Uh Oh

[Ross]

I just took a short walk outside and there are already leaves changing colors and falling off of the trees. Heck it's only August 1st! Something tells me winter is coming early this year and judging from the way things have been this summer, it's going to be a nasty one.

Anyone else out here use fuel oil for heating? What kind of prices are you paying? I just got my summer fill and about fell over when the driver handed me the bill. $1.40 per gallon.

 

[Gisele]

Hi Ross.....I have been avoiding the outside........too humid for me right now. As far as heat goes, we are all electric here so we try to use a wood pellet stove to mainly heat the house.

I haven't seen any leave start to turn yet, but I am sure when we get a few cool nights it will happen. Not looking forward to the cold and the heating bills..................

 

[Ross]

I need to save $600 for heating over this season at this rate. OUCH!

 

[Shine_on_Syd]

Ross,
I live in New England, the roads are jammed in the fall with what we call "leaf peepers" loing at our beautiful foliage. We are still 100% green right now, no sign of color. Maybe you have some of that rust belt air affercting the leaves.
I bought an electric blanket at Walmart last year after surgery, it was a big help and maybe help with your cost.

 

[Susan BAV]

My husband and I are going to "peep some leaves" during mid-late September in New England. We're traveling out to New York to visit one of our sons and we're also going to trot out to Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard and I'd like to see some of the Newport mansions, including the Breakers. We're really looking forward to it. That's just next month!

 

[Guest]

Something tells me winter is coming early this year and judging from the way things have been this summer, it's going to be a nasty one.

3 words for you, buddy:

Bite your tongue.

Or, in computer speak:

Slap your fingers.

*grumbles*

I cleaned up the '76 and '87 this weekend (have the '72 left to do next Saturday) and was amazed by all of the falling leaves already .

Arg.

Cort, "Mr MC"/"Mr Road Trip"/"The Uniter", 30swm/pig valve/pacemaker
'72/'76/'79/'81/'87 & train & models = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/
Spotting MCs = http://www.chevyasylum.com/mcspotter/main.html

 

[Ross]

I'm hoping it's only because of the unseasonably cool temperatures we've had around the great lakes this summer, but when I start seeing leaves falling this early, it's not a very good indicator of things to come. Cort believe me, I have no desire to participate in winter either. I need my tongue though, do I still have to bite it?

 

[liamty]

Ahhhhhhhhhhh

Ahhhhhhhhhhh

Roll on summer, here in beautiful Australia, we are leaving our winter. Give me the heat. We have had a pretty mild winter only got to about 9 c (don't know your farenfeight!) in the day and not much worse at night. Our bushfire season has opened 2 months early as we are preparing for a bad summer, so whilst we too are collecting leaves, it is from our roof guttering to protect from fires! Ohhh how I long for nice hot days again sooooon. I will think of you whilst I am laying around the pool.

 

[Mary]

Did I hear, ROADTRIP!!!

Yes, indeedy. . .we're off to Australia!!

Summer is just half a world away!

Mary

 

[Gemma]

Well, our summer has just started this weekend (and about time too), so I don't know what to make of that! Aren't Australia and England supposed to have opposite seasons?
Friday was the first time I didn't have to wear a jumper (sweater, whatever ) to keep warm in the evening!!!

 

[hensylee]

nothing visible here! Hot as can be. I watch the dogwood trees and when their leaves begin to fade and the animals begin to shed, then it's about 3-4 months down the road to cool!

 

[tobagotwo]

Ross, if you think it's fall, come mow my lawn. We were gone one week and it was 9+" tall (and still damp). I had to mow it all at super-crawl speed.

Our tomato plants are 6' tall, but still very few ripe. Some of their leaves are yellowing at the bottom from too much rain. When those tomatoes all turn we are going to be overwhelmed.

The flower gardens are pretty much over, though. A few balloon flowers, pink coreopsis, hibiscus, and overripe Black-eyed Susans still remain.

My sister in Rootstown, OH hasn't mentioned it, so I suspect all that blue air emanating from your computer room is killing off the leaves in your area.

Best wishes,

 

[Granbonny]

I agree with Ross

I agree with Ross

Last week, when Hubby and I were walking our path ..I noticed all these leaves..falling on path..and made a comment to him..Why are they falling so soon? We have had a very wet summer in Ga... I feel like too. we are in for a hard winter...because it has been 4 years..since, ice, snow, ect. where we live....No snow for that time..Our deer are getting brave..coming into yard around the porch eating my Hostas..Tells me that's not much green out there for them to eat this early...( I live on a preserve and they should have plenty to eat in our Greenbelt..(1500 acres) and they are coming into yards this early to feed)... Trees, ect. must have leaves turning and falling...Bonnie

 

[MarkU]

I'm anxiously awaiting cooler temperatures so my air conditioning bill will be lower - think that we had to turn on the electric heat maybe two days last winter. And you wonder why I don't miss Indiana...

 

[Mary]

Mark just supplied the answer of how to keep Ross warm this winter without spending such an ungodly amount for fuel oil.

We will have to ship Ross to Florida. The trees keep their leaves all winter down there, I've heard.
Ross, pack your suitcase, computer, and oxygen.

Mary

 

[hensylee]

Not ALL of Florida, Mary. I live in the panhandle and we have winters just like yours - but without snow, mostly. OUr leaves drop, it gets wan down low temps and we have seasons except the leaves don't become as beautiful on their way out.

I heard crows this morning. They fly south for the winter and they're out there in my woods being very noisy. Could they be heading south already?

 

[Mary]

Ann,
Is this your kind, gentle, way of saying "NO!" to Ross as a winter houseguest?

We'll need to send him further south, I suppose. Maybe Mark will welcome him since he was the supplier of the original idea. Continue packing, Ross!

 

[Ross]

Ann,
Is this your kind, gentle, way of saying "NO!" to Ross as a winter houseguest?

We'll need to send him further south, I suppose. Maybe Mark will welcome him since he was the supplier of the original idea. Continue packing, Ross!

Not at all Mary. She already promised me the use of her tool shed for housing.

 

[hensylee]

Ross, the door's open. We furnish supplies and a computer, use of the front porch to watch the world go by - quietly.

 

[Susan BAV]

Wow - We can feel fall in the air here this morning! I love that feeling! We've lived in southern California for seventeen years now and that's the biggest thing that I miss, autumn! We often get about six months of spring-like weather (especially with all the drought where we're not getting a lot of the typical cold rainy winter season), from January through June, but July through October is usually just four months of HOT weather! What a nice feeling in the air this morning! But it's just a tease. We're still going to have three more months of HOT.