Today is Friday, it’s January 11, 2013, and we’re about as snowbound as we’ve ever been in the seven years we’ve lived in Utah. We should have paid more attention to the weather predicting turtle who lives nearby here in the shadows of Mount Olympus. According to local news sources, this season’s is the biggest snowfall accumulation in the valley since 1993. E.T. (Extra Tortoise), 69, is a 17-inch-diameter desert tortoise, rescued by Tosh Kano in 1988 through the State Division of Wildlife Resources during the construction of the Tuacahn Amphitheater. She warned us this was likely to happen back in October. Kano was the public works director for Salt Lake County at the time, and over the years he noticed a correlation between E.T.’s appetite and winter conditions. He was so certain about her ability to predict winter severity that he based his yearly order for road salt according to E.T.’s “predictions.”
Kano said that normally she stops eating in September to prepare for her six-month hibernation, but this year she was eating kale, mustard greens, parsley, and carrots until mid-October, so he knew something was different. Those are considered “super foods” in a turtle’s diet, thus he knew she was storing up fat for a long and hard winter. Other signs were noted as well. Acorns were bigger this year and there were more of them as well as more 100 degree+ days over the summer. I remember we were forced to take our neighborhood walks long after sundown because of the heat. Then we forgot about tortoises and went on to Italy, extended our summer for several more weeks. (In case you’d like to see E.T. and her owner yourself, to this KSL Utah channel 5 television site.)
It seems like a long time ago looking back now, but this picture proves we really did enjoy a warm interlude at Trevi Fountain in Rome this fall. Ahhh, it looks so sunny and warm. Legend has it that if visitors toss a coin into the fountain they will return to Rome. Should we hear E.T. is eating like a pig again this September, I may have to reconsider my swearing off airline travel if. I’m pretty sure that’s the quickest way to get to Italy, which sounds very appealing now. :grin:.
For today though, we continue to look out the window to see if it’s still snowing . . . yup! it is, and is expected continue all day. The nearly two-feet snow cake on the back deck may come close to swallowing that yardstick Hubby left in it (above photo) if it doesn’t let up. Did I mention the basement furnace broke down last Sunday? It’s working hard at the moment, but it’s an old old unit we’ll be replacing next week just in case.
I’ll be back with more news in a few days. That is, if we don’t freeze first. Does anybody know how to build igloos? Cháo for now!
My Wintersong 
We are having our “january thaw.” It is like Indian Summer, only in January and supposed to be almost 60 and sunny tomorrow. Today it is 52 and raining. We have no tortoise and the groundhog is a fraud.
😆 Ruthe, I never paid much attention to Punxsutawney Phil’s predictions when we lived in Pennsylvania either. Maybe it’s because you and I don’t speak Groundhogese! I never was good with other languages.
Wow, I didn’t realize you have only been in Utah for 7 years! You must have found Osher almost as soon as you arrived. I am always curious how people find us. Cathy
Yes, Cathy, we actually knew about Osher before we moved here. Our daughter suggested it to us, so here we are! Osher is a great way to meet like-minded people with a wide variety of experience.
Wow! That is some snow fall. We are having warnings about bad weather next weeks. I think I hibernate to bed for the duration. 😉
Stay warm and well.
Sounds like a great idea! I’m so thankful for the down comfort on the bed. I’m sure the Irish have wonderful remedies for winter stir-crazies!
On Fri, Jan 11, 2013 at 2:45 PM, My Wintersong
Thanks so much for the great pixs!! (It’s 70 today here on the NC shore!). I love the tortoise wisdom, and believe in their wisdom!! She is exactly my age, and much smarter in her “fortelling” abilities. Post her pix, Alice, I’d love to see E.T.
Thanks for commenting, Anne. I believe in animal wisdom of all kinds! (I grew up on a farm in the southeast.) I’ll have to see what I can do about posting a picture. Since she can live way into her hundreds, at 69 she’s still a pretty but young thing.
Love both the snowy and sunny photos!
That’s a whole lotta snow!
Stay warm and fingers crossed that the furnace stays warm.
Are we getting New Hampshire’s allotment too, y’think? The furnace (that we fixed incidentally) is plugging away. Just hope it keeps going ’til Monday when they’ll bring a brand-spanking new one out and install it with a whole-house humidifier. 💡 Yay.
I feel for you. Come to NC, it will be mid seventies tomorrow.
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Sounds absolutely marvelous! Shall I bring my bikini? 😀
Way over here on the east coast we had snow too. Ours came with a whallop of wind so it’s not near as peaceful as yours.
Hello Maurice! Thanks for commenting from there in your own frozen piece of earth. Canada, oh Canada. We love Canada and Canadians. Hubby often says if Canada would only buy some warm island country somewhere without weather issues, he’d be ready to apply for citizenship and move immediately (to help settle the new settlement, y’understand)!
Hi Friend,
Out here in the western dessert of Utah, we accumulated NO NEW SNOW. We’re left with the crusty version of the powder sprinkled on us at Christmas, and dang it, we fee left out! BUT, if spring comes and you are still snowed in, I will hustle up Mt. Olympus way and dig you out! Pinky promise.
One question: Is there a body buried under snow sitting on that chair to my right?
I notice you have blogging friends from the world over, but I think I’m your only Utah follower. Is that true? If so, citizens of this state don’t know what they are missing!
And you look ADORABLE sitting there by Trevi’s waters. I threw in 3 coins back in 1971 but haven’t yet returned. Hope to someday.
Take care, my fun blogger friend!
Ranai, you write the best comments. You sure know how to make me feel good. I think other readers in our area do read me; they’re mostly what we bloggers refer to as lurkers, a very secretive bunch. As long as they don’t start a petition to run me out of the state, it’s okay with me. But I’m sure glad you stop by a holler at me from time to time! 😀 And oh! that “body” under the snow–glad you noticed, but it isn’t either of us, Hubby or me, but it does look suspicious, doesn’t it? As long as it doesn’t carry a big gun, it can stay there. ‘Til spring anyway.
On Sat, Jan 12, 2013 at 9:12 AM, My Wintersong
You can build snow people living on those chairs. 🙂 You do have one started now.
Yes, no matter where in the world you are, pay attention to the turtle first. Love the picture of the two of you on the fountains edge.
I wish I’d thought of trying something like making a snow person. The snow kept falling and that almost person became a big blob hanging out everywhere.
Wow! Powder hounds must be in a frenzy. There’s nothing fluffier than Utah snow, and making first tracks is a blast. Bob was in Alta one year and got snowed in for two days. It was heaven for him. I hope you have food, heat and a snow thrower.
More than enough food–a new furnace–but no snow thrower except the manual one (Hubby)! Yes it’s a crazy year for the skiers, and with the blanket of pollution always hanging over the valley, it’s actually warmer in the mountains than down there.
That photo of you & hubby is sooo awesome!!!!!
Our snow melted. Weird for January in Ohio — it’s been in the 50s and sunny today and my snow boots are languishing!
I well remember Ohio’s frequent winter thaws–then something like 1978’s blizzard comes along!!!! Glad you’re catching the rays.
RYN: When I googled Hitlers Letters, I found them already in a volume.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitler's_Letters_and_Notes
Wikipedia has an article about the book that you might enjoy.
That oughta put on another reading tangent–for sure!