http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/RSS.ashxFrozen Assets PagesThu, 19 Nov 2009 17:36:05 +0100http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=1http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=1F ROZEN ASSETS The Beautiful Truth About Western New York’s Fourth Season Text and Photography by Mark D. Donnelly, Ph.D.2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=2http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=22009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=3http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=3The Beautiful Truth About Western New York’s Fourth Season Text and Photography by Mark D. Donnelly, Ph.D. FROZEN ASSETS BUFFALO, NEW YORK2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=4http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=4Text, photography, and design by Mark D. Donnelly, Ph.D. Copyright © 2009 Buffalo Heritage Unlimited, Inc., Buffalo, New York, U.S.A. www.BuffaloHeritage.com Except where specifically noted, all photographs owned by Mark D. Donnelly, Ph.D. © 2009 by Mark D. Donnelly, Ph.D. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. ISBN 978-0-9788476-8-5 Printed by Chakra Communications in the United States of America2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=5http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=5This book is dedicated to everyone who sees winter in Western New York as another reason to rejoice.2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=6http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=62009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=7http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=7Table of Contents Welcome to Buffalo: A city proud to wear white after Labor Day 3 Counting our frozen assets Shovel-ready city Weather Myths Have a Way of Snowballing We are #11 Wide right Gone with the wind Blizzard hits & misses Left out in the cold again On the brighter side 10 12 15 17 18 20 Shoveling lessons from a politician A Season to Celebrate First Night/Ball Drop Let’s go (team) Ice Bowl Snow days Buffalo on ice Boomdays 54 57 58 60 62 65 51 53-65 5 7 9-20 Buffalo Winter Survival Strategies Complete & utter denial Camouflage Wing, Wing, Wing Retail Therapy Change Your Address Cast Fashion to the Wind Snow Birds Vent Hibernate Stare at Stuff Gallows Humor Make Soup Pretend Declare Victory 68 70 73 74 77 78 80 83 84 86 89 91 92 95 67-95 At the end of the day, we know where our houses are Buffalo Blizzards St. Patrick’s Day Blizzard Blizzard of ‘77 Six-Pack Blizzard Blizzard of 2001 Arborgeddon Lake effect/Snow belt Ice boom Wind chill factor Alberta Clipper Types of snow What’s in a name 27 28 31 32 35 38 41 42 45 46 49 23 24-35 Buffalo Weather Terminology: 101 37-49 Waxing Poetic A special thanks Index And before you know it, it’s spring 111 97-109 112 About the author 115 116 On the cover: Daffodils poking through the remnants of snow at the Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens Left: A mere hint of the Buffalo skyline viewed from the empty winter docks at Erie Basin Marina2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=8http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=82009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=9http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=9Welcome to Buffalo: A City Proud To Wear White After Labor Day W elcome to Buffalo, a city blessed with four distinct and thoroughly amazing seasons. Depending upon your perspective, perhaps the most famous (or infamous) of these seasons is winter. It is with great love and pride for our beautiful city of Buffalo that I’ve written this book to spotlight the fourth of our four seasons. As one of Buffalo’s most pathologically optimistic cheerleaders and a reasonably competent amateur photographer, I’ve dusted off my camera and typewriter to showcase the wondrous beauty of this season. I’ve also devised some innovative strategies to help the winterphobes among us make the most out of the time between Thanksgiving and Easter. Carefully camouflaged among my photos is a book-shaped weapon specifically designed to defend our region against the mistruths and exaggerations about our winters that may be preventing us from moving to the next level. I’ve filled this book with empirical research, anecdotal stories, and beautiful photos, all created to debunk even the worst of Western New York’s weather naysayers. I invite you enjoy my book and the amazing city that inspired it. Left: The vague wintery outlines of the bow bridge spanning the rewatered Erie Canal Terminus. In the distance is a hint of the Skyway which connects downtown to the outer harbor page 32009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=10http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=102009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=11http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=11Counting our frozen assets Western New York’s winters are a beautiful and thoroughly amazing time of year. They are the source of some of our fondest and most vivid memories–snow days, angels on the front lawn, and children running around catching snowflakes on their tongues. Winter is when our natural wonders like Niagara Falls find ways to become even more wonderful. The power of the great cataracts seems to tease and make fun of the cold. It’s Sabres games and tailgaiting at the Ralph. It’s First Night fireworks downtown, sledding in Delaware Park, skiing at Kissing Bridge, and snuggling by the fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa. Even at its most horrible, terrible worst, winter is when we Western New Yorkers show our true mettle, when neighbors help neighbors, and when more random acts of kindness than can possibly be counted take place. As much as we love to complain about it, in Buffalo, snow is glue. Left: The quickly freezing spray of the American Falls sugar-coats everything in its path page 52009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=12http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=122009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=13http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=13Shovel-ready city Among the more surreal moments in my life has been spending time in Philadelphia and watching that entire city become totally paralyzed and shut down by a mere dusting of snow. Even a weather report mention of the slightest possibility of snow would cause every supermarket to immediately sell out of bread and milk. At the newspaper where I worked, many of the employees would call and have me drive them in because I was from Buffalo and therefore knew all about