Inversions, etc.

Since Friday we have had inversions. High pressure means cold air sinks. With no wind and the mountains blocking the air flow, the cold air is trapped in the valleys and form fog, which from the mountain tops look like clouds. No sun during the day as it is gray and dreary. At night sometimes it thins and I can see the moon and stars.

I've seen weather cam photos from the mountain tops and the mountains rise from clouds into the clear blue skies. Apparently if one goes above 5000 ft it is clear. And warmer. The warm Pacific air is floating over the top of us and to the east of the mountains. Where we were once warmer than eastern Montana, they are now in the 50s and low 60s and our temperature now varies between 24 and 28 day and night.

After 4 pm today I could see the mountains north of Badrock Canyon, and those farther into Glacier Park, were all shining in the sun. That was odd to see given the Valley was gray and dark.

With the calm weather I've gotten some bicycle riding in. Sunday I rode out a mile father than usual and on ahead from a side gravel road another bicyclist came. He was surprised to see another bicyclist out and about. With the inversion he was concerned there may be freezing fog and so he rode a bicycle with studded tires. He also was decked out in bicycle clothing and gear. He wasn't a snob about it as he slowed up to chat with me. Me: wearing non-bicycling clothes and riding a beat up old bicycle with almost 40,000 miles on it.

Since the heavy snow the beginning of the year I have not seen deer tracks in my pastures. Today when out riding my bicycle I saw one whitetail deer run up the road then hop the fence to stand among the trees on the ridge side. He/she stopped once it was off the road then stood and stared at me as I rode by.

I also split a few logs for firewood. Not that I need any more firewood split as I have a big pile. I split the logs to get some exercise and to be outside. Today I seriously washed the kitchen and dining room floors. I mean serious. The floors needed a good cleaning. I swept, washed with a mop, scrubbed on my hands and knees using a rag, mopped using pine sol cleaner, then mopped again to wash and rinse. I moved all the furniture out of the room. I also did some washing of cupboards and odds and ends of things in the rooms. Someday I am going to hang the large framed prints I have sitting on the dining room floor.

I have electric baseboard heaters as the house used to be heated solely by electricity. I've turned them off - or down as two heaters do not have an off switch. The heater in the dining room does not have an off switch. It started to heat after I washed it. I didn't seem to be able to turn it down (off) so I decided to unhook the wires to the control. The heater apparently is 220 and not 110. I unhooked one wire and taped it with electrical tape. Later I noticed from the faded control that low (40 degrees) and high were reverse from what one expected. No wonder I couldn't turn it down to stop heating.