It has been in the high 40s or low 50s at night here, and I've been sleeping on top of the covers with a couple of fans on. We did ditch the air conditioners a couple of decades ago, though.
I like fans over AC because it's not blowing cold air. I only turn on the window AC for visitors and then I put on a sweater.
This is the first time I recall being this far into September without a frost. The coldest it has ben has been 36 F. 42 F. this morning and cloudy. Not raining at the moment though. Snow is quite far down the mountains and I suspect it will be here soon even if we don't get a good frost first. I just hope we don't have as snowy a winter as last year. I enjoy snow and it is one of the reasons we live here, but last year with almost 8 feet falling in a short time was just too much for an old man to keep clear. The snowblower on the tractor will help this year, I hope, as I relied on a plow for the years prior.
We are in the midst of the throes of Hurricane Lee at this moment and have been for the past several hours. In reality, while the news reports make it sound like a big deal - and indeed, it might be a bigger deal nearer to the coast - Maine isn't known for its hurricanes and all we're getting is a lot of wind and some rain. Millinocket is nearer to the center of the state. Our metal windmill thing sounds like it's about to take off for the stratosphere but it's nothing to worry about. As for the rain, that's been pretty steady for about a week and a half now, so the wind is the only thing that's new. The rain was heavier yesterday.
Hubby comes in this time of year and says he read or heard that we are in for a bad winter this year. Every year. I am not quite sure what a bad winter is in Wisconsin. I remember a couple of 20-30 below winters. One I got water in my boot and froze two of my toes. I remember one winter where the snow was blowing so bad that I could not see the farm driveway and got stuck in a drift right in the middle of it. In a 4 wheel drive! Why was I out in that? to check on my animals and make sure they had water. They could eat snow for a day! Last year we had 27mph with cold aimed straight at the separation in my barn doors for about 3 days. I was trying to chink it with everything I could scrape together. I made wind breaks and emergency shelter but did anyone use them? No! And was hubby anywhere to be seen in all these 'bad winters'? Actually he has been around when he could and one recent winter had snow made up of tiny hail balls that fell deep, maybe 2 and a half inches. It was like concrete. He manned the snow blower for a lonnnnnngggg time. Last winter it was very mild until February when it was 20 below. No that was the winter before. We were in shirt sleeves at Christmas. But that February was very disappointing. I am just glad that we are pretty much prepared for most anything. But it has been so wet lately I don't have enough hay put up. Will have to feed the sheep scrambled eggs.
38 F. this morning and now NOAA has issued a frost/freeze warning for tonight. My wife is bringing the plants in she plans to overwinter, and we will finish harvesting pumpkins and perhaps cabbage later this afternoon. May not get all the 'taters dug though...depends.
I'm noticing many people around here wearing heavy flannel shirts, coats, and jackets. That always amuses me because it is in the high 60s today, yet people always dig out the winter clothing in September. What the heck are they going to do in February? I usually don't go with a jacket until the snow comes, at least, and even then, I'll usually opt for a light jacket until the temperatures reach the teens or below. I save the big guns for February when they're needed. I have been known to wear a tee shirt and flip-flops to the store even in February, although I do sometimes consider the plight I'd be in if my car broke down. Then again, I've got Triple-A and a cellphone, we have more than one car, and we keep them in pretty good shape. If I'm only going to be outdoors for a short time, like in shopping for groceries or even shoveling a sidewalk, I don't have to dress up like I'm hunting Polar Bears. Gloves are nice though, because the shovel handle can get mighty cold. I've shoveled show in short pants, a tee shirt, and slip-ons. People do talk about that, though. When it reaches the single digits or below zero, I do have other clothing.
You are what people call colorful. Sometimes if it has been hot for a long time and all of a sudden it gets to the 50'60's I put on a light coat. I'm old! I used to do the flip flop things outside most weather but now they are my indoor shoes. And in my post above, I meant two feet not two inches of tiny hail.
I don't wear shorts and flip flops even in summer, although I did in the South when I was a bit younger. I understand John Fetterman wears shorts, flip-flops and a hoody to the Senate when he appears. Schumer recently changed the Senate dress code to make his apparel acceptable. I wonder what foreign leaders think when they meet these jokers? https://rollcall.com/2023/09/18/how-john-fetterman-feels-about-senate-dress-code/
6 a.m. it's 45 degrees. Yesterday afternoon around 2 o'clock it was very nice then the wind kicked up and it got very chilly. I had on a short sleeve t-shirt and went it the house and grabbed a sweater. My neighbor did the same. Our front porches only get sun when it's west of us much later in the day IF it's not cloudy.
It’s beautiful here, mid-70s with low 50s-high 40s at night. It’s perfect fall weather and no freeze in the forecast so far.