I’ve had a new saying lately.
Syracuse is the new South Carolina.
What I mean is …
The periodic bursts of warm weather we’ve been getting this fall has been knocking me out.
On Tuesday, Nov. 11, Veterans Day 2014, it reached 65 degrees in Syracuse, N.Y. That, my friends, is not the usual sort of mid-November weather for the city 35 miles southeast of snow-making machine Lake Ontario, the city that gets an average of 123.8 inches of snow annually, No. 1 on the list of 101 biggest cities in the country as snowiest, usually the winner of the Golden Snowball Award. We get snow on Halloween. We get snow on Mother’s Day. We do not get 65 degrees on Veteran’s Day.
I wrote my weekly community blog for Syracuse Public Media site waer.org about my reaction and my day’s events. You can find my words and pictures by clicking the link below.
http://waer.org/post/when-you-get-mid-november-day-know-how-appreciate-it
One of my activities you could have guessed, if you’ve been here with any sort of regularity.
KP putts as Tater holds the pin at Radisson Greens on Nov. 12 in Baldwinsville, N.Y., 20 miles northwest of Syracuse.
I played golf with my great friends KP and Tater. One last round for the year, at Radisson Greens, a fine course designed by famed architect Robert Trent Jones. It was blown clear of leaves, mostly scooted back off into the woods, a very big chore and neat trick.
For our 11:14 a.m. tee time, the sun was shining. The course was crowded. The pace was slow. It took five hours to play.
I drive at Radisson Greens.
I did not care about that. We were out in nature’s glory. KP won eight skins, Chris five, me four.
Our first game next spring will come much quicker because our last game this fall was stretched out until Nov. 12. I hope we’ll get out in March. We will if Syracuse has indeed become the next South Carolina.
The sun was low when we finished our 18 holes.
Was it warm or cold where you lived yesterday? How did you celebrate Veterans Day? When is the latest and earliest in the year you’ve been out on the golf course?
Mark Bialczak 
We had a warm day here in Ottawa one day last week as well Mark. It was about 17 c (62F). But then it got cold again – it’s -6C now, about 22F. Up and down like a roller coaster. It’s great that you got to take advantage of the wrarm weather to get in a round, maybe we’ll get a few more days like that. What struck me from your pictures, was how green the course was – pretty amazing. Nothing green is left around here now.
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My yard was green and the daisies were still white, Paul. Karen had cut back the roses, finally. Then last night everything was covered in white snow. Roller coaster, like you say.
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We’ve got highs in the mid- to upper-70s here, lows in the mid- to upper-50s. It’s our reward for living through the brutal summer. 😀
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You guys do hot, crushingly hot, stifingly hot, all summer. We just sweat some, Jennifer. 🙂
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What does it mean you won four skins? And were you cold in those shorts? It sounds like beautiful weather there. And even though it was a slow game, it sounds like a fun time just to be outdoors. 🙂
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It comes from “The Skins Game.” Every hole counts as one “skin,” Rachel. Like hunting. Ugh. I never literally thought of it so thoroughly until just now. Anyway, the lowest score on each hole wins the skin. If any two golfers tie, the skin or skins carry over to the next hole. A golfer can win one hole and five or six skins at that one time. KP and Tater tied for low score on the last hole. Hence, only 17 skins total.
No I was not cold at all in my shorts. And it was great to be outdoors the whole day. 🙂
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So when you win a skin, what do you get?
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We are big spenders. A whole quarter a hole. A dollar or two changes hands at the end of the round, enough to buy half a beverage that we need to re-hydrify anyway. 🙂
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LOL! Aww, that’s a nice tradition! 😀
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It was mid-20s here, which you know and you also know what the ground looked like. You’re doing very well up there in Syracuse 🙂 And lol the first and last time I was on the golf course was in college. Larry took me out with friends and it must not have stuck as I’ve never returned.
