Things were looking pretty as Ellie B aka Dogamous Pyle raced to do her morning thing off the back porch of the Little Bitty my dear wife Karen and I share in the Syracuse city neighborhood of Syracuse.
Crisp and inviting in Syracuse, N.Y.
The sun was inviting.
Postcard alluring, perhaps.
Blue skies, black birds.
Vivid skies invited birds to the treetops off in the lot between our house and the neighbor to the right.
Are those crows?
Still, I knew on this Monday, Feb. 16 …
Why are you laughing, David Muir, you used to live here.
I can’t let pretty pictures fool me.
According to the crawl on ABC’s morning show, the temperature was minus-9 F. The anchor to the right, by the way, got his start on the Syracuse local news. Thanks, David Muir, for yucking it up as we shiver.
Out and about I’ll be nevertheless. In fact, Karen and I will be going to dinner tonight with Good Neighbor Tim and his Wonderful Wife Lorraine.
Do you have big plans for this week? Sunny or cloudy at your house? Do you have local anchors who’ve gone on to national shows?
Mark Bialczak 
doesn’t matter if it’s sunny or cloudy–it’s always cold in Minnesota in winter. Has your snow stopped at least?
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Snow stopped yesterday, when MDW Karen and I went to see The Sing Off a cappella show at Turning Stone showroom for part two of my Valentine’s Day gift, so that was A1, Liz. Right this morning, I am looking at a bright blue sky. But the local weather cut-in guy on “Today” is calling for a squall tonight that will leave three fresh inches. Then temps drop below zero again. Double Oy.
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Hope you enjoyed your dinner with friends. It always feels like work to get out in weather like yours, but ya have to or you’ll go nuts. Plus you feel better for the freah air, I think. Praying for sunshine, Chum. Hang tight.
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Our dinner with Good Neighbor Tim and Wonderful Wife Lorraine was fantastic, Aud. The company was warm, indeed.
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I’m with Dora, stuck in the 70’s. Bilboards along the hwy remind us daily that we are experiencing a “serious” drought. As opposed to a “silly” drought, I suppose? Take good care in that wicked snow, hermano! Wool socks, hot chocolate, warm blanket, etc…
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This is a serious freeze, sis Sandra, as compared to a silly freeze. Or a slurpee. I wish you water, mi hermanita. And us warmth. I am watching the morning show local weather break-ins calling for squalls knowing I have a community commitment out of the house smack in the middle of the squall time. Oy. That’s a wall of fast-falling snow and wind, for those of you who live in the warm part of the world, by the way.
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Yikes! Treacherous conditions at best. Do take good care! Ellie B rides out the storm fireside? Thx for the explanation. I thought squalls were works of fiction. Or lyrics to Decemberists songs. Hopefully your commitment outdoors can wait for clear skies, right hermano? Xo
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Ellie B stays inside close to Karen, smart dog that she is, only venturing out in the backyard to do what dogs must do.
I have agreed to be a guest on a radio show to talk with knowledgeable hosts about the local entertainment scene for about 15 minutes from 7:15 to 7:30. The radio station is 10 minutes from the Little Bitty on clear roads, so I’m hoping the squalls hold off until I’m back in the driveway.
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Ahhh…the sneaky sun trying to hide the -9. It’s a good thing you have your dear wife Karen to keep you warm 😉
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That’s the truth from the heart, Michelle. 🙂
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it’s a trick! don’t be fooled by it’s beauty ) i’ll be heading off to school, making soup and staying in this week )
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You won’t get fooled, wily Peaches!
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I like that you mention how beautiful the trees look with snow and the black birds or crows, too. Yes, blue skies are very deceptive. . . I do like going to get into my car much better in the afternoon when sun has warmed it up a little, since my 6:30 am drive to work is way too dang cold, Mark!!
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That’s pretty darn early to start the workday, my friend. Blue skies often mean cold temperatures, though. Oy.
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Cold and snow stuck here all week. Still falling and blowing everywhere. We have had a couple locals that are national news anchors.
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Fight the cold and snow, Apple Pie, and enjoy the star of the national anchors. 🙂
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Dropped 27 degrees since dawn. BRRRRR. I don’t want to go to the store! Lara Spencer looks fabulous as always.
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Stay in, Kerbey, until the cold front passes. You can wait it out.
