-22*, and there's another whole country north of us.

We woke to -22* temperatures, not counting wind chill factor this morning. Neither vehicle would start, both with batteries frozen stiff... and they aren't diesel. The only thing we could have done is woken periodically and started the car/SUV to ensure they would run this morning when it was time for C. to get going. Needless to say, at 5:30am, his normal leaving time, was not a good time to be outside tinkering with a vehicle. After several frustrating hours, C. finally had to switch out another battery he just happened to have inside the house from the move and was able to get going.....only to break down just outside of town and face a face freezing walk back into town for a tow. (The news reported severe frostbite could set in within 13 minutes on exposed skin this morning.)

The birds were running late on their breakfast run to the feeders. I had wondered if the cold weather would put them off entirely, but they were only a couple hours off schedule; then came in en mass. Only one Grey Squirrel nibbling at the chunk-o-suet for super fatty energy...no Fox squirrel today yet. Even "5 O'Clock Charley" showed up this morning, right on time. Don't know 5 O'Clock Charley? Well, I'm sure you know or remember the one from the TV show M*A*S*H*..... We have a Red-Bellied woodpecker that always shows up to eat on schedule since he's found the feeding station. (Nothing unusual, in fact many of the birds we have are 'regulars'.) This one particular Red-belly, though, took a serious header into the upstairs glass sliding door trying to evade a hawk that also comes by the feeding station.....not for the seed or suet. We saw it's nasty collision spot on the glass, the bird crash site in the snow on the porch, and the litter of bright red woodpecker feathers and figured it was a goner for all the detritus it had left. Surprise, surprise the next day when we saw a Red-Belly show up that had the entire portion of it's head feathers knocked off....but, still flying around! Hurray for him!!! We couldn't believe it! Those incredible little woodpeckers with their insulated craniums; hearty little shock absorbers of nature that they are ~ this one really lucked out! So, from now on, we can tell when 5 O'Clock Charley comes sputtering in to feed.... missing it's feathers like a shaved Abbott or monks head.

So, as the day wears on, we'll see how the wildlife fares. It's not expected to reach but -5* for a high.... It's going to be a tough one for the wild ones.