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Larry and I will have to go out on the course and play sometime. I took Karen out when we first got together and it did not stick with her, either, Liz. 🙂
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It was gloriously warm and sunny. Perfect for a little ….adventure. 😉
I have never played a game of golf. But if I ever do I will yell “TATTTTTTTTTTER!” just for fun. 🙂
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That’s the spirit, Colleen! It will bode you well on the links. 🙂 Tater. Ha.
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The reflection of the trees in the photograph of the pond on the green, is amazingly beautiful, Mark! The whole post made me smile!
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My focus on the pictures was for the nature aspect, so I thank you for that observation, Robin. Very much!
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Oh, that day looks lovely. Great photos! Our weather has been crazy (but Oklahoma weather is always bipolar). It was in the 70s on Monday, then it plummeted overnight and has been below freezing for the majority of the last 48 hours. I adore the cold, so I don’t mind – plus it gave me an excuse to wear a cute scarf and jacket. Of course I still complain about how chilly it is when I go outside.
Also, it might snow this weekend and I am over the moon! Bring it on, winter!
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As long as you can be warm AND fashionable, bring it on, that is, right? You gave me a good chuckle withi the cute scarf and jacket line, Poet. NIce. 🙂 It is going to get cold this weekend here in Syracuse, too. We’ll both be bringint it on, it seems.
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Chicago started at a balmy 50 degrees and finished in the low 30s. Ugh. I like yours better:).
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Your weather is coming our way, Kay. We’re getting it tomorrow, Friday, Saturday … until April, most likely. Just like your Windy City.
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what a lucky and beautiful day for you in your own ‘south’. you are so right, your spring game is so much closer now, i like that attitude. yesterday it was really pretty here too, and today – well, it dropped to 38 degrees )
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The drop is here, Beth. I am so glad I took advantage of our bonus day. It is mid-November. It is going to be cold singing college alma mater’s outdoors …
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you’d better dress warm, your throat might get cold when you are belting out my song )
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Golfing?! Sounds great.
52° was the high today, Mark. You’re welcome… 😉
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So happy for you Mark, for the warm weather and the chance to get another round of golf in! It was -16c with a wind chill factor of -23c which is roughly -10f! Brrrrr. ❤
Diana xo
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Oh, crap, Diana. Now I feel a bit like a rub-it-insky. Sorry that your winter has arrived with a vengeance. ❤
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haha no worries Mark! It’s supposed to be 3 on Sunday that’s 38 in American!
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Cloudy yesterday but sunny today. No rain again yet. It is getting a bit cooler here but still nice. I don’t think I would not adapt too well to so much snow. I get a bit down when I see all the leaves off the trees here. It can get cold in the winter here though just not yet.
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You would likely get very depressed here, then, Deborah. It gets cold for months. 😦 And soon.
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When it is really cold I do not like to even go outside. Brrrr! Well, it is a time to curl up and draw ourselves in, reflect and let things rest and go dormant until it is Spring again. And have hot drinks. 🙂
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Yes, but first some more outdoor things. You will see pictures here in the next few days. I don’t want to spoil it. Enjoy the hot drink, Deborah. I think I am going to have some wine when we return from my “outing.”
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Sounds good.
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Good thing we blasted a giant hole in the ozone layer or we wouldn’t have this interesting weather.
My company was closed for Veteran’s Day yesterday. My kids were in school and my wife had to work so I came into the city anyway. Sunny. Warm. No wind. Beautiful. I went art gallery hopping and then had lunch in Bryant Park. I could get USE TO THAT.
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I bow to your company for closing for Veterans Day. Nice little agenda you set up.
I led my community blog on the Public Media site with a nod at global warming and the caveat that it was such a beautiful day that I wanted to write about the effect instead of the potential cause …
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Looked like an awesome day Mark! It was 76 and sunny here yesterday, and I had a lazy day at home…Hmm, somewhat of a repeat today. 🙂
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Sounds OK to me, Kim. 🙂
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Lovely pics! I’m not venturing outside today–36 this morning and 30 tonight! I’m wearing a coat inside right now.