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My toes, fingers, nose, bones–everything is shivering!!
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Brrrr. That’s chilled, my friend. Kerbey over ice, shaken and stirred.
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WE’ve had some pretty blue this weekend. Right this minute it’s starting to turn white. To go along with the bitter cold that was deceivingly hiding behind the blue yesterday. I still don’t trust the “inches” they forecast for us here. That has yet to happen.
I think we’ve had local news casters go to ESPN and CNN. I think……
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We know how the pretty blue can go to white like-that, MDB Colleen. 🙂
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Enjoy your dinner with the neighbours Mark! I’m going to continue to refrain from telling you about the weather here, call it…my attempt at being kind and humane. ❤
Diana xo
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Yes, Diana, I love it when you choose the direction of kindness. 🙂
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Don’t worry, Spring is almost here, she says through chattering teeth. Not sure about the news anchors cause I really don’t watch the news. *REALLY?* Yes, really. Stay warm. We’ve already gone out this am to the tune of -10 to our Yoga, and even there, my feet never warmed up. Again we venture out tomorrow for a lunch date. We be Brave and So Courageous! Love your BLUE skies. Yup, Spring is a-comin’! Love, Amy
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Spring better be a coming, cousin. We need it. The birds need it. Ellie B aka Dogamous Pyle needs it. Your cats need it!
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I KNOW!! I have some cats right now who born feral, are so stressed out, needing FRESH AIR. Daggonnit I cannot open our sliding door because it is TOO cold. So Rescue Remedy has been used quite frequently in this house to chill out the stress. *sighs* We ALL are getting cabin fever. Poor Ellie B!!! And you of course, tee hee …..
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Love the blue sky. Today our temp will be 75, unusual for February in these parts.
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Nice day for you in Cali, Dora. Enjoy it, my friend.
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I’m happy for you.. very nice pictures 🙂 happy Week my friend
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Happy week to you, Leyla. Be good in Texas, my friend. 🙂
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It snowed here, finally! I mean it’s Colorado. It’s supposed to snow. It is beautiful, but it will be a while longer before I can go outside and play.
Week plans? Send out a screenplay I’ve rewritten to a partner and dig back into rewriting my first book. I’ll be so happy when it’s finally finished and can be sent out for editing.
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Yes, you should have snow in Colorado, Susie, to make winter right and proper.
Your writing schedule sounds fulfilling, my friend.
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We’re having Syracuse style weather here in KY today. Even I, intrepid Michigan and Chicago transplant, can’t quite decide if I want to brave the roads. Partly because they don’t do as well here on plowing and also too many drivers here don’t know how to drive in snow… I love hearing that y’all are going out to dinner in spite of the weather. Closings by the dozens started going across the screen here yesterday — before there was any snow! and -9 without any snow would be the occasion to close all the schools. Wimps… 🙂
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It would be a three-ring-highway-and-byway circus when there’s no clearing mechanisms and no driving knowledge, Leigh. Stay out of that cluster, my friend. Kentucky collisions, you don’t need.
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If our forecast is correct, we’ll be “enjoying” that lovely Southern phenomenon of freezing rain and sleet this afternoon. Yuck. It wrecks up the roads horribly, and it isn’t even pretty. To add insult to injury, the forecast for just 30 miles north of us includes 3″ of snow. *sigh*
Stay warm and safe! (We woke up to a balmy 16 degrees.) 😉
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Be careful if you must be on the roads, Nerdy. Ice and sleet are the worst. Snow is much, much better than those conditions.
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We are getting our first storm of the year today, supposedly. Nothing near what y’all have to do deal with, but considering that by this time last winter we had more than a few storms, this is a big deal right now for our area.
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Be safe, Sheena. I know from your posts and the time I lived in the D.C. area how weather can really stifle the mid-Atlantic region.
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That screen cap looks like he’s broadcasting from Times Square. It’s not -9 here but it’s not much warmer than that. And, seriously, once it gets below 15, does it really matter how low it sinks? I think spring training starts this week. Other than that, I’ve not no words of encouragement for you, brother.
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Yes, spring training starts this week, Mark. We can tune in to some green diamond grass on cable and know that our squads are undefeated until April.
I think I can tell the differences between cold, colder, freaking ridiculous and hurting myself by staying out there.
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