Saturday, January 23, 2016

City Views, Country Dreams

Good morning from snowy New York.

We are now in blizzard mode.



The snow began falling about 11:00 last night and will continue until about midnight tonight.  Snowplows began scraping the streets overnight, and will continue their regular rounds.


I took these photographs from my north-facing front window, about 8:00 this morning.  Except for those snowplows, and some sidewalk shoveling, it was very quiet on the street.


Occasionally, a car would slowly drive past.  A little family group came outdoors to take some snow pictures.


The local television stations pre-empted national network programming to cover the blizzard.


Tonight there will also be a full moon, which will affect the expected local flooding.  My place of employment will be open today, and I am mostly worried about being blown over by the powerful winds on my way to the subway train station at my corner.


The television station I was watching has its station in my neighborhood, so it was interesting to see what the situation was like when weather forecasts were made from outdoors on Columbus Avenue.


The next photograph shows you all my new boots.  They are from a Canadian company, are cosy and waterproof with good treads on the thick rubber soles.  I am pleased to report that they were also on sale.


During some past big snow storms, the Metropolitan Transit Authority has shut down the subway system, but not this time.  Not yet.  Lots of the city's homeless population will be using those trains to stay warm.  I count my blessings in having a job, plenty of food and a warm place to live.

Thank you all for your visiting and commenting on my prior post.  It's fun to share my city views with you all.

Breaking news...my place of employment has been allowed to close early, and so I won't have to brave the deep snow and strong wind today.  The sun will come out tomorrow.  Hooray!  

50 comments:

  1. Yes, I just heard that the subways were being shut down!
    Keep safe and warm!

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  2. I am very relieved not to have had to take my chances in walking over to the subway station in the current wind situation. xo

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  3. That is good news, Frances. Love the snow boots (and the hat from the last post). Lovely and cosy. Stay warm and safe x

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    1. It certainly is good new, Marianne. What a relief to actually have a relaxed day, warm at home. xo

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  4. I was glad to see your update, Frances, and to know that you will be able to stay warm and safe at home. When I heard of the storm, I thought of you first of all. After all these years, you are my 'friend in NYC'!
    Those boots look very good - very Canadian! I am sure that we all have a pair very like those. I brought mine with me when we moved from the east many years ago. They come in handy every few years when we get a bit of snow.

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    1. Pondside, I am honored to be your friend in NYC, and think it's grand that we've been blogging together for so many years.

      I am glad that you approve my Canadian boots! xo

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  5. Frances, I was hoping you'd do a report from the blizzard today. I have two adult children living in NYC and of course they are too busy to fill me in, so it's nice to know what they are experiencing . As always, your post is so evocative. I'm glad you didn't have to go to work today. Enjoy it all from the window!

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    1. Shawn, this snowstorm really is turning into a whopper...and the wind really adds a lot of drama to its performance. Full moon tonight, too, to affect the tides.
      Little by little the city is shutting down. Snowplows and scraping snow shovels and the occasional dog bark are the only sounds. Rather magical, from indoors. xo

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  6. Hello Frances, good to see that you are safe and warm and did not have to head out for work. I hope you stay with power keeping on and cosy in your flat. Our snow and very low temperatures have left and we shall be warmer next week. I hope your snow and frost is not going to come our way as it usually does 2 weeks later. Loved your recent post with the fair isle knitting, you are an artist!

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    1. Thanks so much for your comment, Bayou. I hope that we won't be sending any blizzard left-overs across the ocean to your area.

      As the snow continues to pile up, this is now an excellent day to drink tea, catch up on blogs, read a book and the NY Times, and maybe even knit or take a nap.

      xo

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  7. So glad you can stay safely at home now. You certainly need those boots, Frances!

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    1. This has been a very quiet afternoon into evening in NYC. There's not supposed to be any street level vehicles moving around besides police cars, ambulances, firetrucks and other emergency vehicles.

      I've not heard as many sirens as usual. It's really quite lovely. I think today's snowfall accumulation will put us amongst the top five, or even four or three deepest snows in NYC history. Wow.

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  8. Thank you Frances. I love to see these pictures of snow in New York. I heard it on the news tonight and then I remember street signs from 40 years ago of "Snow clear zones" or words to that effect, and things I had never seen before indicating streets that would be cleared by snow clearance trucks. I imagine snow in New York all the time in my life which is alien to how other people imagine New York over here and my mother saying that the snow would come here too. (I hope you understand what I am saying, just my imagination being very vivid). It is a city which in the summer is hot and yet it faces snow head on. I have always loved that.

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    1. I do think I understand what you are saying Rachel. Even when I am living here, as I have done for many decades, I still hold in my mind's eye many visual memories of the city that were planted there long before I ever moved here. Perhaps it started in the days of black and white films and photographs? Anyhow, today is a day to reinforce the notion of the city being beautiful, as well as a place able to cope with lots of folks living near each other and sharing much, sweet and sour.

      Yes, there used to be designated snow lanes on various avenues. Might still be such lanes, but I think those paths now also apply to more human-caused disaster evacuation routes. The dark joke is...just where would we on this island of Manhattan go?

      Let me skip back to the beauty of this night. The pink tinge of the street lights has given soft glow to the several feet of accumulated snow, contrasting with the predominating dark outlines of leaf-less trees and architectural details. Wish you could see it, or that I could photograph it properly.

      xo

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  9. I'm relieved to read that you didn't have to venture out in the snow, even though you have those very sensible sturdy and warm boots. The BBC are just reporting that transport has been suspended in NY and conditions are bad. Stay cosy at home and settle down with your knitting, fingers crossed you still have light and heating xx

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    1. Let me amend the BBC reports just bit, Celia. The subway trains that do not have any above ground tracks in the "outer boroughs" like Brooklyn, Queens or the Bronx, are still running. (Lots of homeless folks are no doubt glad of this decision, as those subway trains are providing them a warmer place for the night than a sidewalk covered with two feet of snow.
      City buses shut down around noon, vehicular traffic (including bicycle fast food delivery service folks) operating on the city streets are banned until tomorrow. The idea was...everyone go home and stay there.

