Polarwirbel Safety Fact # 1 - Whiskey, if left outside, takes on whatever temperature the outside temperature is. If it's -5 - so is your whiskey. Soft tissue damage can result in exposing your mouth and throat to such extreme temperatures.

Can we all spell-"Lake Effect"?"Wind Chill" Factor,-13 degrees into the 3rd week of March.Snow every day.

Herb, I will only come to visit you in mid-July!

A group of us did visit Rochester about 25 years ago when Surratt House and the Surratt Society received an award from the American Association of State and Local History during their conference in your great city. I can't remember the month that was, but it was very nice weather in a very nice city. We visited the impressive George Eastman house and several other sites before taking advantage of the closeness of Niagara Falls (saw both sides of that).

Somehow, en route to the Falls,we got on some back roads and stumbled upon one of the greatest restaurants I have ever been in. It was nothing fancy, sort of a huge log cabin look to it -- and filled with hunters and fishermen, who were loud, boisterous, and fun until two got into some minor fisticuffs. The food was absolutely wonderful, especially the steak. No chef in Texas or Kansas City could have cooked one so tender, juicy, and flavorful.

P.S. I just proofread my own posting here and realized that I have outdone myself with adjectives!

Laurie-You are always welcome here however,I don't know if July is coming this year!

That's a GREAT response.

Here in New Jersey we've proposed to make the first day of Spring a state holiday!

At the rate we're going, it might coincide with the Fourth of July!

BTW: I heard on the news today that there is a movement afoot to make the first opener of the baseball season a national holiday. Supposedly people are being asked to sign an online petition on the White House website. Not sure that will work because I also heard a few weeks ago that over 120,000 people had signed a similar petition to the White House to require Mr. Obama to act on sending Justin Bieber back to Canada. Before that happens, however, I would like to know if Justin pays any taxes on his income - and do they get paid to the U.S. or Canada? If paid here, let's eliminate any loop holes he may have found and then put up with him and keep him here.

As for Miley Cyrus, I wish we could send her back to Hannah Montana. But I digress from my chief complaint -- winter...

Dzalinda (Siberia) Russia, it is currently - 48, but it is supposed to warm up and reach a high of -11 on Saturday.

On the plus side, no Miley or Justin. On the negative side, no Moon Pies or Stuckey's

It's back,yesterday we got a break-no snow and 25 degrees.Last night a very cold-"Cold Front" came roaring through with -5 degrees and 3"of snow.This is getting OLD!

Right now, it is in the 60s here in Southern Maryland, and I have a robin and a mother red bird outside my window. However, the skies have clouded over, and we are predicted to have 5 inches to a foot of snow with temperatures in the 20s by tomorrow afternoon. Considering the fact that I hate that white stuff, you can imagine the thoughts that are running through my brain right now!

Interesting winter photo of the White Huse in 1938

http://www.shorpy.com/node/17082?size=_original#caption

Spring is here! But,it is 25 degrees and wind chills in the teens with-rain-snow and GROPPLE!

OK, I give up - what is Gropple? I have learned about the Polar Vortex and derechos (?sp.) within the past few years, so please edumacate me further.

Gropple-The weather"experts"say it is-rain-ice-and snow mixed together to form a bebee sized ball that stings when hit.It is like"frozen grape-shot" from Lake Ontario.