It’s September already. The summer isn’t officially over yet, but usually around the time that Labor Day arrives I consider that an unofficial end of summer.

How did you think this summer was in Roanoke, as far as temperature?

Actually, overall I thought it was punctuated with rather mild temperatures and adequate rains to keep things green and growing. I may even go so far as to say this was one of the more ideal Roanoke summers from recent memory.

There were some hot and humid days, but nothing too unbearable. I don’t believe there were any days when the temperature reached 100 degrees. And, there was no real dryspell like in the previous year. It seemed like at least once a week or so there was some rain, and sometimes multiple days of rain.

Of course this meant I was encouraged to mow the yard at least once every 2 weeks, and even once a week on a couple occassions. I actually mowed this past weekend and that just might be the last time for the year. I hope it is. As you can probably tell I don’t take much pride in a well manicured lawn, I just like to keep the grass to below my ankles or so.

By the 3rd or 4th week in August I was readying for some cooler temperatures, and once September rolled around that’s just what we got. Some of the mornings this week I would even classify as moderately brisk for this time of year. I’m talking temperatures in the upper 50s and low 60s which are basically on the borderline and leave me guessing whether or not to wear a jacket to work.

And, as it has turned out, I’ve worn my jacket each day this week because I tend to be a bit cold-natured. I don’t believe the A/C at home has run much this week if at all. In the late afternoon it may get a bit stuffy in the house but as soon as the sun sets things have cooled off outside rather quickly.

I honestly don’t know what has happened to 2009. Do you? I mean here it is Labor Day already. Pretty soon there will be color changing leaves, Thanksgiving, and then Christmas. And then the year will be over and things start again.

But, I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself. Right now at this moment in time I’m looking forward to the holiday weekend and some welcome time off. That’s all I’m focused on right now, just taking it easy. I’m going to do my best to put all the stresses of life on hold for just few days. That’s my goal, and I’ll worry about getting back into the grind on Tuesday morning.

Have a great holiday weekend.

I’m back.

Well, I didn’t intend to take a leave of absence from the site but that’s just what happened. I guess time flies when you’re having fun (or working a lot in my case).

I’ve had many ideas for posts recently, but not enough time to write a full post on each idea. So, I’m just going to kinda give a brief round-up of some ideas to help me get back in the swing of things.

Skunks in Roanoke

Does anyone else think it seems like there are more signs and smells of skunks around town this year? I smell them at least about once a week or more often, usually at night.

I frequently drive between Roanoke and Salem in the evenings (after dark) and more times than not somewhere along the way I catch the whif of a skunk. In fact, just last night I saw one just off to the side of the road. And last week one crossed the street in front of me. At other times they aren’t seen, but they are definitely smelled. Maybe they have always been around, but it seems like I’m smelling them a lot more than I used to.

Relatively Mild Summer So Far

For the month of July so far it’s been fairly mild for the most part. After a short dryspell, a couple showers recently helped the area foliage. Otherwise, the nights have been very mild and sometimes even a little crisp as temperatures dipped down into the 50s and 60s.

There is still August so likely still more than a few hot and humid days ahead, though.

Didn’t Make the Salem Fair

I didn’t have a chance to go to the Salem Fair this year. I just didn’t have the time. Maybe I’m showing my age (I turn 30 this year) but The Festival in the Park is much more my speed. I do enjoy amusement park rides but I like the real deal (such as Kings Dominion or Busch Gardens) and primarily at these fairs and fesitvals I just walk around with friends or family and check out the exhibitors/vendors.

Going to the Movies in Roanoke

The more I go out to movies in Roanoke, the more I realize the best place to go is and always will be the Grandin Theatre. I know it’s probably the weakest theater in the area in terms of technology (picture and sound quality) but the reality is the theater is the best option in terms of a respectful audience.

By respectful I mean an audience that goes and pays for a ticket with the notion that they will actually sit still and watch a movie for a couple hours. Talking, moving around, and being disruptive during the movie and using the cell phone (talking and texting) is rampant at other area theaters in my experience. Most recently I observed it this past Saturday when I took my brother out to see the new Transformers movie at the Valley View theater.

However, I’ve never had this problem at the Grandin Theatre. The Grandin may not have the most comfortable seats, but I’ll make do if it means I can watch a movie in relative peace and quiet. They do have pretty good popcorn, too.

The past few days around town have been quite dreary. You know, times when it’s either raining outside or it looks like at any given moment it’s about to start raining (again). Last night there was a considerable soaking of rain that fell for much of the later evening until I went to sleep.

