alex

4 hours ago, backedgeapproaching said:

Funny as Alex mentioned Orlando as I just got back late Friday from there as well, dews and heat felt nice nice when you have easy pool access.

Back to perfect NNE spring conditions for a morning hike..

 

Agree - it felt fantastic! Even during the day it was very enjoyable (we were doing Disney so no pool access during the day). Mexico was downright hot but I was in the pool all day there. Coming back to 40 degrees and the smell of smoke (renters had stove going) felt like the transition from summer to fall. 

Off topic, but really sad situation down in Mexico. Beaches that used to be immaculate were covered in sargassum. Apparently it's been happening for 2 years. Some attribute it to global warming and pollution but it's not entirely clear. Still, heavenly places like Akumal which had swimming pool like coastline now have brownish water and piles of algae everywhere. It's sad. We went diving and you notice a thick brown layer in the top 20 ft or so of water. The reef don't seem affected... For now. But it's a stark wake up call and reminder of what we are doing to this planet.

Got back last night from a Mexico and Orlando trip. Glad that I missed this nonsense. I was hoping to have some more green by now, still nothing though at least the daffodils are up and the forstythia is sporting its usual 4 flowers on the lowest branch. Yippee. I'm soooo ready for summer. 

Last patch of natural snow (not snow pile) about to melt in my yard

2 hours ago, wxeyeNH said:

Alex,

I've noticed that the forsythia here some years have a hard time flowering too except the lower parts.  I think its because the shrubs can't take the super cold.  The lower parts get covered up with snow before the way below zero weather sets in.   That is my theory.

 

Yes that’s exactly what it is. Just like rhododendrons. Bottom foot looks great and anything above that dies completely. 

It amazes me how the local big box stores carry mostly plants that are not hardy in Northern New England

Some pretty cool clouds on the rock pile

My crocus are flowering! Just crocus but hey, it’s a sign of spring. Forstythias don’t flower here - I have one but all you get is a few flowers on the very bottom

The mountains looked awesome once it “cleared” this afternoon 

4 hours ago, Arnold214 said:

Euro stil looking like somewhat of a redux of 4/26/16 on May 2nd this year. I’m all for it.

Oh great. Let’s start building next winters snowpack 

https://thebalsamsresort.com/senate-passes-balsams-bill/#more-4554

Beautiful spot, it would be great to see it reopen

Heavy rain and temperature in the 30s. Gotta love April. 

21 minutes ago, Lava Rock said:

Windows closed. Woodstove cooking

.
 

Lol same here. Raw day. 38 and drizzly. Yuck

7 hours ago, tamarack said:

We're getting into "scruffy season" when moose begin shedding winter hair ahead of the thinner summer coat.  Have not seen this process on the deer yet.  In some better news about winter ticks on moose, the survival of radio-collared calves in Maine is much improved in the past year-plus compared to the unsustainable 60% mortality a couple years back.

Yes it looked like it was just shedding to me

1 hour ago, powderfreak said:

I see your moose and raise you a decapitated bear head a friend found on a ski trail today.

Eek... That's rather gnarly 

Spring melt bringing visitors 

The Moose are back!

Driving to Conway. Still a solid foot + in the Notch. I'm so glad I live higher up lol

A couple of pictures. First one is one of our trails. I now that with a John Deere lol. You can see the debris from the old flood. To the right it’s normally a 5-6 foot bank. The area below is right by where I tap the maples; the river had just breached here so I could literally see the water pouring in. 

The great news - almost completely snow free now! 

4 minutes ago, OceanStWx said:

Bethlehem got to 11.4' back in October 2017, 8' now. So 10-11' is not good for you.

Exactly my thinking. It’s at about 8 feet today, and there was anywhere between a foot and 3 feet water in my yard in 2017. Above 10 ft is when trouble starts. I’ve started flood proofing everything - all generators are now raised, and my new house that I’m building is about 2 feet higher than the water line from that flood. Still nerve wrecking when it happens though. 

13 minutes ago, OceanStWx said:

Looks like it's just about cresting at Bethlehem now, so I'd say the worst is over.

Yes. I’ve been watching the river go over its banks at my property, actually very interesting to watch. Doesn’t seem to be rising anymore. Most sections are right at the top of the bank, which is generally a 6 foot or so cliff. The beach areas are of course completely unreachable. Gave me a better sense of where the river breaches. Another 2 feet or so and it would be at the house. 

17 minutes ago, Damage In Tolland said:

They had a nice long season this past fall- spring 

It's been a fantastic season. The glades did not close once from Thanksgiving to closing day - that's remarkable for no snowmaking trails with lots of natural obstacles (rocks and logs) that need to be buried for them to be open. As most places, however, the past few weeks have seen a huge dropoff in skiers - even with the great conditions. The few that came up loved it - great conditions and no crowds! But it's hard to justify from a business perspective. Granted, conditions got destroyed this weekend anyways!

4 minutes ago, Damage In Tolland said:

Are they still open?

No, Monday was the last day. They've actually plowed a bunch of the trails now to continue construction on the new gondola.

7 minutes ago, powderfreak said:

There is just water pouring out of the woods.  Heavier rain moved back, I thought this would stay east in NH.  Just a roar outside anywhere you go from water coming out of every little creek.

Same here. Just drove by the ski resort and there is a torrent pouring out of the snowcat entrance to the trails. Looks like the worst of the rain has moved out, we'll see how the river responds. It's just about bankfull now, another 4 feet in rise and I'm toast. 

48 minutes ago, Cold Miser said:

How close do you live to where those pics were taken?

 

About 2 miles downstream. That's Upper Falls, a local cliff diving hangout 

10 minutes ago, dendrite said:

Gonna be ugly up there once this +RA moves through.

I know. Anxiety level is high! I’m hoping for some downsloping to decrease the intensity a bit but it’s going to be a rough afternoon 

The Ammo is roaring. A tree trunk made its way down as we were watching, sounded like thunder. No flooding yet but that could quickly change this afternoon.