snow. Up until this point, I’d never recognized living in Buffalo as a marketable skill set. I now prominently include this on my resume. The reality is, I was mostly taking credit for the City of Buffalo’s more than 60 employees who, with 32,000 tons of road salt and a fleet of dozens of snowplows, high lifts and blowers, tirelessly plow the city’s 1,000 street miles. This well-armed corps and its suburban counterparts generally have the main roadways clean and salted before most people have had their second cup of coffee. With very few exceptions, if you can get off your side street, you can get to work. Then again, there are days when, if you can get off your side street, you deserve a medal. Left: Daybreak on Main Street at Roosevelt Square illuminates architectural treasures such as the Electric Building and Green & Wick’s gold domed Buffalo Savings Bank page 72009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=14http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=142009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=15http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=15Weather Myths Have a Way of Snowballing Yes, it’s true–it snows in Buffalo. And in the winter, it gets really cold. The reality is, it also gets really cold and snows in every other city in the northeast. As a highly competitive city, we ferociously cling to our reputation for crummy winter weather with an awkward sense of chest-thumping pride. It’s the weather our parents battled as they trudged five miles back and forth to school every day. Uphill. Both ways. It’s childhood memories of towering snowpiles that remained in grocery store parking lots until the Fourth of July. The problem is, our honorary title as the most rotten place to be from October to May is simply not true. Our reputation for miserable winters is largely based on myth, stretched recollections, and horrible national press rather than on fact. It seems every time we get a few flurries, we become fodder for late night comedians. Well, it’s time for us as a city to draw a line in the slush and admit that our weather is pretty unspectacular at best. This chapter is devoted to debunking these myths with empirical facts straight from the professional meterologists at the National Weather Service. Properly armed you, too, can become a Buffalo winter evangelist. Left: A silient sentinal of our waterfront since 1833, the Buffalo Lighthouse, often referred to as the Chinaman’s Light, shown bearing the brunt of a lake-effect storm page 92009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=16http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=16We are number 11! We are number 11! According to the National Climate Data Center, on a list of the top 10 snowiest cities in the lower 48 United States, we are nowhere to be found. So where is Buffalo? Buffalo averages 93.6 inches of snow a year and places a rather mediocre 11th place when the list is extended. Valdez, Alaska, with an average snowfall of 326.0 inches, makes the rest of us small time. 1. Blue Canyon, CA 2. Marquette, MI 3. Sault Ste. Marie, MI 4. Syracuse, NY 5. Caribou, ME 6. Mount Shasta, CA 7. Lander, WY 8. Flagstaff, AR 9. Sexton Summit, OR 10. Muskegon, MI 11. Buffalo 12. Rochester, NY 13. Erie, PA 14. Alpena, MI 15. Binghamton, NY 240.3 141.0 117.4 115.6 111.6 104.9 100.4 100.3 97.8 96.1 93.6 92.3 88.8 84.6 84.2 page 10 Right: A snow-covered planter on Main Street at Allen marks the gateway to Allentown2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=17http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=172009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=18http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=18Even our snow goes wide right To date, the Superbowl and Lord Stanley’s cup have found a way to melt through our fingers. As loyal Buffalo fans we know this is soon to change. The sad fact is, we haven’t even been able to win a trophy for the one thing for which we seem to be most famous–our snow. The Golden Snowball Award is presented to the upstate New York city that receives the most snowfall in a season. Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse compete for the annual award. The award was the result of a friendly competition initiated by the National Weather Service offices in upstate New York. After the Rochester and Syracuse offices closed in the mid-1990s, the competition died out. The award was revived during the 2002-2003 snowfall season, when Syracuse won. It has swept the trophy every year since. This highly cherished prize is accompanied by a ceremonial $100 check to benefit the winning city's school hat and mitten drive. page 12 Right: Coca-Cola Field. Opening Day is never far away2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=19http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=192009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=20http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=202009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=21http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=21Gone with the wind According to the National Climatic Data Center’s list of the top 101 cities with the highest average wind speeds, we blew it again. Buffalo ranks an uncompetitive 37th place with a paltry average of just 11.8 mph. Our only consolation is that we beat Chicago, known for being “The Windy City.” It didn’t even make the list. The summit at Mt. Washington has an average wind speed of 35.1 mph and has had a gust that holds the record for surface wind speed at 231 mph. Fortunately, other than being home to a weather observatory, no one lives there. It’s a great place to hold on to your hat. Cities with the highest average wind speeds (population 50,000+) are: 1. Brockton, MA 2. Framingham, MA 3. Amarillo, TX 4. Weymouth, MA 5. Fort Collins, CO 6. Newton, MA 7. Waltham, MA 8. Loveland, CO 9. Quincy, MA 10. Greeley, CO 37. Buffalo, NY Left: The eight 255-foot tall wind turbines on Lake Erie’s Lackawanna shore put the cold winter winds to work creating pollution-free electric power page 152009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=22http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=222009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=23http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=23Blizzard hits and misses The Farmers’ Almanac recently published a list of what it considers the worst blizzards in U.S. history: Blizzard of ‘88 (1888) East coast cities, including New York City Blizzard - March 1, 1914 New York City and Asbury Park, NJ Armistice Day Storm November 11, 1940 Manitoba, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and western