Back From Reality

Not exactly. I'd just let this post slide for a few days due to other responibilities.

I've not been in Kennewick all that long, just over a year, but it seems a very odd winter to me.
Last year it snowed several times, and was sub freezing for at least 3 weeks. This year we had 50 and 60F. temps for most of January (I'm not complaining!) and now, it's quite cold.

The trees started to bud out, which is worrysome for the apple, apricot, peach and cherry orchards. But we got a sudden freeze, and it's been freezing ever since.

Across the street from my house is a boat dock. Wednesday night the wind kicked up. It was raging outside. Gusts up to 60 mph. I can't imagine being in a tornado or a hurricane. That was scary enough for me.

The river was insane, dotted with whitecaps, and no sane person would have launched a boat on the Columbia that day. Even the barges were few and far between. Thursday morning we woke to see the hand rail at the dock, with 3 foot long icicles hanging from it. The dock itself was pitching wildly, water splashing on it reminded me very much of watching the Pacific during a storm.

The icicles are still there, and now the ponds down the street are freezing over again. Snow was expected but hasn't yet materialized. The river looks like glass tonight, smooth and very cold, the lights from Pasco reflect in long fingers across the expanse of water.

I think I'll stay inside for a while.