The snow from the end of December and the first of January is gone. The only traces left are at the top of Grizzle and Powell Butte and in the shadows on the north slopes of hills. The last few days we have been under a severe air inversion that has left much of Oregon in fog. And, of course, eastern Oregon has had freezing fog. The hoar frost in some places around Madras on Tuesday got up to about an inch long.

This morning I went out to start the car and the windshield was just wet. I climbed in to start the motor and run the wipers and darn if it wasn't patches of ice along with the wet. I got Elin to school, got home and stepped out of the car and went sliding down the drive. I had been gone about 10 minutes.

About an hour later, it wasn't any better, I was headed to Redmond and stopped to pick up Spencer. (He works at the Opportunity Foundation). He was running late and could hardly see... His glasses had gotten wet then froze while he was trying to walk to work (21 miles from where he lives). Any way, I stepped on the breaks and fish tailed to a stop at the side of the road. I then had problems getting started again down the highway after he got in because it was so slick. The really weird thing was that on top of the ice, it was very wet. Cars and trucks were throwing up muck onto windshields. (needless to say, I came home early.)

Spencer is kind of famous around central Oregon. In bad weather he walks to and from work. When the weather gets warmer and then through into fall when it gets to cold, he rides his bike. He has only missed 2 days of work in 10 some years that he has worked at OFCO. Its amazing how many people know him and are willing to pick him up to give him a ride.