Ontario Severest Blizzard of Modern Era March 15, 1941 North Dakota and Minnesota Pre-Winter Blizzard in Northeast December 12, 1960 Newark, New York City, Boston, and Nantucket, MA The Kennedy Inaugural Snowstorm January 19-20, 1961 Second of three huge snows to hit the Northeast during the winter of 1960-61. Washington, DC, Baltimore, New York City, Connecticut and New Hampshire Third Big Snow of the Winter of ‘60-’61 February 3–4, 1961 Washington, DC, Baltimore, New York City, Boston, and Cortland, NY Severe Northern Plains Blizzard March 4, 1961 North Dakota, Minnesota, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and western Ontario The Groundhog Day Storm February 2, 1976 From the Delmarva Coast (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia) to Nova Scotia Buffalo Blizzard 0f ’77 January 28-30, 1977 East side of Lakes Erie and Ontario Blizzard of ‘78 February 6-7, 1978 Rhode Island, Washington, DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston The Presidents’ Day Storm February 19, 1979 Middle Atlantic states The Blizzard of ‘93 March 13-14, 1993 Birmingham, AL to Syracuse, NY The Blizzard of ‘96 January 7-9, 1996 Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states. Buffalo caught the tail-end. Presidents’ Day Storm II February 14-19, 2003 East Coast of the US and spread into Canada; all cities from Washington, DC to Boston. Blizzard of 2006 February 11-13, 2006 Northeast United States from Virginia to Maine Left: The caryatids on the Albright-Knox Art Gallery’s east façade. Augustus Saint-Gaudens sculpted them in flimsy robes with bare arms – totally inappropriate attire for Buffalo winters page 172009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=24http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=24Left out in the cold again On a top 10 list of the coldest cities in the lower 48 states, we once again come up bupkis. 1. International Falls, MN 2. Duluth, MN 3. Caribou, ME 4. Marquette, MI 5. Sault Ste. Marie, MI 6. Fargo, ND 7. Williston, ND 8. Alamosa, CO 9. Bismarck, ND 10. St. Cloud, MN So if we’re not even close to being the snowiest, blowiest, or coldest, why does Buffalo get such an incredibly bad rap when it comes to our weather? Buffalo’s reputation was made during the Blizzard of ‘77. The total snowfall in the January storm was a mere 12 inches, usually not even enough for a snow day. The real problem was the near hurricane level winds racing up to 60 miles an hour which lifted up the snow piled on a frozen Lake Erie and mercilessly dumped it on the city. The nation’s retinas were burned with images of up to 25 foot snowdrifts that completely shut the city down for nearly two weeks. As a result the New York Times incorrectly branded Buffalo as the “snow capital” of the nation. Late night talk show host Johnny Carson made Buffalo “still being covered with snow” a running gag well into the summer. Our winters have been the butt of jokes ever since. Fortunately for us, we get the last laugh. Snow is fun. page 18 Right: In days past, this swing-bridge connected the railroad from North Tonawanda to Tonawanda Island2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=25http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=252009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=26http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=26On the brighter side For those of us who naturally carry around a pocketful of sunshine, this announcement will come as no suprise. In 2008, Buffalo was the regional winner of the Sunshine Derby, an ongoing contest featured daily on The Buffalo News’ weather page. It tracks the number of days with 50 percent or more sunshine in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Phoenix, and Orlando. Buffalo’s impressive 167 days puts our city in a better light, beating Syracuse, Rochester, and even Orlando, which had just 119 sunny days. We still have a long way to go to beat Phoenix, the overall leader in the derby, which enjoyed 251 sunny days. As a highly competitive city, it’s good for us to have a target to aim for. page 20 Right: Ice fishermen on the frozen Small Boat Harbor sitting on plastic pails or in make-shift shelters staring at a hole in the ice and freezing their worms2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=27http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=272009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=28http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=282009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=29http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=29At the end of the day, we know where our houses are As a proud resident of Western New York, I sleep easier knowing the very worst Mother Nature can dish out can easily be shoveled and will eventually melt away. Some of our region’s best selling points are the things we don’t have. Compared to dust storms, tsunamis, hurricanes, tornados, major earthquakes, mudslides, and volcanos, snow is, at worst, a temporary inconvenience. After shoveling, swearing at the plow driver, and shoveling again, our version of a weather extreme can be both a thing of beauty and provide hours of enjoyment. After a cup or two of hot chocolate and a few minutes in front of the fireplace, we’ve totally shaken it off and are ready to play. With a snow storm, we often get the day off from work or school, and can go sledding and skiing that same day. And our houses can be found precisely where we left them. Left: The Barton House, part of the Darwin Martin House Complex designed by Frank Lloyd Wright page 232009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=30http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=30Buffalo Blizzards While I poke fun at our weather throughout this book, occasionally Buffalo receives a blizzard that is the real deal, and no joke. When all of the elements perfectly align, Western New York can receive a knockout punch that paralyzes our region for days, and sometimes for weeks. To be an actual blizzard, the National Weather Service sets the bar pretty high. An official blizzard must have sustained winds of 35 mph, blowing snow that reduces visibility to less than 500 feet, and last for at least three hours. Oddly enough, temperature is not part of the equation, but really cold temperatures generally come along for the ride. Here in Western New York, we don’t bother with the official definition, we just look for the usual signs: • The Skyway closes • You and your co-workers find yourself “bonding” for several days and nights at the office. The candy machine becomes a treasured food source. • The crawl at the bottom of the television screen reserved for school and