Wednesday we hit 80 degrees, Thursday winter finally found Texas! We dropped 50 degrees in one day, then the freezing rain and sleet found us last evening, all night and is just easing off with the sleet in my area now at 10:00 a.m. Friday morning. We have between 1-3 inches of ice, more than a quarter of a million without power (thankfully, not me) and it is now 25 with a windchill in the teens. This area is shut down, all schools and non essential government offices are closed. The DOT is working around the clock to try keeping the major highways open (but we don't have enough equipment as this happens so seldom here), lots of traffic accidents especially with 18 wheelers at a stand still on the high overpasses, Power is trying to be restored, but again because of the icing hazards it is slow and sometimes dangerous. There are power lines down, trees bending that have lots of leaves with all the ice, carports have toppled under the weight of the ice. It looks like a winter wonderland outside.
The cats and I are warm and toasty, we cuddled all night as we listened to the ice pelting the windows. The outside cats in the back (facing the north) were snuggled in their "condos with the electric warming beds" and the mama and her five kittens were snuggled in boxes on the front porch (facing the south) in their blankets. As I took food out to them this morning the ones out back (Buddy, Shadow, Patches & Prissy) were all warm (their food bowls were frozen to the ground and water bowl was solid), they came out to eat a little, but it was still sleeting pretty hard so they went back to bed....within 30 minutes their food/milk was frozen, I had to bring it in to thaw for later. The ones out front fared a little better as their water was not frozen and they ate all the food asap and lapped up the warm milk they were given, frolicked a little in the icy stuff, then right back to their beds. The birds could be heard walking on the ice under the trees searching for food, I promptly threw out chunks of bread and lots of seeds on top of the ice for them, my kitties on the inside sitting in the window watching them.
I took some quick photos of my red oak tree in the front yard, it is so laden with ice that the branches are only a couple of feet off the ground, hoping the winds we are experiencing don't break those limbs before some of the ice melts (which will be a few days out as we are not to get out of the 20's until Monday or Tuesday). I am so very thankful I have enough food for all of us to wait this out as I DO NOT want to attempt having to drive anywhere.
Hoping all of you are safe and warm and stay that way. Blessings wished to all, chat more next time! Luv, Mat
Hi Matt,
ReplyDeleteCouldn;t read the blogpost because when I get to your blog, only the header shows up, no blog background, and text is almost not readable, cause it shows up in very light color!
Would be great if you could fix it.!
Kyra
Good morning my dear friend Matt! Thanks for the visits and kind comments. I have only been here for a while, for I am with migraine 1 week ago already ... Dear friend i love the cold! Here is hot. Wishing you a wonderful week! Hugs, Neli. :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, I can see your background and finally read the long post LOL!
ReplyDeleteOh my, I heard on the news that it was bad weather in your part of the world, brrrrrr, not my kind of weather!
You took good care of your outside kitties, they have a good and warm shelter!
Good to read, you have enough stuff in the house to at the least hold on for some days, with all that snow and ice outside. So many accidents occured, that is's good that you won;t have to go out riding or walking.
Hope the terrible winter weather soon wil be over.
Here to they are expecting a few days with drops of temperature, but in no comparison to your temps, and I am soooo glad about that LOL.
It looks today is still a rther good day, so best I do some shopping today, and I can stay in as much as possible for the next few days. All decorations are done, pff, we are a bit pooped out but satisfied.
Stay safe, my friend, have a wonderful week ahead,
hugs
Kyra
I, too, have been watching the weather news and it is pretty bad in your area. I'm glad to hear that you are well stocked and can stay home till the roads get better. I was so worried about your outside kitties, but I see you have taken care of them nicely.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter has an outside kitty that has adopted her and her family. The kitty won't come inside the house so they have built it a nice house on the porch and made sure it is warm.
Now it's time for me to do something constructive around here. lol. You stay warm and have a wonderful day. Hugs, Edna B.