the red one up but couldn’t find a name.
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I love your photos. Thanks for taking off your gloves (I’m guessing) to snap those for us. We got down to -10, but we didn’t have any problems beyond a door in the burner room that would no longer latch. I guess I have to shim that door frame a bit.
Here’s to starting the countdown to spring and another great year in the garden!
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40 days until spring, but it is also suppose to be 50°F tomorrow. The weather swings make one dizzy. 🙂
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I hope March behaves herself this year.
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And I thought we had a cold spell in Minnesota. I’m glad you and all the other NE commenters survived. That was brutal. Thanks for the photos – the lichen is so varied!
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Yes, Minnesota is supposed to be the cold spot. 🙂 That lichen was so unusual, and I didn’t even see it until I started to pitch it into the truck bed. Stay warm!
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Beauty is everywhere, isn’t it, and if it’s not too cold, you can even get out to see it. I remember -52 one day in Chicago, so I’ve been thinking of you with sympathy and empathy!! So sad about the hives. That sort of weather is when it’s a good idea to let the water faucets on just slightly at night and to open the cabinets below the sinks, just to be safe!
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We did just that – cabinet doors open and one faucet on the north side left dripping. People can provide barns for horses and bring dogs and cats in, but I had been wondering about the bees. It is not cheap to replace bee hives so she said they’d wait until next year after this loss. It does make me wonder about those companies that move large number of hives around for farmers.
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And the bee 🐝 population isn’t doing well now anyway.
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I can’t imagine that kind of cold! I experienced 20 below in Ohio and Pennsylvania but 48 below is UNBELIEVABLE!
That is so sad about the hives. My sister in law and bother in law have hives down in Texas and I worried about them in this last big icy freeze they had. Seems all is okay they said.
The lichens are works of art! How about that red kind!
We had a hard freeze here in AZ two weeks ago and our bougainvillea and lantana got hit. I a week or two after the threat of another freeze is gone… I am going to trim them back.
Stay warm my friend!
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Texas has had some tough weather this winter for sure. Glad their bees made it. You had a freeze too? Wow. I hope a little trim and your plants will be back up and growing.
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I saw the snow storms and frigid weather on the TV and thought of you. Glad to hear you made it through okay. Perhaps you should tell that man he can come to your place to get his wood supplies. That would save you picking it all up and transporting it. 🙂
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Thank you for the hearty chuckle. I wish I could get someone to come get that 50’+ tree trunk laying in the yard. This guy is of retirement age, backs his truck up to the huge pile and cherry picks the pieces he wants. It’s kind of humorous and kind of ingenious – free wood for the picking. What is also there are some of the best looking tree stumps of all sizes. Of course, I couldn’t lift them, but they sure are good looking.
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You need someone with a big chainsaw. What would you do with a big stump?
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Yes, I need a young, strong person with a ‘big’ chainsaw to cut that up and then be able to lift it. 🙂 I have two small stumps in my garden that I put cultivator discs on. I painted the discs and they kind of look like flowers . Stumps make good seats/tables for kids, and good places to put a planter so you raise the interest from the ground. Plus, I love the ones that have handsome bark. Nerdy, I know. 🙂
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We got down to -22, but it was back up to 50 the next morning. One day of winter? I am SO glad we got a new boiler!
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A 70 degree swing. This weather is crazy. Yes, I can imagine you were thrilled to have a new boiler that kept you warm during the cold weekend.
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The new boiler also uses a lot less oil and considering the price of heating oil …
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I’m glad that you made it through that kind of cold relatively unscathed! The coldest that I’ve had to deal with in Michigan (thus far in life) was -40 windchill. The house held up fine, but our 2004 Chevy trailblazer had to go straight to the mechanic when it started. It had come from California and the coolant wasn’t rated for that low of temperatures. We were lucky and no seals broke, just needed a coolant change. Scared the crap out of me though when the car starts screaming at you to shut it off while you’re driving it. :3
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That’s pretty darn cold too. 🙂 That California car wanted to head back to the coast and some warmer weather. 🙂 Glad you got it to the shop in time.
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I’m glad that I did too. I’m also happy it didn’t cause as much damage as it could have. It does not like starting in the winter lol.
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Golly, Judy, remarkable it went so well for you in those unbelievable temperatures! Thankful all is well.
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Your handsome horses would have needed their blankets. 🙂
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You are right!
Blue Rock HorsesFrederick County, Virginiabluerockhorses.com
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You gave a good description of how you coped with (and felt) during that awful Artic wind time. As with bush fires for us, you realise how vital your house is for protection, it is a nerve wracking time. I hope life is back to normal now. Keep warm and safe.
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What a good example. It truly was like the house was standing between us and elements that we couldn’t survive in. I’m not trying to be melodramatic, but we couldn’t have stayed in the house without power and heat this time. We were so lucky that it stayed on. I can’t imagine brush fires and watching it move, the smoke and the heat. I watch the forest fires here, and it is unbelievable to imagine.
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Yes, mother nature can be scary indeed.
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The lowest it has ever been here is -1 and I thought that was cold. I can’t even imagine temperatures that low. Glad you got through it ok.