event closings simply reads, “don’t bother” as snow days evolve into snow weeks. • You instantly become very popular because you own a heavy duty snow blower, a generator, or an SUV. • The Skyway remains closed • You start to hum along to the elevator music on the Weather Channel • Hundreds of your buddies from the National Guard come spend the week page 24 Right: The twin towers of the H.H. Richardson Complex, looking even spookier than usual on a cold, winter night2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=31http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=312009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=32http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=322009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=33http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=33St. Patrick’s Day Blizzard - 1936 Many old timers don’t care whether or not Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, or if March comes in like a lion or a lamb. Their gauge is: if we can just get past St. Patrick’s Day, the very worst of winter is over. They don’t base this theory on folkore or legend, but on a snowy precedent. Even though it was more than 80 years ago, seniors love to tell the tale of how a late season storm seized the city on St. Patrick’s Day. It dropped more than 20 inches of snow on everyone’s shamrocks and shillelaghs in a single afternoon. So why did it snow on St. Patrick’s Day? Luck of the Irish, of course. Left: A float parked at Niagara Square patiently waits its turn to march down Delaware Avenue as part of Buffalo’s extraordinary St. Patrick’s Day Parade page 272009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=34http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=34Blizzard of ‘77 The Blizzard of ‘77 is far and away the gold standard of blizzards. Just before noon on January 28, 1977, this storm hit with a ferocity that many in this snow-savvy city had never before seen and showed absolutely no mercy for the next three days. Winds at the Buffalo airport averaged 46 mph with gusts up to 69 mph. Wind chill reached 50 to 60 degrees below zero. Thousands were stranded anywhere they could find shelter, in office buildings, schools, police stations, fire halls, and factories. Cars were stalled everywhere and roads became impassable and nearly impossible to plow. Calling Western New York totally buried would be an understatement. Shoveled walks took on the appearance of canyons and tunnels, and in some areas, snowdrifts literally reached to the rooftops. Ironically, from January 28 to February 1, the new snow in Buffalo only totaled about 12 inches. Most of the snow that blanketed the area was believed to be from existing snow lying on the frozen surface of Lake Erie that was blown across Buffalo and the surrounding areas and redeposited. States of emergency were declared in Erie, Niagara, Orleans, and Genesee counties, and there was a driving ban in all six Western New York counties. The army was called in from Fort Bragg, NC, to augment the 500 National Guardsmen who were called in days earlier to aid in snow removal. In many places, the snow was too deep for conventional plows so commercial grade earth moving equipment was used. More impressive than the tons of snow were the thousands of acts of random kindness that instantly brought the entire community together. These can never be shoveled away. Above: Blizzard of ‘77 snow drifts reach the roof line of homes inTonawanda on Parker Boulevard between Brompton Road and Ellicott Creek Road PHOTO: JEFF WURSTNER page 28 Right: A very lonely park bench in Delaware Park2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=35http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=352009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=36http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=362009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=37http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=37Six-Pack Blizzard Good advice from a politician is all too rare. However, on January 18, 1985, as 53 mph winds drove 33.2 inches of fresh snow across Western New York and the entire city of Buffalo ground to a halt, Hizzoner Mayor Jimmy Griffin gave us a timeless nugget. His immortalized words were: “Stay inside, grab a six-pack, and watch a good football game.” Unfortunately, his plan had a minor flaw. Unless your fridge was already well-stocked with Genny, you were out of luck. The Mayor’s emergency driving ban made going to the store to buy more brew illegal. Left: Mulligan’s Brick Bar--a cherished Buffalo landmark page 312009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=38http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=38Blizzard of 2001 It was as if someone was “dreaming of a white Christmas” and overslept for an entire week. The Blizzard of 2001 began on Christmas Eve and this seemingly ceaseless snow storm lasted a record seven days. Cold air blasted across warm Lake Erie waters, producing thundery, intense snow bands throughout the Buffalo area. At times the snow was accumulating at a rate of up to four inches per hour. Clearing out the snow became a frustrating, never-ending cycle. By the time you finished shoveling one end of the driveway, it would be time to start all over again. The blizzard eventually piled on a whopping 81.6 inches, placing it in the top five snowstorms ever to hit Buffalo. page 32 Right: A view of the Theatre District and Shea’s Performing Arts Center while waiting for the last train uptown2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=39http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=392009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=40http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=402009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=41http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=41Arborgeddon While technically not a blizzard, an unusually early storm on October 13, 2006, proved that trees with their full complement of leaves, together with up to two feet of heavy, water-laden snow, are a very bad combination indeed. Nicknamed “The October Surprise Storm,” “Arborgeddon,” “The Friday the 13th Storm,” and “The Columbus Day Massacre,” it checked in as the worst October lake effect snow storm in the 137 years during which records have been kept. It was also an example of the particularly rare meteorological phenomenon known as thundersnow. The storm’s effects were highly localized, as it downed power and phone lines and snapped off tree limbs as though they were toothpicks. It is estimated that the storm damaged as much as 90 percent of the city’s trees, including many in the city’s