time and space

Monday, December 13, 2010

Greenland Block

WHEN: December 2010
WHERE: North America, Europe

Source: www.weather.com

What do I love?...EXTREME WEATHER!!

Been cold lately? If you live in the eastern half of the country (or northern Europe), the answer is a teeth-chattering 'yes'. The past two weeks have been filled with extreme cold and many records have been set for the intensity and length of the cold.

Not even Florida has been safe from this intense early December blitz. Ft. Lauderdale broke a 169 year-old record low of 39° on December 8 and most of Florida has seen lows drop in to the 20's at least once this month. The wind chill dropped to 25° in Miami last week. While cold like that is not unheard of in Florida, it is more likely in late January, not early December, and does not push as far south. In Great Britain, at least 30" of snow fell over parts Scotland and shut down many major airports across Europe.

The "warmest" state east of the Rockies this morning was Maine (7:45 EST)

Wind chills this morning (8:11EST)

Source: www.weather.com

Snow-laden pine trees along a highway in Newcastle, England on November 29

From Denmark to the Dakotas, we can all blame the cold on the Greenland Block, which has been set up over Greenland for the past two weeks. A ridge of stationary high pressure, the Greenland Block is a large mass of air which forces cold Arctic air south on both its sides for a prolonged period of time. While the block is in place, the jet stream is unable to move east and so cold air is channeled southward, unabated, until the block moves or dissipates. The block this month is especially stubborn and has not yet fully released its hold.

The Greenland Block

The block has also sent early-winter (late-fall really) snowfall as far south as the Carolinas on this side of the Atlantic Ocean. In Charleston, we had several mornings last week with wind chills in the teens and twenties and this week seems to be looking like more of the same. Last Wednesday (Dec. 8) in Charleston, a 76-year record low high temperature was broken for the day (43°). We "warmed up" to the 50's this weekend but have failed to see an above-average temperature yet this month (and may not in December). In fact, there have only been two days this month with a high above January's average high, and no warmer days than that in the 10-day forecast. Wind chills dropping in to the single digits are possible tomorrow morning in Charleston. I think I'm staying home from work!

Snow plunged south into parts of the Carolinas on December 4-5

Departure from average highs for December 3-9

Of course the most recent story to develop from this cold December was the snow storm over the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes this weekend. Over 20" of snow fell yesterday in parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Michigan, while 50-60mph winds in these and surrounding states created white-out conditions. Even for these northern states, this was one of the snowiest storms in recorded history. It was the fifth snowiest storm in the Twin Cities' recorded history (1891-2010), with 17.1" falling at the MSP airport. Saturday was also the snowiest December day in the Twin Cities and the snowiest start to the season since 1991. This weekend's storm forced a 150-mile stretch of Interstate 90 to be shut down. In Chicago, almost 1,400 flights were canceled out of O'Hare International on Saturday. In Minneapolis, the roof of the Vikings football stadium collapsed and snow plows were called off the roads Saturday.

Snow cover across the Upper Midwest as of 6pm December 12

Snow cover over southeastern Minnesota as of 6pm December 12

Winona, MN, where 26" of snow fell during this weekend's storm.

Debby, been treating any students for illnesses related to this adolescent nonsense? :)

An impressive start for the 2010-2011 winter season. For a guy who lives for extreme weather - hot or cold, wet or dry, local or international - I may have a lot to look forward to this season. Now, if I could just get it to snow (and stay) before and during our trip to Iowa, I'll be set. I'm ready to shovel, ready to throw water into the air and watch it fall as ice, ready to fly in to Minneapolis at midnight and see the lighted 'villages' below, ready to take my nephwew, Riley (a Golden Retriever), out for our second annual Christmas Eve night romp through the nieghborhood...I'm in the winter mood!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Jesse's POW (December 12, 2010)

WHEN: December 12, 2010
WHERE: The Pines at Charleston Park

See where this picture was taken, here!

Friday, December 10, 2010

A Christmas Carol

Enjoy the most recent re-telling of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol...

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Monday, December 6, 2010

Christmas Cheer and Charleston Charm

WHEN: December 4, 2010
WHERE: Charleston, SC

Saturday night, Stace and I (and our tripod) headed downtown for some festive fun. We put on our coats and scarves for the first time and headed out for some new food, a historic stroll through the streets of ole', and the general Christmas ambiance.

We both love Christmas and the Christmas season and walking through historic downtown Charleston simply encourages your imagination to run wild, picturing what Christmas was like 200 years ago on the same streets we were walking. As I mentioned recently, Disney's A Christmas Carol is my new favorite Christmas movie and walking through Charleston almost feels like I'm stepping into the movie and living in history myself (minus the cars, electricity, and stoplights). Many of these historic homes still have the original large, granite carriage steps on the street curb out front, that residents/guests would step on to from the the horse carriage. Meanwhile, the bells from the St. Michael's Church steeple - high above the streets below - were ringing the entire time Stace and I were there. Those are just a couple in the plethora of remaining artifacts that make Charleston's history so rich and a joy to experience during Christmas and throughout the year. Scroll down and enjoy the historic scenery as we did.