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Wow, Kerbey. The dip came fast in Austin. I remember your hot and dry as if it were yesterday. Can you turn on the heat and shed the outerwear?
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Well, I could if I weren’t so thrifty. You see, Liz goes without Food Channel, and I go without high heat.
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Oh, Kerbey. Go rub two chopsticks together or something. Please.
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I walked upstairs; that expended calories.
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It was in the high 60s yesterday in CT – totally awesome! I keep hearing though that we are going to have one of the coldest winters in years and these indian summer days are making that hard to believe.
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I know, right? Enjoy it now, Cheney, because my furnace is churning away in Syracuse right now, and the front is moving west to east, toward CT.
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Booo. It’s pretty warm here today. Definitely don’t need the heat on.
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Enjoy the last warm day, my friend. 😦
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That blue sky looks gorgeous.
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It struck me in the photos, too, Rachel. Thank you. 🙂
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Near 70 and humid yesterday and today, with sunny skies.
The forecast for tomorrow? 48 as the high and rainy. Typical Virginia autumn 🙂
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The temp dip-down sometimes make me get a cold, Jeanette. Cough, cough.
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I call it pneumonia weather.
Cough…Cough…wow, may need to go home now.
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Another day for you! As host, I am keeping track, you know. 🙂
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Yes it was warm and sunny. I am so ready for winter. They keep talking abourt this artic freeze. Where? I’m out today and couldn’t get my link up on the right post so I’m posting here. Is that okay? http://wp.me/p28tjX-1q5
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That is very OK, Kim. We are relaxed, right! And we do not want an arctic freeze here. I don’t, anyway. 😦
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In true, fickle North Carolina style, we’re looking at a 50 degree discrepancy over the next 48 hours. Today a high of 75…within 2 days, a low of 25. This is the way of our weather here. Last year, we had snow and 80 degrees within the same week. It keeps us on our toes. 😉
I’m glad you had such lovely weather for golfing. 🙂
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That is ripe for mood swings, Nerdy. Shorts, long-johns. We’ve had that sort of fluctuation here, for sure.
There are folks here who will play with gloves and wool hats if the snow is off the course at Liverpool Golf Course, which will open every month of the year to make the greens fees. But I am not one of them any longer. Brrrrrr.
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32 right now and not expected to climb out of the 30’s the rest of the week. I guess somewhere it had to be above average top make up for our below…
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Sorry you are the saw for my see, Bill. Dang. 😦
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Wow! Beautiful!
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It was my answer to your ocean of the day prior, Colleen! Thanks. 🙂
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I enjoyed this the warming post, Mark. Many thanks.
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We will be getting our soon, Ann, Boston and Syracuse, that is. Thank you, my friend. I hope you had a warming Veterans Day, too. I am off to read your post.
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Aaaaaand today has presented a lovely morning to encourage anyone to stay in bed. Haha. Commented over at WAER.
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Cool drizzle. Temp cool not hip cool like you are with-it, sir. Thank you, daily poster. 🙂
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I’m in eastern Nebraska and we had our first snow of the season and it was COLD.
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Mama! Sorry you have already entered the Winter portion of our programming. Soon here, too, and it will be COLD. 😦
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It wouldn’t have been so bad, but the second it snows it seems like 90% of the idiots here forget how to drive.
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The first skid-o-rama of the season is always an adventure here, too, Mama.
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What a beautiful day it looks like there. Great day for outdoor fun. Not here. We’re currently at 1 degree and will not get much higher than that today. Cold week here!
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Dang, mewhoami. You are a hardy soul. Bless you. Beauty in another way, though, that’s for sure. 🙂
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I suppose hardy is the only way to be at these icy temps! My flowers on the other hand, are not so hardy.
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