Moon Rise, View From Roof, Ice Dam

Sunday February 1, 2026 

Moon rising behind a house on Washington St., Chaumont, NY  photo copyright Gary Walts 

 

Moon rises at 5:40 behind a house a few doors down from me on Washington St., Chaumont, NY. Dave S. called me and said there was a nice moon rising, I should check it out. So I did. This was after a pleasant day of sunshine that found me shoveling snow and carefully chopping away at an ice dam tht formed on an almost flat section of our roof. It's a metal roof and very slippery. Beneath the heavy snow there was water, perfectly liquidy. It dawned upon me that I should have removed this snow a couple of times during the days it was accumulating. I snapped a view of a neighbors yard while I was up there. 

Today, Feb 2nd, awoke to see the temperature went to 13 below zero overnight. 

My neighbors yard as seen from my roof.

I think the high temp yesterday was 9 degrees. iPhone claims I walked 5,883 steps yesterday. today at 2:40 afternoon phone shows Ive taken 2,230 steps. 

Old Photo of Richard L Guga, Teacher From Indian River High School

History teacher of mine, Richard L Guga August 1972

I recently came upon this Ektachrome slide from August 1972. The subject is Richard L. Guga one of my high school teachers. He taught history and social studies.  He died in September 2024. His birthday was April 14, one day after mine, making us both Aries.  I always had trouble staying awake in his classes. For some reason he didn't capture and hold my attention. I realize now as a 70+ year old man looking back, I believe I might have had a learning disorder. BUT, it's more likely I too much of a day dreamer. If I was bored in a class I became a real Walter Mitty. I would get lost in fantasies, imaging myself as a research scientist, or discover lost treasure on a shipwreck, OR being a globe trotting photographer for Life magazine. Anyhow, Guga was a colorful character. In later years he developed Parkinson's disease. In another coincidence he once owned the house that I currently own in Chaumont, NY. 

                                   

On another note yesterday was another 20 below zero day. Sunshine all day was nice. This morning when I got up it was 5 degrees following an overnight low of 4 below zero. Yesterday I walked 6,520 steps. 

Snow Photos From January 28, 2026

 

Yesterday I awoke to 10 degrees below zero and sunshine. It was very pretty but I was too lazy to bother going out early to take the wonderful winter pictures I know were out there, away from home. But the sun didn't last long. It clouded up and we got more snow. Quite a lot. I ended up shoveling a great deal again. The Better Half had a 2:00 doctor appointment in Watertown. Her original appointment was for Monday but the snow was so bad she rescheduled it for yesterday. But that didn't help. The driving was somewhat dicy. At times poor visability because of wind and heavy snowfall. But we made it. I walked 7,455 steps. Anyhow, here are some photos from around our yard in Chaumont, NY.

A Green Whisk Caught My Eye While Making Bread Pudding

 

Green Whisk and bread pudding mixture

Yesterday I was mixing together some eggs, milk, sugar, and cinnamon to make a bread pudding and this green whisk and the mixture caught my eye. So I snapped a photo of it. I was doing this in late afternoon after yet another day of shoveling snow. In the evening we watched the 1963 movie Charade starring Carey Grant and Audrey Hepburn.  I walked a total of 9,641 steps. 

Making bread pudding after another day of shoveling snow.

It was cold and snowy all day. 

15 Inches of New Snow This Morning

 

My neighbor blowing snow at end of my driveway in Chaumont, NY.

Yesterday it snowed most of the day. A light, steady snow. By this morning there was 15 inches of new snow to clear. It was only 6 degrees. So my neighbor Jim borrowed neighbor Richard's snow blower and gave me some help. He blew out the street end of my driveway. Cold as it was , it was sunny and pleasant to be outside. Between the snow and bringing in firewood I spent a good 3 hours out there. Walked 6,798 steps today. Here are some more photos from today. 

Snowbanks steadily grow from more and more snow at our house in Chaumont, NY

Snowbanks steadily grow from more and more snow at our house in Chaumont, NY

My neighbor blowing snow at end of my driveway in Chaumont, NY.

20 Below Zero Winter Morning

 

View from our kitchen window this morning. Neighbor Jim's house, 20 degrees below zero.