My year-round Christmas present :)

St. Philip's Episcopal Church
This church, founded in 1680, is one of the still-standing church steeples in Charleston used as a "bulls-eye" by British ship cannons in Charleston Harbor during the Revolutionary War). You can listen to the bells, here.

Stace said she saw someone standing inside that window as we set up the camera. This picture was a little "forced" (aka - Stace doesn't like it :)

Wall covered in ivy (or some other viney, green plant)

Real lanterns (with gas flames) adorn many of the buildings downtown year-round. They're especially festive during the Christmas season. Feel's very "1830's-ish".

One "Euro-esque" picture (with "cold" lighting, in front of an aged, brick wall covered in moss)...check.

In front of the famous Nathaniel Russell house, built in 1808.

Ropemakers Lane (can you just imagine all the tradesman shops - chimney sweeps, blacksmiths, carpenters - bustling in the early 1800's here). Not to romanticize the tough lifestyles of centuries past but it is interesting to imagine.

Beautiful estate gardens

St. Michael's Church , Charleston's oldest remaining church (built in 1752). (Yes, I added the snow :)

Charleston Harbor at Waterfront Park

We headed to Basil's and shared some pad thai then walked to Marion Square to see the Christmas lights.

How you decorate for Christmas in the Palmetto State. No way would I want to be in charge of lighting that tree.

The Waterfront Park fountain.

The main reason we went downtown this night was for the annual parade of boats in Charleston Harbor. We got there 45 minutes late and saw the tail end of it. Still, the trip was all worth it.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Jesse's POW (December 5, 2010)

WHEN: December 4, 2010
WHERE: St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Charleston, SC

See where this picture was taken, here!

Jesse's POW (November 28, 2010)

WHEN: November 27, 2010
WHERE: Our living room

See where this picture was taken, here!

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Snowball Fight!

WHEN: Christmas 2010
WHERE: Ferguson Family Christmas

'Tis the season...for snowball fights!!

I had recently received a request from my sister-in-law, Jennie, to revive some humorous history from last year, this year for Christmas. A couple years ago I witnessed my first JibJab video (created from a fellow grad student, using our professors as characters) and my funny bone has been a fan since. I, of course, had to stoop to this level of maturity and in the process, brought my entire family down to that level with me.

For those unfamiliar with JibJab, it is an online (sometimes vulgar) entertainment "studio", where the user personalizes free or paid-for video templates. The user uses their photos to make face-cut-outs of their friends and family that are embedded into a video (or e-card) and onto faceless characters acting out various stunts, activities, dances, and so forth. There are a limited number of videos and cards to use, so the fun challenge is to find the best picture of your friend or relative to use for a given video.

Using one of the few free videos, I created my first JibJab video last year. Then another one and another one and another one. It can be addicting. Stacie's family and I were the main characters and we would be crying in laughter watching these videos of "us". Though it was a hoot-and-a-half, I haven't made one since April 2009. With Jennie's request to create more videos and recent emails from JibJab.com, I've finally created my next video. Just in time for Christmas, here is a glimpse into what Christmas might look like at Stacie's parent's this Christmas (a good chance at that)...

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Ferguson Family Christmas 2010

Now that you're "involved" in this "Jib-erish", I have added a couple of the other videos I created last year, below. I have also added a link on the sidebar to these JibJab videos, should you feel a need to find some adolescent humor in your day in the future.

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

The Irish Step

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Chippendales Dance

Today's snowball fight is just one of many JibJab videos I am planning for the Christmas season, so, put on your 15-year-old mindsets (mine still works great obviously) and check back often for some festive fun!

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Memo (#2010-02)

Memo what?? But when? And where? Why is this so cryptic? Where are the pictures? Why am I reading this?

Well, thanks for being such a concerned reader :) Shall I explain?

To answer the first logical question, yes, there was a memo #2010-01, back in March. I just didn't give that post a title until today. That post was simply about new updates on my blog. And that is the general aim of these memos. Things I want to bring to the attention of Time & Space spectators but not in the form of a "normal" post. There could have been several other "memos" throughout this year that I have either expanded upon and created posts from or just dropped them altogether. For example, my previous post "Welcoming...Winter Wonderland!" could have just been a memo...

"Hey, readers, I'm changing my Seasons page for the winter season. I know no one reads it but I just wanted to announce it."

Quick. Simple. Informative. Usually boring.

