WEATHER IS COMING .............

RAIN is certainly coming our way.  But the flooding and debris runoff that you hear about on the Sacramento news stations, and read on the National Weather Service reports, are for the northern Sierra Nevada:  Butte, Plumas, Shasta, Sacramento counties.  No mention of Tuolumne or Calaveras.  As usual.  Do we really exist?  Sometimes I wonder.   << rather editorial comment!  :)

Click on the image above for a much better and larger view.

Below is the link to the national weather service site I use:

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=38.08052761936274&lon=-120.18562316894531&site=sto&smap=1&unit=0&lg=en&FcstType=text

7-DAY FORECAST

• This Afternoon (Tuesday, November 27th):  Mostly sunny, with a temperature falling to around 53 by 5pm. South wind around 11 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. 
• Tonight:  Rain after 4am. Low around 44. Southeast wind 8 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
• Wednesday:  Rain. High near 52. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 21 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible. 
• Wednesday Night:  A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. South southeast wind around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. 
• Thursday:  Rain likely, mainly after 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 52. South southeast wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
• Thursday Night:  Rain. Low around 41. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
• Friday:  Rain. High near 50. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
• Friday Night:  Rain. Cloudy, with a low around 44.
• Saturday:  Rain. Cloudy, with a high near 54.
• Saturday Night:  Rain. Cloudy, with a low around 43.
• Sunday:  Rain. Cloudy, with a high near 54.
• Sunday Night : A chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 41.
• Monday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54.

Enjoy the rain!  Get out the games and sit around a nice warm fire.  Me?  I have six women coming for a Christmas Card Making Marathon Stamping Weekend from Friday to Sunday afternoon.  Awesome!

If you ever want to do some rubber stamping: cards, scrapbooking, digital, gifts..........send me an email.  I offer organized stamping retreats or classes in My Country Loft here in Mi Wuk.  And we always stamp 2 cards ($3.00) at the Mi Wuk Library on the 3rd Thursday of every month, December included.  Don't be shy. 

ALBINO SQUIRREL???

HAVE YOU SEEN what appears to be an albino squirrel in the Kome Rd. area?  Readers Patty and Paul are asking.

If you have seen it, can you snap a photo and send it to me, blythek@mac.com, please. 

These photos are not "our squirrel" but they'll certainly give you the idea.

ARE YOU A SKIER?? AT DODGE RIDGE?

A Solid Week of Winter Weather
15 Plus Inches Of Snowfall At The Summit & More To Come...

After 3 days and a series of two storm systems, Dodge Ridge received over 15 inches of new snowfall at the summit above 7,500 feet and about 3 inches at the base area of solid base building wet snow to prepare for the coming weeks.  These initial weekend storms will be followed by a series of storms over the next 2 weeks bringing consistent accumulations of snowfall from base to summit.  If the predicted weather patterns hold true, we'll hopefully be looking at an early December opening here at Dodge Ridge.  Stay tuned . . .




DODGE also has a presence on FaceBook.  Just search for Dodge Ridge and then 'like' them.  You'll get updates sooner than I might get them posted.  You can also go to Twitter to receive Dodge Ridge condition updates by text message or email throughout the season.  Sign up at twitter.com/dodgeridge.



And no, there's no snow in 'this part of Dodge' as of this evening, Sunday, November 18th.  Just intermittent drizzle or perhaps a bit of rain.

WONDERING WHAT IT'S LIKE UP HERE ON HWY 108?

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the Sierra Nevada above 6000 feet through Sunday 4pm.

Snow levels will range from 5000 through 7500 feet.

Half a foot to three feet of total snow accumulation is expected above 6000 feet.

Winds of fifteen to forty mph are likely with gusts ranging from fifty to seventy-five mph.

Two to three and a half inches of rain is expected in the Mother Lode.

Unsettled weather will continue next week, with additional storms possible.

No warnings for Highway 108 except that Sonora Pass is closed----find an alternate route. :)

Our driveway is totally covered with pine needles.  And this afternoon is supposed to be windy.  I'll let you know if anything more exciting comes along.

If I don't get back here before Thursday, I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.  We have so much to be thankful for.  Share your thanks with your friends and family during your meal.  This has been a tradition in our family for years and years and now we have the youngest members, 4, 4, 5, and 8 participating.  Priceless.  I'm thankful and grateful for them.

Questions?  Please ask.

REMEMBER OUR VETERANS

Today is the real Veteran's Day.  Please take a moment to thank them for choosing to protect our country.

I don't personally know many veterans but I do know one whom I consider to be my guardian angel, Richard Thiede, Marines, who is now afflicted with ALS.  Also my husband, Russ Klipple, Air Force.  Send me your veteran/s and I'll be glad to add them to this post, today or tomorrow, the government holiday that gives us a three day weekend.   Send their names to blythek@mac.com

Richard Thiede, Marines
Russ Klipple, Air Force
Bob Berkheiser, Army  (my brother)
Bob Smith, Purple Heart, Army  (my brother-in-law)

WEATHER FORECASTING SITE I USE

Click HERE or copy/paste the link below to be taken to the US Weather Service site that I use for our exact location in the Sierra.


http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=38.08052761936274&lon=-120.18562316894531&site=sto&smap=1&unit=0&lg=en&FcstType=text

Enjoy your day. 

YES, WE HAVE SNOW IN MI WUK

Personal:  Russ and I took a well-deserved trip to Maui from 2-9 November which was gifted to us from a girlfriend who was unable to use her time-share this year.  She knew we were in dire need of real R & R (due to our full time care giving roles since January) and 'begged' us to go.  She didn't have to beg for long.

Reality:  We came home to SNOW.  You all know that perhaps but here's the proof:

That's 6" on our deck in Mi Wuk.  Do you have any photos you'd like to share? 

Here's one thanks to our neighbor Debbie Laurance (thanks Deb---it's from FB):

We're getting the snow equipment ready for the winter now.  How about you? 

From Firefighter Neil Gamez's Mi Wuk FaceBook page, October 12, 2012:

With winter quickly approaching remember to get your chimney flue checked and cleaned. Last night Twain Harte Fire/Rescue responded to their first flue fire (for the year). This should be a good reminder that it is time to get out and start preparing for winter. This week is Fire Prevention week, check your smoke detectors and CO detectors and change the batteries. If you live in the district and need assistance replacing your batteries please call the station, 586-5256.

What do YOU think this winter we present to us???