There has been  severe winter weather warnings all across the country the past couple of days. ere in the North Country we have had quite a bit of snow. Now we have gotten into some cold weather. Started going down below zero last evening, awoke this morning to 20 below zero. All day the sun was shining. I went out about 1-4:30 doing some errands in Watertown. No wind and pleasant, just cold. Walked 4,597 steps today. 

Warming up fast (ha, ha). 20 to eight and temp was up to minus 12.

More Snow Shoveling and Grilling Chicken Legs

 

Somebody was moving a lot of snow in our village this morning.

It snowed some off and on again during the night and today. Peering out the window it didn't look like a lot of snow, just a covering. However, when I went out about 9:30 I discovered we had at least 5 more inches of snow. About 1:00 we drove to Clayton and went into the grocery store. We picked up some raspberry filled cookies that were really good. At 4:00 I had some Jamaican jerked chicken legs on the grill. They were beautifully cooked by 5:00

High temp today was 35 degrees. By time I was grilling it was 25 degrees and windy.

iPhone shows I took 9,961 steps today.

Charcoal in a chimney starter.

Using my old Brinkman All in One grill.

Charcoal grilling Jamaican jerked chicken legs. 

Charcoal grilling Jamaican jerked chicken legs. 

Snow Photos Again Today

 

Awoke to more new snow here in Chaumont this morning. We had new snow yesterday too but I never got around to posting any of them. This morning's snow was about 15 inches deep. Temp was 19 degrees when I went out to shovel at 8:30 this morning. I did a thorough jib clearing our driveway and sidewalks. All told I was out there for 2 and half hours. Grandson JJ happened to be driving a delivery truck by our house this morning which was a fun, brief meeting. iPhone shows I walked 7,123 steps. 

Grandson JJ on the job took him by our house in Chaumont, NY

More Snow Today

Sidewalk in front of our house in Chaumont, NY. Used a broom to write in the snow.

We got more snow today, about 4 or 5 inches. It was on and off lake effect snow. Very pretty as it came down, a couple times it was windy with lower visibility. Overall, not problematic. I spent some time clearing our driveway and sidewalk, a chore that I actually enjoy. High temp was 26 degrees. About 1:00 we had lunch at Maive's Diner in Three Mile Bay. We had cuban sandwiches and french fries. Very good. 

Yesterday I grilled some chicken legs and never photographed them or the process. I have no idea why I overlooked that. I did snap a photo of the legs in marinating in ziploc bags. That was it.

Our Chaumont NY house today. Was enjoyable being outside.

Chicken legs marinating. Left is chili, honey, lime. Right are in Jamaican jerk marinade.

I grilled the chili. honey, lime legs yesterday. Tomorrow or next day I'll be grilling the jerk legs. I like chicken to marinade in the jerk sauce for a day or two, maybe three. 

Friday Guitar Playing at Orion Art Gallery

Me at Orion Art Gallery January 16, 2025. This photo shows alarming hair loss.

This photo is me playing guitar at Orion Art Gallery in Watertown NY yesterday (Friday January 16, 2025). The event was an opening for an exhibit by local photographer Tom Murray. Photo taken by Alice Elisabeth. The foreground shows parts of Murray's photos.

The day started out cold, the temperature at minus 3 degrees in the morning.   iPhone shows I walked 3,777 steps on this day. 

Snow and Cold Today in Northern NY

Awoke to snow falling this morning and cooler temperatures. There was about 4 inches of snow when I went out at 10:30. Temperatures today were a high of 19 and currently at 7:30 it's a low of 9 degrees. 

The photo here is my neighbor being neighborly as he uses his snowblower on my driveway. 

Other things today: I added some magnetic cabinet door catches to the antique oak dresser we got for Christmas. Had meatloaf for dinner. I phone app shows I took 4,503 steps today. 

My neighbor is very kind helping with the snow, but a snowblower seems like overkill to me with the small amount of snow we had and how light it was. 

We Take Down Our Christmas Tree

Our 2025 Christmas tree Monday, January 12

On Monday, January 12, 2025 we took down our Christmas tree. It was dried out and ready to be gone. 

Reflection in an ornament caught my eye as we were taking
down the Christmas tree.

Dried out Christmas tree on our front porch.

Pine needles litter the floor where the Christmas tree was.