Random Picture Thread

[GrogNerd]

cabin fever is one of the things I DON'T miss about living in Minnesota

 

[Sailingeric]

 

[bracconiere]

but an old burlap sack did even better.

 

[corkybstewart]

Our house at the farm is a passive solar design. On the south side is a 14’x14’ wall of windows which act as a collector. It’s overcast today so the blinds are closed.

The whole southern side of our house is windows, and there's at least a strip of tile in all the rooms on the south. The sun heats the tile so that our heater rarely comes on before 10 PM, and then we shut it back off by midnight. I am also the "blindsmaster" in the house, deciding when there's enough sun to open the blinds and when it's time to shut each one.

 

[corkybstewart]

Sandhill cranes

 

[nobadays]

We pass through the National Wildlife Refuge near Monte Vista Colorado on our way to town. That Refuge hosts huge flocks of Sandhill cranes during migration. They are usually here October into November then return February into March. Do they winter over near you?

 

[grampamark]

 

[grampamark]

It’s a lovely day in the neighborhood…

 

[ehall]

so you made it on ice road truckers! congrats!

 

[balrog]

No road that i can see

 

[corkybstewart]

We pass through the National Wildlife Refuge near Monte Vista Colorado on our way to town. That Refuge hosts huge flocks of Sandhill cranes during migration. They are usually here October into November then return February into March. Do they winter over near you?

I've seen a few here and there over the years but nothing like this. They are in a recently harvested cornfield, so maybe they are just beefing up before heading south. If they weren't 60 miles away I'd go back next week and see if they are still there. Our corner of NM is a migratory path for lots of bird species, far more than where we lived on the other side of the state.

 

[Erik the Anglophile]

Mmmmmh, meatballs...

 

[balrog]

 

[DBhomebrew]

Downright balmy, eh @Erik the Anglophile?

 

[Erik the Anglophile]

That's T-shirt weather

 

[Erik the Anglophile]

We work mostly outside even during winter, and you know you have been acclimated to the cold when you after a period of a few weeks of ~-25c weather get a period of "only" -10c and think that's a comfortable temp and almost get annoyed because you work up to much heat while doing stuff...

 

[GrogNerd]

after the winter I first learned the phrase "too cold to snow" I was drinking beer on the porch wearing t-shirts & shorts when it WARMED UP TO 14°F/-10°C

Plymouth, MN

 

[Erik the Anglophile]

It's pretty amazing how fast you adapt, the first cold snap you just want to give up, curl up in a corner and die.
But then after a day or two you just accept it and realise that if you just keep moving it's you'll be fine.

 

[DBhomebrew]

Oh, yes. I may be soft now having spent much of my 30s in Phoenix, but in my 20s I lived a bit south of Montreal. Weeks of below-0 highs and 'too cold to snow' were very much the norm. Didn't get in the way of us going outside.

 

[Erik the Anglophile]

I think I have some pics from last winter when we barbecued in ~-35c...

 

[nobadays]

Yet here we sit at 9,500' in the Southern Colorado Rockies, just up from the San Luis valley where Alamosa holds the state's record for coldest temperature. Denver right now is ~ -6F and we are at 16F ! Alamosa is 9F! The arctic air mass swept down from the NW but didn't dip this far south.

 

[beermanpete]

At O'hare now hoping my flight is ok.

 

[Broken Crow]

I was at O'Hare 30 years and one month ago (for my honeymoon/Dr.Who convention after getting married in a coffee shop...oops!) The weather was shiite much like this.... met quite a few folk stuck in it. Hope you're not stuck too long, but if you are, try ordering a stuffed pizza from Edwardo's Natural Pizza ... One of the best things Chicago has to offer.

Edit: Oops!! Brain damage .. it was '89 or '90... I never realized till now that memory is gone.

 

[GrogNerd]

13 years ago, we were stuck in 78° LAS VEGAS for an extra 2 days, while 3 feet of snow dumped on DC

 

[GrogNerd]

This year's loot includes the traditional bottle opener present

making the count 26 openers in just the office.

Not including the ones in the kitchen & brew lab

 

[GrogNerd]

update: 11 openers in the kitchen.
5 on the fridge, 6 in the drawers

 

[govner1]

I just throw them in drawers and I’ve lost count. Since I keg and my daughter is a pro brewer. Plenty of samples in cans!
We did break out an opener for a barrel aged porter Christmas afternoon!

 

[bleme]

I always thought it was funny that after a long cold snap, you would see UAF students wearing shorts to class as soon as it got up to zero.

 

[grampamark]

The bread aisle at the local (well, 25 miles away is “local” in this part of the world) Albertson’s today. C’mon, people. It’s just a little snow and freezing rain. It’s not like a hurricane is coming.

 

[Brewsmith]

Belated Christmas gifts. I made my wife sized rolling pins. 1/4” and 3/8”