More Fog Over My Farm
Erratic weather continues here in the Northeast. I hope you saw the photos on my Instagram page @MarthaStewart48 - this weekend there was ice everywhere!
Last week, we had a day of thick, thick fog. When mild, moist air cools and mixes with cold air, condensation and fog occur. These conditions left my Bedford, New York farm shrouded with a dense layer of fog that took most of the day to "burn off" or dissipate. Today is expected to be in the high 30s, with a warming trend that is supposed to last through the week.
Enjoy these photos.
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- The weather here in the Northeast has been extremely inconsistent. After the recent nor’easter, we had a day of cold, sunny weather, then freezing rain, leaving a lot of vapor and moisture in the air. By last week’s end, the vapor condensed into water droplets and formed fog, covering the farm before more rain and a big freeze. Here is a view of the snow covered vegetable garden.
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- Looking down between the paddocks, one can barely make out the trees in the distance. The tall, majestic eastern white pines are on the right.
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- This is the winding road that leads past the hay fields and into the woods. It is among the most photographed areas here at the farm.
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- A view into the woodland – up close, the trees look ominously dark against the white snow.
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- When I moved here, I decided to paint my home and all the outbuildings a shade of gray, which I call “Bedford Gray.” On these foggy, winter mornings, everything seems to take on various gray tones.
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- This day was also very cloudy – one can see the outline of this tree, completely bare of leaves. Clouds and fog both form when water vapor condenses or freezes to make tiny droplets or crystals in the air, but clouds can form at many different altitudes while fog only forms near the ground. Notice the whimsical heart in the foreground.
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- This is a photo looking into one of the horse paddocks. Look closely, my Fell Pony Banchunch is on the right.
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- Nearing the paddock, Banchunch and Bond approach ever hopeful – perhaps cookies accompany this visit. Rinze stands in the distance and my home beyond.
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- After the snow came freezing temperatures, which left the roads treacherous and completely covered in ice. Temperatures this week are expected to remain in the 40s, which should melt a lot of it down.
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- At the end of my great allee of pin oaks, one can see this grove of beech trees, some still holding on to leaves.
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- These old apple trees are original to the farm. With good care and maintenance, they continue to produce an abundance of apples every year.
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- Looking across this paddock are linden trees. These trees are part of an allee that runs from the old corn crib all the way down to the vegetable garden.
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- Here is a view of the long Boxwood Allee completely covered and protected in burlap for the season.
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- This is the run-in shed for the donkeys. A run-in is a three-sided structure placed strategically to protect equines from wind and rain. My donkeys stand in it whenever they feel the need for cover.
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- Despite the cold, all five donkeys are gathered at the manger – Jude “JJ” Junior, Truman “TJ” Junior, Rufus, Billie, and Clive. At night, all the animals are brought indoors where it is safe and warm.
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- My outdoor grounds crew continues to do tree work around the farm. Here, they tend the lindens and sycamores in the allee. I instructed them to “limb up” the trees – remove the lower branches of each specimen. I do this to improve the views beneath the foliage, to maintain good air flow, to create less dense shade for plants and grass growing below, and to maintain clear pathways for our Polaris off-road vehicles. These trees also look much better when properly “limbed up.”
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- Domi collects all the pruned branches and piles them near the carriage road where they can be loaded onto the dump truck and added to the pile for chipping.
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- Here’s a view looking down the allee. With all the fog, it is difficult to see the very end.
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- This is my stone yard, a place where extra inventory of the many types of stones used at the farm are kept – slate shingles, marble flooring, granite posts, etc. The thick fog can be seen in the distance.
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- Today, we’re expecting a wintry mix in the morning with some freezing rain, but temperatures are supposed to rise as the week progresses, and looking ahead – spring. Spring starts in just 41 days.
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