Warm Globally, Freeze Locally

Freezing temperatures are all across the news these days, and Southern California has not escaped it. We have not had to suffer freezing rain, but we have had extraordinarily cold conditions. For instance, it was 27 degrees on our way to church this Sunday -- that's cold enough to have some bite, especially for us SoCal denizens for whom a winter jacket is the windbreaker that has the hood. Another sign of unusual cold: snow in LA:



I love this. My oft-stated lament is that SoCal doesn't get cold enough to really give the sensation that winter has arrived. I feel this most profoundly at Thanksgiving and Christmas, which I associate with sweaters, cold cheeks and warm fireplaces. I can't remember how many times I've worn shorts and thrown a football in the yard on those days in the time I've lived here. So this cold stuff is great for my sense of seasonal propriety, although our plants, like so many across the country, aren't enjoying this nearly as much as I am.