Heavy and dreary cloud cover hovers over downtown Roanoke, as viewed from Salem Avenue (5/6/09).

So, sunshine has been scarce and clouds plentiful lately.

But, there is more than one way to look at the…we’ll call it less than preferable weather. On the one hand, the weather seems quite depressing.

But, on the other hand, it appears that most of the area foliage is quite happy. As a result most area lawns are a deep shade of healthy green. Trees along Mill Mountain are getting thicker with fresh, new leaves of the season.

Ghent Hill Park is very much in the Spring spirit after all of the recent rain.

So, all of the rainfall lately has not gone to waste or been a total hindrance.

Far from it, actually.

Well, the rain seems to have ended around Roanoke.

Finally.

And the sunshine has returned.

For now.

Here’s a little proof:

6 o'clock sharp says the street clock downtown yesterday evening. Blue skies and sunshine make for a better background than rain and fog.

Cars seem to fill every available spot downtown near the Market. The economy is not so good so I hear, but what is good is to see that residents are still out and about in downtown Roanoke.

Well, I leave the blog for a few days and the next thing I know is that all the snow pictures I posted last week now look very much out of place. All signs of snowy weather around town are long gone by now.

Early last week a rather heavy winter jacket was mandatory, and by this past weekend shorts and short sleeves were more the norm around Roanoke. And I think I may have heard a lawnmower running in my neighborhood, but I can’t confirm nor deny such claim.

The heat of Saturday and Sunday really caught me off guard. I had seen the forecasts of temperatures near 80 but it didn’t really register in my mind. That is, until it actually reached 80. Then, I thought, this is hot!

Because of the unexpected rapid change in temperature over the past few days, I nearly broke down and turned on the A/C. But, by after dark in the evenings it started to cool off a bit.

I’m not a huge fan of the bitter cold, and likewise not of the heat, so hopefully we will have a good several weeks of the middle ground. We all know the middle ground, something like highs in the 60s and lows in the 40s. The kind of weather when I wear a light jacket to work in the morning, but by the afternoon I find myself carrying it instead.

And I actually don’t mind having to carry it in that instance.

In the meantime I’m still thinking about the crazy change in weather. That’s just the month of the March I suppose.

And that’s just Roanoke.

I think it has been at least a couple years since real, legitimate, school-closing-snow has occurred in Roanoke. I know schools can close for a dusting nowadays, but this time the winter weather actually warranted a close. And it seems to me that it may be considerably longer since I remember there being a snowfall with amounts exceeding 3-4 inches.

I like the snow. I don’t have 4-wheel drive but (with the awesomeness of manual transmission) I’m completely comfortable driving in these conditions. The worst part of the entire storm is the aftermath of clearing the snow off of the car, which took a good 20 minutes this time around.

Anyways, on to some photos:

Unofficial snow total on top of my car. I believe much more snow and ice fell, but this is the amount that stuck.

A different scene at Norwich Park than the previous post. Snow covers the entire park.

Memorial Bridge with some slush left after the snow.

Memorial Bridge the morning after the snow.

Snow on the railroad tracks in downtown Roanoke.

Looking down Jefferson Street in downtown Roanoke the morning after the snow.

Snow on the Martin Luther King, Jr Memorial Bridge in the late afternoon after the snow.

By late afternoon after the storm Mill Mountain only shows some faint signs of the snow remaining.

During the early evening commute home yesterday the roads were pretty clear, but the median still covered in snow.

UPDATED - See bottom of post for more recent pictures and snow accumulation total.

It’s snowing in Roanoke!

With only about 3 weeks left of winter, Roanoke is finally getting some snow. Some measurable snow that is.

It all started last night. I woke up today and noticed there was a very light dusting outside in certain areas. The snow was only sticking on about half of my yard, and the roads were pretty clear.

Here are some pictures of spots with the heaviest snow in my yard from earlier this morning.

Snow dusting in my yard earlier this morning.

For the rest of the late morning and early afternoon it was quiet outside. Then, around 2PM this afternoon the snow started back up, and it has been putting it down pretty good since then

Here are some pictures from other areas in my neighborhood around the time the snow really started to fall.

Snow Falling at Norwich Park in Roanoke a little earlier today.

Snow falling on the Memorial Bridge in Roanoke.

Snow falling in Roanoke while looking over the side of the Memorial Bridge.

It’s getting a little slushy on the roads and it’s starting to accumulate on the grassy areas.

So, another otherwise lazy Sunday afternoon is now just a little more exciting.

Still snowing very hard and it’s a thick, wet snow. Starting to accumulate quickly. At my house there is about 1 1/2 inches now.

Snow accumulation in my yard.