      Can you believe that I've not done any knitting yet? xo

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  10. We've been hearing all about the storm on the news here so I'm pleased that you didn't have to venture out after all. Stay warm and safe x

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    1. Thanks for your good wishes, Gina. It was a great relief not to have to leave the apartment today.

      Tomorrow's forecast calls for sun and warmer temperature, too. I still think that those boots will be useful.

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  11. I am so happy to hear you are safe and warm.
    Thank You for the lovely photos of snowy NY.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. As always, it was a pleasure to share some city views with folks who don't live around here.

      Folks who live along the area's Atlantic coastline are also having to deal with high tide on a full moon night. Can you imagine chunks of frozen tide sloshing up on your main street? I saw some astounding news video footage early today. Unbelievable.

      xo

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  12. Dear Frances, I've watched quite disturbing news on the TV late this evening - about the snowstorms in the USA and the situation in New York... Hope you are feeling safe and cosy at home! Hope everything will be OK, the wind will settle down pretty soon and then people will enjoy the beauty of the snow, without worrying about anything!
    The boots are just lovely!;)xox

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    1. Thanks for those good wishes Rossichka. The snowstorm will now begin to diminish a bit, but it won't be really over until after midnight.

      Yes, it was good luck to be able to stay warm indoors today. Those new boots will get their outdoor snow contact debut tomorrow. Soon enough. xo

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  13. Just seen on the BBC news the photos from NYC and the rest of the East Coast.Just stay safe and warm and enjoy the cosy feeling and indulge yourself.A great excuse to read,knit,nap and whatever!!Barbarax

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    1. Barbara, I did look upon yesterday as a bit of a gift, and thoroughly enjoyed the day. xo

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  14. Good evening! I'm Italian and I'd like you to have a lot of snow . I wish you to stay safe and warm. Lina

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    1. Thank you Filonico for your visit and comment. It was grand to stay cosy indoors during the blizzard.

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  15. I envy you the snow. We've had so little snow in Alaska these past two winters that I miss the feeling of being "snowed in." I always so enjoy your reports of New York moments. I hope you have a chance on Sunday to go out and make tracks in your lovely new boots.

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    1. Carol, isn't it odd how certain weather patterns affect us so differently? Today (Sunday) it's sunny with a blue sky. Lots of digging out going on around NYC. xo

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  16. Those boots look ideal if you really do have to go out in that weather.

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    1. Yes Weaver, I think that they are going to be "just the ticket" to getting around town after yesterday's snow. I'll be wearing them today to find out how they perform. xo

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  17. Nothing better than to be snuggled up warm indoors and look out at the beautiful snow.
    Your boots are gorgeous.
    Stay safe.
    Hugs from The UK-x-

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    1. Thanks Sheila. I looked for boots at several neighborhood shoe stores on Thursday and Friday...before the snow began, and was quite pleased to find the pair I bought. It was even better to find them on sale! xo

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    1. It's going to be fun to get out and about again today. I'll try to take some photographs during my walking around NYC. xo

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  19. Hello, i've been thinking of you when i saw NY in the snow on the pictures and TV. I hope you can make a winterwalk through the snow with your snowboots, thats so nice!! Greetings from Holland

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    1. It actually was fun to stay indoors yesterday, and follow the storm's progress via watching television, also good to have time for reading and knitting and...blogging. I'll definitely be venturing outdoors today. The sun is brilliant! xo

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  20. I was surprised when I read in your post that you had to go to work during the blizzard and the subways were running. I then read your comments and saw that the trains were shut down. Thankfully, they came to their senses.

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    1. Yes, yesterday afternoon the decision makers made some wise decisions, to keep the subway trains with completely underground tracks operating while closing down the lines with tracks exposed to the blizzard.
      xo

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  21. I like snow. Unfortunately here isn't any, however I would like to build a snowman and make snowballs :)

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    1. Although I did not get over to Central Park today, I imagine that many snowmen were created!

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  22. Whoa! The weather reports were accurate for once...unfortunately for the east coast. Glad you have those toasty boots Frances, you will be needing them for awhile...and your hats! Do you make mittens too?

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    1. Yes, i've also got some red mittens ready to join the party. Today's weather was very different from yesterday's. Good to get outdoors again. xo

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  23. Good boots. I'm glad you were able to stay out of those icy winds. I hope the surfaces don't get too icy and that the gritters are out.

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    1. Lucille, I love that word grit...the word's not used over here, but there are various forms of stuff scattered on sidewalks to aid snow melting and prevention of ice. (Some of that stuff is rather tough on dog paws, so lots of NYC dogs wear little boots. True.)

      xo

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  24. Glad you were able to get home early and I hope you're warm and safe. We've not had any snow here this year.

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    1. Su, I was even luckier in that I found out that the shop was going to close before I even put my coat on to head out to work yesterday.

      xo

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  25. Nice boots nut I'm glad you didn't have to use them yesterday. We got anout 8 inches and its melting today, hurrah! Stay safe!

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    1. Thank you Vicki. Yes, I gave the boots a good try out today and all went very well. I'm going to post another update on Snow in the City. xo

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  26. Oh and there are the boots themeselves! (I'm going backwards on your blog). They look just the thing - and stylish, even for winter boots.

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  27. Oh and there are the boots themeselves! (I'm going backwards on your blog). They look just the thing - and stylish, even for winter boots.

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