cherished Olmsted parks and parkways. Electric crews from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania were called in to assist with the clean-up efforts and to help restore power for nearly 400,000 people, 100,000 of whom were still in the dark a week later. PHOTO: LAURA A. DONNELLY Left: Devastation on Englewood Avenue in the Town of Tonawanda following the October Surprise Storm page 352009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=42http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=422009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=43http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=43Buffalo Weather Terminology: 101 In the winter, Buffalo weather reports often require a great deal of patience and the ability to read between the lines. We carefully watch as they show us charts, graphs and maps while using terms like jet stream, relative humidity, advisories, watches, warnings, upper level system, trough, stationary front, pressure gradient, prevailing westerlies, isobar, Nor’easter, wind shear, and more. The problem is, most of the time, all we really want to know is: Am I going to have to shovel today? Will I need to shovel tomorrow? Perhaps we would be better served if they used windows instead of maps. Weather terminology unique to our region follows. Left: The historic wrought iron gates at the Buffalo Zoo. Rumor has it that in winter, the Polar bears throw nightly parties where tango is the current rage page 372009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=44http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=44Lake effect/Snow belt Lake Effect: Lake effect snow is produced when cold winds move across larger expanses of warmer lake water, providing energy and picking up water vapor which freezes and is deposited on the windward shores. We all know that part. The real question is, which came first, the popular diner on Main Street or the weather phenomenon? Snow Belt: In Western New York, we not only look great in white, we also know how to accessorize. A snow belt is a narrow but very intense band of precipitation caused when the cold lake effect winds are uplifted by the orographic effect of higher elevations. If you routinely use a yardstick instead of a ruler to measure your snow, you probably live in a snow belt. page 38 Right: A tranquil scene as a fresh snow blankets Delaware Park’s Marcy Casino and Hoyt Lake2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=45http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=452009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=46http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=462009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=47http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=47(It’s not made of ice, and it doesn’t make any noise.) Each winter since 1964, the ice boom, an 8,800 foot series of floating steel pontoons connected by a steel cable, is installed at the eastern end of Lake Erie. It spans from the outer breakwall at Buffalo Harbor almost to the Canadian shore. The boom, which is jointly owned by the New York Power Authority and Ontario Power Generation, prevents ice from Lake Erie from floating down the Niagara River and damaging shoreline property and power plants. The International Niagara Board of Control of the International Joint Commission oversees the Left: Sunset over the Lake Erie ice boom Ice boom annual installation, operation, removal, and maintenance of the boom. The installation of the boom begins on December 16, or when the lake temperature reaches 39 degrees Fahrenheit, and it is lifted each spring by April 1 , unless there is more than 250 square miles of ice remaining in the eastern end of Lake Erie. The removal of the boom is a harbinger of spring, and yet another excuse to raise a toast to the outgoing winter. page 412009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=48http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=48Twc=35.74+0.6215 Ta - 35.75 V +0.4275 TaV where Twc and Ta are measured in degrees fahrenheit, and V in mph. 0.16 0.16 (Wind-chill index) Wind-chill index, or wind-chill factor, is a totally geeky way of advising people that the actual temperature and the temperature it feels like on your exposed skin can be different because of the wind. The degree of this difference depends on both the air temperature and the wind speed. Since one of the main ways our bodies lose heat is by the evaporation of the moisture in our skin, the faster the wind speed, the colder you feel. Be sure to memorize the above formula and unleash it the next time someone asks, “Cold enough for ya?” page 42 Right: Regardless of the weather, Niagara Falls triumphantly thunders on2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=49http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=492009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=50http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=502009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=51http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=51Alberta Clipper (Dear Premier of Alberta, Thank you for the swell storm. Next time, please send beer instead.) Alberta Clippers generally arrive between the months of December and February, right about the time you prefer cold ones exported from Canada to come in cans and bottles. They are fast-moving storms which take their name from our friends in Alberta, Canada, the province from which they appear to descend, and from clipper ships of the 19th century, one of the fastest ships of that era. Two variations of Alberta Clippers are Manitoba Maulers and Saskatchewan Screamers. While their names sound like hockey teams, their effect is the weather equivalent of being slammed into the boards. These storms sweep in at high speed, bringing with them biting high winds and a sharp drop in temperature. It is not uncommon for an Alberta Clipper to cause temperatures to drop by 30 degrees Fahrenheit in just a few hours and to bring winds as strong as 35 to 45 mph with them. These conditions can cause wind chill values to drop into the -20 to -50 degree range, brisk enough to get even the most macho Western New Yorkers to zip their coats. Left: A wintery panorama of the USS Little Rock, the restored Erie Canal terminus, HSBC Tower, the Skyway, and the erstwhile Memorial Auditorium page 452009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=52http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=52Types of Snow: Back in the Dark Ages when I was in high school, I had an English teacher who prodded us to stretch our vocabularies by telling us that Eskimos have more than a thousand words for