To Zero and Below

January 30, 2013 by New Hampshire Garden Solutions

Like a large part of the country, the temperatures here in New Hampshire dropped to below zero nearly every night last week. The low here at my house was 11 below zero but parts of the state fell to 30 below. Daytime temperatures barely made it to 20 degrees, so there was no melting going on.

Frost ferns were seen on the windows every morning. It often took until noon for them to melt.

The sun peeked through the clouds at times but it was all light and no heat. A thin ray just grazed these milkweed seeds and turned them to gold one cold afternoon.

This section of the Ashuelot River has grown some ice and is down to just a narrow open channel. I wonder if this week’s warmer temperatures will melt it all again.

The Canada geese on the river seem to be getting more used to seeing people. I watched them and took pictures until I thought my fingers might be frozen. On this day the water temperature was probably warmer than the air temperature.

Some parts of the river, like this section north of Keene, have little to no ice on the surface.

But where the ice does grow, it grows thick.

Even our streams have yet to ice over completely. There are many animals that drink from this stream so they’re probably grateful to see some open water. I saw everything from mice tracks to deer tracks along just a short section of stream.

These leaves stuck on a twig in midstream had all kinds of ice and frost on them.

Some of the stream ice was as clear as crystal…

And some was as white as snow.

Yesterday we saw temperatures above freezing for the first time in over a week and the word is that today might set records with highs in the 50s. And then we might see torrential rain and thunder storms before it gets colder again, so we’re still on the roller coaster ride that is this winter.

Winter either bites with its teeth or lashes with its tail. ~Proverb

Thanks for stopping in.

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Posted in Nature | Tagged Ashuelot River, Canada Geese, Frost Patterns, Keene, Milkweed, Native Plants, Nature, New Hampshire, Winter Hiking, Winter Plants, Winter Weather, Winter Woods | 23 Comments

23 Responses

on February 2, 2013 at 8:20 am | Reply jomegat

I don’t know how I missed this post, but I’m sure glad I noticed it anyhow. Sometimes the WordPress reader misses things. Or maybe I do.
- on February 2, 2013 at 8:24 am | Reply New Hampshire Garden Solutions
  
  No problem-I know exactly what you mean. Sometimes I miss other people’s posts too, but i can always catch up.
on February 1, 2013 at 2:04 pm | Reply Watching Seasons

Beautiful seasonal imagery!
- on February 1, 2013 at 4:14 pm | Reply New Hampshire Garden Solutions
  
  Thanks!
on January 31, 2013 at 11:13 am | Reply Sue

Lovely winter photos! Your fern flowers are awesome. Hate to tell you this, but it’s below zero here again for the next couple of days. Maybe it will miss you this time.
- on January 31, 2013 at 11:36 am | Reply New Hampshire Garden Solutions
  
  Thanks! I’m hoping so too Sue! I haven’t seen anything that cold on the local forecast, but you never know.
on January 31, 2013 at 3:51 am | Reply Grampy

Great job of displaying your winter wonderland.
- on January 31, 2013 at 6:04 am | Reply New Hampshire Garden Solutions
  
  Thanks Grampy!
on January 30, 2013 at 10:36 pm | Reply montucky

Those river photos are wonderful!
You have had much colder weather than we have. I think zero was the coldest we have seen and that only for a couple of nights.
- on January 31, 2013 at 6:04 am | Reply New Hampshire Garden Solutions
  
  Thanks Montucky. I’m surprised to hear that your temperatures have been so high. I’ve always imagined Montana being a very cold place in the winter.
on January 30, 2013 at 10:06 am | Reply quietsolopursuits

Excellent photos! I can tell you from my days of winter steelheading that the water is warmer than the air, for the first ten seconds.
- on January 30, 2013 at 11:57 am | Reply New Hampshire Garden Solutions
  
  Thanks Jerry-I don’t think it would matter much which was warmer if you took a dip. I got cold just watching those geese dip their heads under water over and over.
on January 30, 2013 at 8:55 am | Reply seekraz

Beautiful images, Allen…you have a wonderful winter there, too.
- on January 30, 2013 at 9:22 am | Reply New Hampshire Garden Solutions
  
  Thanks Scott. Winter hasn’t been too bad, but the temperature sure has been all over the place.
  - on February 2, 2013 at 2:53 pm | Reply seekraz
    
    You’re welcome…our winter has been much wetter than it was last year, but still not as “bad” as it was the year before, but is has been much colder than I’ve felt in my couple of years here….
on January 30, 2013 at 8:25 am | Reply Sue

Beautiful photos–looks just like the scenery around here.
- on January 30, 2013 at 9:19 am | Reply New Hampshire Garden Solutions
  
  I’m glad you’ve seen some sun then, Sue.
on January 30, 2013 at 7:53 am | Reply plantsamazeme

Beautiful photos Allen! The frost ferns and the Ashuelot River are crisp and clear. We had close to 60 degrees yesterday! Also thunderstorms and our foot of snow has melted.
- on January 30, 2013 at 9:21 am | Reply New Hampshire Garden Solutions
  
  Thanks Chris! It sounds like you can put the snowshoes away for awhile! That’s supposed to be happening here later today so our snow will probably disappear too.
on January 30, 2013 at 7:16 am | Reply afrenchgarden

The blue sky and winter sun has given a beautiful light to the photographs.
- on January 30, 2013 at 7:28 am | Reply New Hampshire Garden Solutions
  
  I couldn’t resist taking pictures of them because both have been rare sights here this winter. We’ve had lots of gray days in January so a sunny day is a real treat.
on January 30, 2013 at 6:46 am | Reply petspeopleandlife

wonderful nature photos- so interesting with the different ice formations..
- on January 30, 2013 at 6:55 am | Reply New Hampshire Garden Solutions
  
  Thank you! I’m glad that you enjoyed them