A spot of blue in a world of red

This is a map of average temperature changes from the National Climatic Data Center for March 2014. Bright red indicates much higher than average temps for that particular region; dark blue much colder. Note the only dark blue area in the world just happens to be centered over the Great Lakes

March 2014 happened to be the 4th warmest March in the past 134 years. What? All that complaining about late polar vortices I did? Well for most of the world, it was much warmer than usual. Only in the Northeast  US (okay parts of Canada too)was it colder than usual and in the Great Lakes, perfectly centered over My Michigan, much colder than usual.

And the trend continues: still cold outside here. And rainy and windy....And the Great Lakes still have 26% ice cover NOW in May (see photos of my recent trip). Yesterday, an ice 'tsunami' was reported up on Grand Traverse Bay. Strong winds had pushed the wall of ice into a row of houses.

I will have to be doing that bike ride on muscle memory I guess.

I have still managed to enjoy myself. Lots of indoor work to do along with the outdoor. Ms. Maya and her mom came over yesterday. She wasn't as thrilled with the Ziggle as I thought she'd be but I am sure the boys will find grandma's house more fun now.

My niece is travelling around Europe now when she has time off from her 6 month research assignment in Madrid:

The Alcazar in Seville, Spain. We were right there ten years ago and didn't pay to go in. Silly us! Thus this is my niece's photo, not mine.