snow. Actually, it now turns out to be nine. It somehow felt believable at the time, because we throw around a seemingly infinite list of words for our winter wonders. We have numerous names based on the shape of the flakes, the rate of accumulation, the way it collects on the ground, and who is using it. They range in shape from the individual snow crystals and puffball-like snowflakes, to graupel and hail. Depending on the degree of visibility, there are flurries, snow showers, squalls, blizzards, and ground blizzards. Skiers, boarders, and snowmobilers categorize snow as corn, crust, crud, slush, powder, packed powder, granular and ice. While this does accomplish the goal of stretching our vocabulary, it is way too complicated. My recommendations are: • A one-through-five ranking system for snow consistency based on the ability to make a snowball. • A three-tier visibility system: - I can’t see the car in front of me - I can’t see my hood ornament - I’m probably on someone’s lawn • The cat method for snow accumulation: When you put your foot down, does it sound like you stepped in the cat’s water bowl, the litter tray, or on its squeaky catnip toy? page 46 Right: A bizzare combination of flames and snow adorn the Old Pink, an iconic Allen Street bar2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=53http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=532009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=54http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=542009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=55http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=55Just don’t call me late for dinner What’s in a name? That which we call a winter storm by any other name would still require shoveling. You may quote me. The National Weather Service began assigning names for major lake-effect snow storms for identification and archival purposes in the fall of 1995. They now officially label storms in alphabetical order in much the same way they do hurricanes. The difference is, rather than using female names like they have with my daughters Hurricane Andrea, Hurricane Emily, and Hurricane Theresa, the NWS instead decided to use annual themes to scar the names of innocuous things in nature. Left: A white car on the Skyway We now have blizzards with lovely, inauspicious names like Chestnut, a 60-hour lake-effect snowstorm which, during afternoon drive-time on November 20, 2000, began dumping what would eventually total 31 inches of snow on Buffalo, stranding thousands. Beginning on Christmas Eve 2001, a storm with the majestic name Bald Eagle entered my repository of recurring nightmares. Much like Sisyphus, the figure of Greek mythology who was condemned to repeat forever the same meaningless task of pushing a rock up a mountain only to see it roll down again, we shoveled for five straight days. Just when you thought you were finished, it was time to start all over again. And the freak October 2006 storm, which the media struggled to brand with cute nicknames like Arbogeddon, Friday the Thirteenth, and the Columbus Day Massacre, was officially named Aphid by the National Weather Service. The irony of this name is almost painful. The storm that so badly ravaged so many of Buffalo’s trees now shares a name with the tiny bug that routinely devours my roses. page 492009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=56http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=562009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=57http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=57Shoveling lessons from a politician When Samantha Ettus, author of the book "The Experts' Guide to 100 Things Everyone Should Know How to Do" needed an authority on shoveling, it was only logical to seek out a politician. She selected an elected official from the most hopelessly snowbound city that came to mind: Buffalo’s own Mayor Anthony M. Masiello. Masiello shares the literary stage with 99 other celebrity experts such as Donald Trump (negotiating), Howie Mandel (telling a joke), Larry King (listening), and Bob Vila (painting). In his chapter, the mayor describes how snow comes in a variety of consistencies ranging from “It’s a Wonderful Life” fluffy light, to slushed ice-confection heavy wet. He compares shoveling to voting (do it early and often) and offers sage advice, such as enlisting your wife and kids and remembering your neighbor who owns a snowblower at Christmas time. When there is at least seven feet of snow, his advice is to call the governor to send in the National Guard and call Congress for federal aid. Left: Empty docks on the frozen City Ship Canal leading to the Great Northern grain elevator page 512009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=58http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=582009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=59http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=59A Season to Celebrate Western New York comes alive in winter. The streets light up with colorful decorations, adding excitement to the bustle of holiday shopping. It’s a time to cheer on our sports teams, and for skiing, sledding, and ice skating at Rotary Rink with the family. It’s celebrating our vast wealth of cultural assets as you wander through our galleries and attend the theatre and the Philharmonic. It’s reveling in the New Year with thousands of friends in Roosevelt Square, and the solitude of reading by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate. It’s the Car Show, Superbowl parties, Valentine’s Day, winter carnivals, and the St. Patrick’s Day parade. There’s so much to do, and so little time. Perhaps winter needs to be longer. Left: Each winter the RCR Yachts boatyard in the shadow of the Skyway becomes a sailboat parking lot, with hundreds of boats in cradles itching to once again get wet page 532009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=60http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=60First Night/Ball Drop First Night was originally initiated in Boston in 1976 as a drug-and-alcoholfree alternative to traditional parties. It has taken off and is now celebrated in more than 115 cities around the world. Buffalo has thoroughly embraced First Night since1989 and today draws as many as 5,000 people from the city and suburbs. This family-friendly event includes a wide variety of visual and performing arts, music and dance, sports activities and tons of children’s entertainment. While couch potatoes around the world sit at home and watch a ball fall in someone else’s city, Western New Yorkers brave the elements and kick off the New Year properly. The annual New Year’s Eve Buffalo Ball Drop, which