Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Phenom

People have seen icy puddles before. I grew up in northern Illinois, where icy puddles were the norm in late autumn. In fact, an icy puddle in January is the usual in many parts of the world. So forgive me for showing you this picture of something you've seen a million times.

But an icy puddle at Hahamongna Watershed Park in Pasadena, California on January 13th, 2013 at 1:27:08 pm is momentous. A record should be kept. A notation must be made. This should be posted, publicly, for future generations to see in some archive somewhere.

You will not be surprised that upon our return an hour later, the ice was gone.

22 comments:

Andy said...

Even though I am thousand of miles away I know the felling your are getting when you see something that should not be happening. It reminds me of my last Sunday's posting of sprouting pussy willows.

Kalei's Best Friend said...

Funny u should blog about this.. Yesterday, I slipped on a frozen puddle!. Yep, almost saw the sky there!.. but caught myself before the neighbors enjoyed the entertainment!. I want summer!!

Shell Sherree said...

I'd feel like that if I happened upon icy puddles here, Petrea. Thankfully, you have neatly handled the posting of such a momentous occurrence for future generations.

Susan Campisi said...

I can't remember the last time I've seen an icy puddle so thank you for sharing this anomaly. When is this chill going to end? I'm sitting in my kitchen wearing three wool sweaters.

Anonymous said...

Well for capturing a phenom!

Bellis said...

My grandson had a great time smashing the ice on those puddles in Hahamongna in early January. The east side gets very cold until the sun comes round, doesn't it? Yesterday was the coldest LA day in 22 years! Have you lost any plants?

Paul Parten said...

I WISH I was seeing more frozen puddles. The middle of January and it's 50°F in Georgia. I know we're not the winter capital of anything, but this is becoming ridiculous.

Petrea Burchard said...

It does remind me of your pussy willows, Andy. You're getting our heat and we're getting your cold.

We must be careful on the ice, KBF. We're inexperienced.

Thank you, Shell. The library hasn't asked for it yet, but I'm ready.

Susan, no heater? Or no insulation, more likely. Maybe a home improvement project for the summer (house stays cooler in summer with insulation, too).

Merci, Geoff!

Bellis, we saw your car there Sunday. I brought in some plants, hope the outside ones are okay.

Paul (and everyone), at the risk of taking the fun out of the conversation, it's long past time we held our politicians accountable for at least considering the possibility of global warming and helping us to find out what to do about it. Maybe it's a good thing, maybe not. I don't know, but we had better start figuring it out now.

Kalei's Best Friend said...

@Petrea: I wish the ice puddle was more apparent like what u posted.. Mine was on cement and it just looked like water- so beware next time..

Katie said...

Cool photo! Or should I say 32ยบ photo. Yes very strange to see ice in Southern CA. I saw an iced-over puddle near the Berkeley Marina over the weekend. Unfortunately I was with a friend visiting from Minnesota so my amazement was completely lost on him.

dive said...

Awesome, Petrea!
Having spent the whole day stuck in my car in a blizzard I'm probably not ideally suited to appreciating pictures of ice but I'm glad you got the opportunity of photographing it.

TheChieftess said...

We won't see an ice puddle until about May...

Pasadena Adjacent said...

Sliding on frost covered diachondra lawns reminds me of being a SoCal kid during the 60's. Now it's a rarity.

TheChieftess said...

Oh! Except in the street or in our driveway...although it's not really a puddle...more like a sheet of icy "fall on your butt"...

Petrea Burchard said...

Katie, I lost a blog follower today. Probably a Minnesotan who doesn't feel sorry for me.

Dive, I thought you'd be sitting in a freezing site hut all day. Sounds like something didn't work out. I hope your car has heat.

Chieftess, I have a feeling the puddle you describe is something like what KBF ran up against.

PA, do you think all this cold is normal then? I'd be reassured if you said so.

Anonymous said...

I think you want to check out my stable in the early mornings. You'll be impressed.

Margaret said...

The bean plants in my garden are totally dead, sacrificed to the freeze.

Petrea Burchard said...

Hmm. Knowing what a stable is like on a cold morning, Hiker, I'm thinking horse poo, steaming in icy puddles.

I'm sorry, Margaret. That's sad. The whatever that grows around the base of our cedar has shriveled, too.

Desiree said...

Dark confession time:
I've lived around these parts for over 20 years. Walked Hahamonga for the FIRST time last week--

Ms M said...

Must be a "killing frost" there to have icy puddles.
On the other hand, here in the City of Trees, we had a high temp of 21 F today, still have snow covered lawns, and ice covered parking lots, sidewalks and side streets.

Speedway said...

For you, a rarity. For me, a fact of life.

Petrea Burchard said...

Des, I'd love to hear your impressions of the place.

I have ceased to feel sorry for myself, Ms. M.

I don't miss it, Speedway.