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I wish no one had to see these extremes we are seeing all over the globe. Normal weather would be good, but I’m not sure it’s available anymore. I am happy to say it was sunny and in the mid 40’s today. 🙂
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It was certainly bone cracking cold that weekend and it is funny how 30 degrees and sunny starts to feel like the islands😎
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YES! It was sunny and mid 40’s here today, we did some errands, and I was out and about with only a sweatshirt on. There were several folks in tshirts and shorts. It made me smile for sure.
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I am sorry your friend lost her honeybees. This kind of weather is brutal for them, and other creatures. I suspect many birds did not make it.
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We have enjoyed delicious honey from her hives, and she does love to tend them and have them in her garden. I’m guessing you’re right about the birds too.
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Hi Judy
Glad you survived the -40
Without major damage!
We found our -20 in Gilmanton quite cold enough.
We are now container garden fans since my stroke in Aug 22. We found it rewarding to grow large containers of annuals on our S facing patio.
Best wishes from LI, ny. No plowable snow so far here!
Peter
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Oh, it is so nice to hear from you. Big smile on my face right now. I’m sorry 22 was a tough one in the medical department, but it was for our family as well. I was certainly glad to kick it to the curb. 23 so far has been better for us, and I’ll hope the same for you. Container gardening has become hugely popular for so many reasons. I hope your containers provide a lot of joy to both you and your wife. If I was closer, I’d come weed and water for you. 🙂
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Yow! That is cold! I imagine you weren’t the only ones to be shopping for weather stripping. The tree lichen is so beautiful. I’ve never seen a red variety.
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We have very large, old trees with a lot of different kinds of lichens, but that red one was unusual. In a whole truck load of branches, that was the only one I saw.
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New Hampshire is cold!!
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It was this past weekend for sure. Today it was mid 40’s. Nice.
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Sounds like visiting weather for me. ☕️☕️
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THIS is why I do not complain about the ‘cold’ weather here. The coldest temperature ever recorded here was 16 degrees.
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🙂
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Wow -48F, that’s artic-like temperatures! I can’t begin to imagine what that sort of cold feels like. My heart and warm wishes go out to you both. The only good thing I can think of about adverse cold weather is that it might kill off a few non-indigenous or invasive species wandering about the country.
Sorry to hear about the honey bees as they are so important environmental and very calming to have around the place. We drove a hire car up Mount Washington many years ago and when we reached the top it felt more like the top of Everest so am not surprised about the -108F. Mount Washington was mentioned on the national news here also.
I love the lichen pictures, especially the contrast between the grey and orange/red – what fantastic colours.
I hope that your extreme cold weather is passed.
Here’s to us all enjoying the displays of snowdrops and daffodils.
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I’m hoping you are right, and we see a reduction in ticks and invasive snake worms because we have been seeing increases each year because of the warmer winters. The lichens are interesting, kind of like nature’s works of art. I visited your blog and tried to sign up for posts, but couldn’t find where to do that. I know sometimes WordPress and Blogger don’t play nice and wondered if that was the issue.
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Its good tick are numbers are reducing because of Lyme’s disease. They are on the increase over here because of the hotter summers and milder winters. I googled snake worms – wow, they must be having a catastrophic affect on the local environment. Will get my son to look on signing up for posts as he is more techy than me. Am looking forward as ever to your next post.
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Too cold. That’s all there is to it. Thanks for the reminder that spring is coming and for the link to the garden webinars. Will check them out.
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I’ve watched a lot of garden webinars in the past couple of years, and the Smithsonian Gardens does a very good job at presenting information. Quality speakers and good info.
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Lichens are fragile things. I learned when visiting “The Wild Place” museum near Tupper Lake that the flora and fauna of the Adirondack Mtns was nearly lost from hikers tromping everywhere destroying it. Trails and major conservation efforts averted disaster there … yes, it was cold!
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I looked up Tupper Lake, and it looks beautiful. I’m glad they were able to work things out so hikers and nature can coexist. Yes, sir, it was cold, and today it is going to hit 50. Very strange weather we’re having. 🙂
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That is some freaky weather you’re having. I heard about it on the news. Glad you seem to be surviving it!
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It sure is. We hit mid 50’s yesterday. Who knew it could go from wind chills of -48 to +50’s in less than a week.
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Well I see from the comment above you hit mid-fifties recently–quite a hot spell you’re experiencing. That’s a shocking change in temperature. No Myrtle Beach this year?
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We’re going to hit mid 50’s again this week – crazy weather swings. No Myrtle Beach this year – life got in the way. 🙂
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Life does that sometimes. Hope you and yours are well.
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That’s so sad about the honey bees.
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She is an exceptionally skilled and knowledgeable gardener, her two bee hives sat front and center, and they produced delicious honey. It was very sad and also showed how quickly we can lose something that is so vital to our food system. No pollinators would mean no food in a lot of cases. Thanks for stopping. by.
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I saw a video of Mt. Washington. Unfathomable temps. The photos were stunning art in nature. That is some freaky weather you’re having. I heard about it on the news. Glad you seem to be surviving it!
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We went from -48 wind chills to + 48 in a couple of days. It’s definitely some freaky weather.
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Wow that is COLD!! Thank goodness you were able to prepare for it. In Pennsylvania the lowest I’ve experienced in like -2 below zero.
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I’m sure happy to say it has definitely warmed up since then. Thank goodness. 🙂
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