takes place in Roosevelt Square in front of the Electric Tower, is now one of the largest in the nation. Everyone comes to party with 40,000 of their closest friends and is treated to an amazing fifteen-minute fireworks display that illuminates downtown. page 54 Right: The fireworks display following the New Year’s Eve Ball Drop beautifully illuminating downtown Buffalo2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=61http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=612009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=62http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=622009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=63http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=63Let’s go (fill in team’s name here)! In Western New York, our passion for sports is legendary, and much of it goes hand-inhand with the winter season. Any fair-weather fan can attend a football game on warm days or under a dome. It takes a truly dedicated fan to brave the snow, wind, and cold of a late December football game at The Ralph, and we routinely pack to capacity one of the largest NFL stadiums in the country. In much the way that we dust off snow, die-hard Buffalo fans have an unapologetic, resilient loyalty that transcends the fact that we have come up short in the Super Bowl four times and the Stanley Cup twice. We are The 12th Man on the field, and we’ve earned every letter of our title on the Bill’s Wall of Fame. The same excitement that we bring to the game we also bring to the parking lot, where you can always find dozens of spontaneous touch football games and tailgate parties featuring multiple course gourmet meals. This passion doesn’t end with Bills’ and UB Bulls’ football games; it also reigns true with our other winter sports teams. Each year an outbreak of Sabres fever sweeps through our city, capturing the imaginations of everyone in its wake. The Buffalo Bandits, our championship National Lacrosse League team, consistently rocks HSBC Arena with hours of great family entertainment. And there is a loyal following of stalwart basketball fans from our many area colleges. We truly do have a lot to cheer about. Le ft: Buffalo Sab re s p rac tic in g in HSBC A re n a page 572009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=64http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=64Ice Bowl PHOTO: COURTESY OF ROBERT CZYZ - CLASSICBUFFALO.COM On January 1, 2008, an NHL attendance record-setting crowd of 71,217 rang in the New Year at the NHL Winter Classic Ice bowl in Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Buffalo Sabres hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second-ever outdoor NHL game and the first to be played in the USA. The Sabres also held a Winter Classic “house party” at HSBC Arena during the game, where an additional 11,000 fans witnessed the game shown live on the arena’s video scoreboard. The game proved to be a postcardperfect winter spectacle, with game-time page 58 temperatures around the freezing mark and picturesque snow falling for much of the time. It looked like a freshly shaken snow-globe. The teams each wore vintage jerseys, with the Penguins wearing powder blue jerseys for the first time since 1973. The Sabres wore their old white jerseys, which they wore from 1978 to 1996. The only factor that prevented perfection that day was the lack of a win. After a 11 tie in regulation play, and an overtime period, the Penguins won the game 2-1 in a shootout on a goal by captain Sidney Crosby. Right: The dramatic start of the Ice Bowl at The Ralph2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=65http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=652009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=66http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=66Snow days Snow days rock! ‘Nuff said. page 60 Right: The basketball courts at Delaware Park. These courts become very busy in summer, so it pays to arrive early2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=67http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=672009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=68http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=68Buffalo on ice When it’s cold outside, downtown Buffalo has a hot spot for the entire family to enjoy–Rotary Rink at Fountain Plaza. In winter Fountain Plaza is transformed from a reflecting pool that attracts large numbers of downtown workers to a vibrant urban, outdoor ice skating experience. As many as 15,000 to 20,000 skaters take advantage of the free ice skating annually, from the official opening during the Christmas tree lighting ceremony in late November through St. Patrick’s Day. Completed in 1991, the rink is operated by Buffalo Place, and proudly named Rotary Rink in recognition of the Rotary Club of Buffalo’s commitment to the project and their generous donation of a half million dollars. page 62 Right: The entrance to the Scajaquada Expressway and the Niagara Section of the Thruway shrouded in the mist just beyond the Blackrock Canal2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=69http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=692009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=70http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=702009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=71http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=71Boomdays Here in Buffalo we enjoy winter so much that we extend it a few weeks beyond the traditional calendar. We mark the advent of spring in early April with a unique celebration called Boomdays. Boomdays is an event which rejoices in the lifting of the Lake Erie-Niagara River ice boom and commemorates our once bustling waterways by glorifying our natural, artistic, and cultural wealth. With merriment stretching from the Lake Erie Outer Harbor to Old Fort Niagara, Boomdays has evolved into a binational, river-long, river-wide event. Boomdays kicks-off each year with the ceremonial launch of a seven-foot dayglow orange ball downstream from the mouth of the Niagara River. The event includes a wide range of activities, including waterfront clean-ups, poetry readings, and kite flying, and ends with a colorful fireworks display. Left: The fireboat Edward M. Cotter gives a watery salute to the official launch of Boomdays as mayors from both sides of the border drop a seven-foot orange ball from the center of the Peace Bridge page 652009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=72http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=722009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=73http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=73Western