Carlin Lake Association

30 below may be a GOOD thing

 

In John Bates' column from last Friday, he says he doesn't remember temps hitting 30 below zero since the winter of 1966-67, nearly 20 years ago.   And, I heard someone else observe that we had 88 consecutive hours when the temp never rose above zero. (That's three 24-hour periods plus 16 more hours.)   It's certainly been a deep freeze, both here and throughout the rest of the Midwest too.

 

Bob Ruch drew my attention to an NPR feature, saying that the invasive emerald ash bore which has been destroying trees in more than 20 states, will have suffered from the extreme cold.  The researcher said, "Eighty percent of emerald ash bore may have been destroyed where temperatures fell to -22 to -26 Fahrenheit."

(This photo is of a Minneapolis park, where each of these trees are marked in green to be removed.  You can see the stripes, if you click to enlarge the photo.)

The same scientist reports that gypsy moths may have met their match. These insects have moved into northern Wisconsin and Minnesota and have been eating the leaves of more than 300 species of trees, shrubs, and plants.  However, they cannot survive temperatures lower than minus 17 degrees F.

More good news is from the scientist who stated, "The population of some kinds of ticks, which have been advancing farther north than ever before, should be reduced by the bitter cold, too."    I couldn't find other references to ticks, but the word around town is that folks are expecting this cold weather to reduce wood tick populations.  

 

I have read that the freezing days will also be a blessing for the Great Lakes.   More ice cover could limit evaporation and help the lakes, which have seen shipping affected as their levels have fallen because of drought.    And of course, more ice cover on Carlin Lake will also limit evaporation for us.

What will NOT be affected by the deep cold:   most of our strong native species.  Our fairly deep snow cover acts as an insulator, protecting the root system of local hibernating plants.

If you are interested in more info, I just googled polar vortex and words like plants, animals, wildlife, etc.  

 

The end of New Year's

 

Now that we are almost one-third of the way into January, it's time to wrap up these photos from New Year's Eve.   Really, it seems that already, mornings get brighter a little earlier, and light stays in the sky a bit longer in evenings, as these winter days fly by quickly.

 

 

Cecil and Jeannie; 

Danny and Ann

 

 

 

 

 

Apologies to Linda, Duanne, and Chuck McCall, who didn't get a photo this year.    Or maybe I should congratulate them for being able to evade me and my roving camera all evening!    Will two photos of Ann here balance Duanne not getting even one?  

 

Carm, Mary, Ann;

Gayle, Karen, Ramona;

Joe, John 

More of Carlin on New Year's Eve

 

 

The Chancellor family joined the Carlin party again on New Year's Eve this year.  It's fun to have these cute girls and their friends along, helping us lower the average age of party-ers.

 

Here you see friend Joe, Jayme, friend Andrew, Kayla, and Lexie;  on the right, Jim and Tracy, also helping to lower the average age.  

 

Now that I've started this "youngster" theme, I guess I will keep going, knowing I probably risk insulting someone.

 

 

Visiting at the Davis home for the holiday, Chris and Jayme, here keeping Danny company.    (No comment about the age of the retired guy in the middle.)

 

 

 

 

Since Ron and Tracy still have a daughter in high school, I can probably include them on this page picturing young people.

 

So, if you have to wait to see your holiday photo till my next post, you might assume I don't think you qualify for the "young people" category.   

 

Cold! Cold!

 

Wherever you are in the midwest this morning, it looks as though you woke up to a day with temps well below zero.   It's 30 below here this morning, as predicted, and expected to reach a balmy high of 18 below zero.

All schools are closed, and we have enough groceries stocked away that we don't intend to budge today.  

Stay warm!   I think of people who don't have good insulation or good heat sources and hope they are able to stay safe and comfortable in these very cold days.

 

January book club and breakfast club

 

It may be 20 degrees below zero on Tuesday morning, but we won't let that stop us.   Please, book club members, still plan to show up at my house about 9:00 that morning.   The heat will be on, and I will have warm eats and drinks ready to go.

Our discussion will be Wives of Henry Oades.   I've already heard some of your opinions, so as usual, we will have a lively discussion and good conversation.

(Try, as you can, to carpool with your neighbor; we don't have tons of winter parking.)

 If you have time or inclination, here's a link to some discussion questions from the publisher.    (Who do you think this beautiful woman on the cover is supposed to be?)

Carlin men, we hope you have a good breakfast, and a happy new year, too!

 

Twenty New Year's Eves in a row

 

The temps were cold---21 below zero when we drove home!    However, the welcome was very warm at Bob and Pauline's on New Year's Eve.  

Many thanks to the newlyweds for their generous and cheerful hospitality! 

Thirty-six people, by my count, were at the Rider home to ring out 2013 and ring in 2014.   Oh, all right, we all headed home soon after 8:00 pm---does that still count as "ringing in"?

 

As I referred to former party invitations in the Carlin archive, I count that this was the 20th consecutive New Year's Eve that Carlin people gathered and celebrated together.   How fortunate we are, even as the "cast of characters" continues to change, that we still enjoy this long tradition of good times together!

 

 

Here are some photos of revelers, and I will include more in some future post, too.

 

New residents, Marty and Aliza, were enjoying the holiday in their new Carlin home, the former cottage of Kathy Tomko; here chatting with Bill and Jeanne.

 

Al and Kim Krassel were able to walk on over; here with Mike Smith.

 

   

 Clara, Barbie, Ramona, and Cheryl (who was joining Mary, and all of us, for New Year's, as they remembered Warren on his December 31st birthday.)

        As always, you can click to enlarge.