NO SKI FOR FREE ON SATURDAY OR SUNDAY.
TRAIL CONDITIONS: POOR. A mere dusting of snow over ice. Thin and bare spots. Standing water on warm afternoons.
Gardeners don’t give up. If frost wipes out a first planting, they plant another. If bunnies nibble the vegetables down to nubbins, gardeners replant. And when Master Gardeners schedule a lecture and the dreaded wintry mix causes them to cancel, they reschedule. And if two lectures get cancel by ice…they still don’t give up so, weather permitting, on Tuesday, January 31, at 7:00 Master Gardeners have rescheduled Kori Zawojski, co-owner of Sunnypoint Gardens & Gift Shop to present “What’s New in 2017”.
Wintry mix can mean many things…..most of them bad for drivers……but essentially, it means water is a very odd substance. Most of us learn about “states matter” at a very young age. Sturgeon Bay kindergarten students learn about the water cycle and states of matter on their spring field trip to Crossroads.
But a quick review for those who haven’t attended kindergarten for a while. When water is cold…below 32 degrees F, it freezes and is a solid. Above that point, water molecules are in a liquid form. And when water molecules are warm and consequently bouncing around, they can escape into the air. We call that process evaporation, and water in that state is called water vapor. Pretty straight forward.
Except— water can become supercooled. Drops of water can be far below the freezing point and remain a liquid. But as soon as supercooled water hits a solid object, it freezes instantly. That may have been what was happening last week and the week before.
Another possibility is that rain was falling, but the ground was still cold…below the freezing point, so when the raindrops hit the surface, they form a glaze.
Then there’s sleet which occurs when rain drops freeze into pellets on the way down. They don’t form a glaze, but they can accumulate into a slush that then can freeze.
And when fog is in the air and the ground is cold, an ice glaze often develops.
Apparently, two weeks ago, garden variety rain streamed down during daylight, puddles. Soon after sunset, the temperature dropped so fast you could almost hear the crash. Parking lots became ice rinks, roads became treacherous, and even Master Gardeners stayed home.
This month, we’ve probably experienced all of these conditions, but we aren’t giving up. One we have adequate snow, we will start grooming our ski trails, offering Ski For Free, and maybe start hosting the Master Gardener Lecture Series.
But before the program, Crossroads will, on January 26 from 6:00 to 8:30, host a Town Hall Meeting on Drug and Alcohol Abuse. Intended for mature audiences, this gathering is a discussion of how drug and alcohol affect everyone in the community. This program sponsored by the Door County Alcohol and Other Drug Coalition.
Crossroads at Big Creek is a donor supported organization made up of the Big Creek. The Cove, and the Ida Bay preserves. The Collins Learning Center, located at 2041 Michigan just east of the Roundabout in Sturgeon Bay, is open 2:00-4:00 daily and during scheduled activities. Ski For Free is offered Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays 1:00-3:30 when there is adequate snow. All trails are open to the public free of charge.
Thursday, January 26
6:00 Town Hall Meeting on Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Join us for a Town Hall Meeting to discuss how drug and alcohol use or abuse affects all of us. you will listen learn and possibly stand up and speak about your views on drugs and alcohol….how the affect everyone and many things: The mind, the family, the wallet, our community. Expect education and discussion on culture, awareness, and the perception of drug use (legal or not) such as alcohol, marijuana, and prescription drugs. Other topics include peer pressure, and addiction: what it looks like, feels like and how to know if someone is experiencing it. Panel members will share life experiences, local news, tools to prevent abuse of drug, and more. Presented by the Door County Alcohol & Other Drug Coalition.
For more information contact: Laura Vlies Wotachek at dcaodcoalition@gmail.com
Free, Open to the Public, Mature Audience. Collins Learning Center.
Tuesday, January 31
7:00 Master Gardener Lecture: “What’s New for 2017”
7:00 Master Gardener Lecture: “What’s New for 2017”
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Despite the icy weather, spring really is just around the corner and even though Door County gardens may be buried in snow and ice, now is the time gardeners start planning for next summer. That’s why Kori Zawojski, co-owner of Sunnypoint Gardens & Gift Shop returns to point out what’s new and exciting in the world of gardens! Free and open to the public. Lecture Hall, Collins Learning Center..
