PEARLS OF WISDOM

"WHOEVER SAID MONEY CAN'T BUY HAPPINESS HAS NEVER OWNED A HORSE."

Saturday, January 08, 2011

WEATHER HAS CHANGED

We have really had a January thaw around here.  It was in the 40's and the snow is melting fast.  But there is a lot of ice also.  One more day of above freezing and then they say we are going to get below zero again.  Sure hope the ice melts off.  Have not been skiing for over a week now as we have not had any new snow.

With the warmer temperatures the snow fleas or spring-tails have been out. I got the following from wikipedia:  "Snow fleas are deomposers and eat decaying organic matter as well as bacteria, fungi, algae, pollen, roundworms and rotifers. It has been assumed that they swarm on snow to feed on algae growing in the snow surface, though it is not clear that this is the case."  They are about 1 or 2 millimeters in length.  A few pictures I took while walking today.

 Here is what they look like floating on the water down the icy road.

 A closeup picture.  There are also two little brown bugs that I don't know what are.

Here is a lot of snow fleas stacked up in the water.

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