Memos!

I've often wanted to fully embrace the "memo experience" on my blog and with a few blog notes swirling around in my head this week, I thought now was the time. Often times I just want to make a quick note or share a simple story or picture but don't because of the excessive time I feel responsible for putting towards my posts. With memos, I give myself the freedom to splatter drops of monotony on my blog from time to time. Because I can. Because it's quick. And on the theme of quick and simple (though cryptic), I will simply identify the memos by year (2010) and sequential order (02). Done.

But now this memo is turning in to a regular post so I must progress with haste to the points of this memo.

- - - - -

<begin memo>

First - I ran out of free space on my Google-Picasa account (where pictures for my blog are uploaded) this weekend so I had to purchase more server space. I figure the $5 for 20 gigabytes of space will last me about 12-15 years. I think I'm set. However, I was impatient to receive the added space so I deleted a web album with my "temporary pictures" in it but, after the fact, remembered that some of those pictures were actual uploads to my blog. Therefore, there are broken links to pictures throughout my blog. Most of the issues appear to be in posts between March & April and I have not yet corrected those links. In the meantime, if you spot what seems to be a missing picture (or broken link), you will know why (and can let me know if you so desire). I have since received the added space so picture uploads are back on the table. And I have several posts planned for this next week, some of which will be "picture intensive". Perhaps the 20GB may only last me 10-12 years?

Second - I am aware that I have not posted a Picture of the Week for last week yet (I know you all were impatiently waiting for that). I've struggled to find a POW-worthy candidate from the few pictures I took last week.

Third - It's December! Can you believe it's already here?? And it's here with a vengeance. The average high for the last 15 days in November was 74 here. The average (forecast) high for the first 10 days of December is 56. It was 74 here yesterday and 55 today. Apparently winter starts on December 1 instead of December 21 this year. No thank you.

<end memo>

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Welcoming...Winter Wonderland!

WHEN: Winter 2010-2011
WHERE: a frosted winter wonderland near you!

As I promised, I would not let myself (at least my blog) embrace winter until at least Thanksgiving this year. Well, it's Thanksgiving and it's hard not to embrace winter and the Christmas season at this point. From Christmas tree lots, to Christmas music stations, to snowstorms, to holiday traditions, foods, and decorations...winter is all around!

Stace and I woke up at 9 this morning, just in time for the 84th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYC. Stacie laid in bed watching the parade for two hours while I've been designing my Seasons page for winter. We've been tag-teaming the kitchen prep all afternoon and the house is filled with Thanksgiving aromas. I've helped with each dish we're making today and it's made me appreciate all the work involved (thank you mom and mother-in-law, for your selfless and delicious cooking). We're sticking to our favorites: turkey (11lbs.), mashed potatoes (5lbs.), stuffing, and rolls. With only two of us eating, we don't need a lot of food and we get to choose exactly what we make (and don't make). Even still, with just two people and a couple dishes, it's been a little stressful at times (and plenty hot). With the heat outside and the heat in the kitchen, we've seriously been considering turning on the A/C! Nobody's cut or burned themselves (yet) so we're still healthy :)

Watching the 84th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this morning

The beautiful chef!

Waiting... :)

We'll probably watch some football while we digest, set up Christmas decorations after we eat, and top it all off with some pumpkin pie and Disney's A Christmas Carol tonight - my new favorite Christmas movie since we saw it in (3D) theaters last November. Tomorrow we plan on going out to hopefully find a sale or two as well as pick up our Christmas tree. With only a few weeks before we head home for Christmas, we have a limited amount of time to enjoy our tree and decorations at our house.

Yet somehow with all these festivities and scenes of Christmas, we're still struggling to embrace the weather here. It's been in the upper 70's this week and we're at 80° already today and it's even humid outside. It was already 73° at ten this morning. I'm not going to complain about t-shirt weather during the winter but I find it hard to completely enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas movies in tank tops and flip flops.

Temps at 2:45 today

To help get me in a little colder mood, I have "decorated" my Seasons page for the winter season. It was harder to find pictures of winter that I've taken, since we've spent the past three winters where there is no snow and while we lived in Iowa I was still developing my interest in photography. Most of the winter pictures I've added are from our trips home for Christmas the past three years. Gathering and readying these pictures have only made me more impatient for Christmas vacation and going home.

I am thankful for our wonderful families and that we get to see them at Christmas. I know we are blessed for that and that many families are broken and/or cannot spend the holidays together. Although Stace and I are alone this Thanksgiving, we have a roof over our heads, food on our plates, good health, each other, loving families, and most importantly, eternal salvation through Christ Jesus. Our needs, earthly and eternal, are well taken care of and we are selfish to think we are without "x". We have so much to be thankful for everyday.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!