Snow on Cherry Blossoms

There’s snow on our Capitol Hill neighbor’s cherry tree today. It’s St. Patrick’s Day. Spring starts on Thursday.

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DC: Shamrocks in the Snow

Faith & Begorra! Break out your green parkas. It’s a snowy Saint Patrick’s Day in Washington DC. Maybe they can hold a parade on the Metro. On the Green Line, of course.

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Photo (“Leprechaun on the Metro”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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DC March Weather: It’s Complicated.

“If you live in Washington, D.C., you may want to have both mittens and tank tops on hand. And an umbrella. Maybe some sunscreen. And a hat. Just bring everything. The National Weather Service issued the following forecast for this evening:

WE SOMETIMES SAY THE FORECAST HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. I THINK WE CAN TAKE THAT LITERALLY AT THE MOMENT . . . AS THIS FORECAST HAS ALMOST EVERY POSSIBLE WEATHER TYPE/HAZARD . . . IN THE FIRST 36 HOURS. STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS . . . SNOW . . . WIND CHILLS. . . STRONG WINDS . . . UNSEASONABLY WARM TEMPS . . . UNSEASONABLY COLD TEMPS . . . POTENTIAL FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS . . . MINOR COASTAL FLOOD POTENTIAL . . . THERE IS NOT MUCH LEFT.”

— “Snowstorm Spawns Most Hilariously Comprehensive Forecast Ever,” Nadia Drake, Wired

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Photo by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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DC is Like, ‘OMG Snow!’

Snow! In DC! WaPo has the pictures to prove it. Supermarket shelves have been stripped of vegan scones, dried mango slices — all the basics. Hope the National Guard and Red Cross are standing by.

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Image by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Groundhog Day

It’s February 2nd, time to monitor Marmota monax and dream of winter’s end. Whether or not you believe in woodchuck weathermen, one thing is certain: you can’t have groundhogs if you want a backyard full of fresh garden veggies.

Groundhogs (aka woodchucks, whistlepigs, and marmots) are insecto-vegetarians and confirmed locavores. If you plan to plant this spring, harvest those hairy beasts now. Celebrate Groundhog Day with critter cuisine.

Serving suggestions:

Woodchuck au Vin

Canadian Fried Woodchuck

Groundhog Pie

Woodchuck Recipes from Michigan (Oriental Groundhog,Waco Groundhog in Sour Cream,Woodchuck Stew, Woodchuck Meat Loaf)

More groundhog lore and recipes here and here.

Snow in DC, Panic in the Streets

The Washington DC area got a few inches of snow on Tuesday, closing schools and government offices and setting off panic in the grocery aisles. Republican lawmakers were peeved that a little snow shut down the Federal government — that’s the GOP’s job.

More:

“Snowball Frenzy Unleashed in Dupont Circle,” CBS News DC

“Feds defend snow day from snark,” Ben Goad, The Hill

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Image (“Tidal Basin Snow, after Hiroshige”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Polar Vortex Redux

“Walking Through Your Cold Winter Town,” written by Bruce “U. Utah” Phillips. Performed by Jody Stecher and Kate Brislin.

Okay, maybe it’s not technically the Polar Vortex, but it’s plenty cold on the East Coast.

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Winter Wonderland

For your storm-watching pleasure: “Winter Wonderland,” written by Felix Bernard with lyrics (unused here) by Richard B. Smith. Recorded by Booker T & the MGs in 1966.

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Kill The Groundhog!

Remember February 2nd? This cute This little This hairy creature in Pennsylvania promised us an early spring. Well it didn’t happen, and Prosecutor Mike Gmoser of Butler County, Ohio has indicted the critter. Mr. Gmoser thinks this is a capital offense and wants that groundhog’s hide.

Snowquester!

Washington DC Consumer Alert: Do not attempt to buy milk, batteries, snow melt or shovels in the Metropolitan Washington area. The shelves are bare and you won’t find any. Snow panic has set in.

Even though it’s March and we’ve had the first Cherry Blossom Festival press conference, snow is falling in DC and the suburbs, schools and the zoo are closed, electric lines are failing, flights are cancelled, and government offices are closed. As if the Sequester isn’t bad enough, now we have Snowquester.

UPDATE:

Washington had a snow day without snow.

“‘Snowquester’: The DC Disaster That Wasn’t,” Susan Parnass, ABC News

“Washington, D.C., Is The Worst During A Snowstorm,” Dan Oshinsky, BuzzFeed

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Image by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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