New York Winter Survival Strategies Truth be told, I have a warm weather bias. While I love the winter, I’m just now coming around to the weather that accompanies it. I’m not particularly crazy about being cold and wet and find very little joy in shoveling. So far, I’ve managed to mudfuddle my way through more than a half century of Buffalo winters with a semi-bunker, what-the-heck-we’re-all-in-this-together mentality. Each year I begrudgingly weather the weather, trudge through snow banks, drive through ruts, dig out, and shiver with the rest of the hearty souls who live here. It’s in this spirit that I share in this chapter some of my favorite winter coping strategies. Left: Ice floes meander by a foggy Buffalo skyline page 672009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=74http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=74Western New York Winter Survival Strategy #1 Complete & Utter Denial Winter? What winter? For more information on executing this strategy, consult the experts. They range from the guys you see wearing shorts all winter long and the girls who refuse to wear a coat from their car to the Mall, to the neighbor who routinely shovels wearing a t-shirt and sneakers. And then there are the more subtle deniers: those who own remote car starters, cruise from a heated garage at home to an indoor parking lot at work, and have club seating at Bills games. They are living proof that with a few bucks and a well planned strategy, winter can easily become a figment of your calendar’s imagination. page 68 Right: A full moon and Rockwell Hall rising over the Albright-Knox Art Gallery2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=75http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=752009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=76http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=76Western New York Winter Survival Strategy #2 (The grass is always greener on the bottom side of the snow) This strategy is denial on steriods. It’s based on an untested theory that winter can’t arrive if it can’t find you. • Astroturf your lawn • Tape the leaves back on your trees • Paint everything in sight bright green • Decorate with large pink birds (suburbs only/optional) • Remain very, very still • Load up your iPod with Beach Boys tunes (optional) Camouflage • Buy enough houseplants to make your house resemble a tropical rainforest page 70 Right: Times Beach, normally bustling with wildlife, taking a brief winter break. The Buffalo Lighthouse can be seen in the distance2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=77http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=772009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=78http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=782009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=79http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=79Western New York Winter Survival Strategy #3 Wing, Wing, Wing. Heh-whoa If you receive a call from someone living in a warmer climate, don’t answer. It’s a safe bet first their words will be “How’s the weather up there” and then they will proceed to tell you they’re sitting next to the pool. Rather than sending your blood pressure through the roof, let your answering machine screen these calls. Come spring, simply call and apologize. Tell them something outrageous, like the phone lines were frozen, or we were once again overrun with polar bears. The really sad part is, they will probably believe you. On the other hand, be sure to call anyone you know in Syracuse or Oswego to gloat about the fact that they get more snow and have much colder temperatures than we do. If by chance you don’t have any friends in these cities, there is no time like the present. Make random calls to area code 315 and get acquainted. You will generally find them friendly–at first. Left: Gabriel plays a mean horn at the Our Lady of Victory Basilica in Lackawanna page 732009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=80http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=80Western New York Winter Survival Strategy #4 Retail Therapy Behind every giant snow mountain is a store just waiting to ease your pain. From the hip boutiques on Elmwood and Hertel, to the gift shops in our galleries and museums, there are infinite ways to separate you from your money and your winter anxiety. Green triumphs over white. And after all, they don’t throw winter white sales in the summer. page 74 Right: A freshly plowed sidewalk on the 600 block of Main Street2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=81http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=812009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=82http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=822009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=83http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=83Western New York Winter Survival Strategy #5 Change Your Address Whenever the temperature dips below 32 degrees, add a special warmth to your letters by including the words “Buffalo, the Miami of the North” to your return address. In turn, I believe it only right that during the most sweltering of summer months, the residents of Miami should refer to themselves as the “Miami, the Buffalo of the South.” Left: The Ohio Street bridge spanning a frozen Buffalo River page 772009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=84http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=84Western New York Winter Survival Strategy #6 Cast Fashion To The Wind Most wise Buffalonians strictly observe an old Scandanavian adage: there is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing. In other words, looking cool really means being cold. Come December, both style and Elvis leave the building. True Western New York winter fashionistas know enough to bury themselves in multiple layers of anything warm. Stripes suddenly look fine with plaids, and no color combination is out of bounds. And, of course all mittens should come with strings that connect through the sleeves and across the shoulders. page 78 Right: A dusting of snow dapples the lawn of the Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=85http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=852009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=86http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=86Western New York Winter Survival Strategy #7 Snow Birds Being a glass-half-full kind of guy, I see the people in a positive light who immediately blast off to warmer climes the day after Thanksgiving. While many consider Snow Birds the equivalent of human hot-house plants, I believe they’re really ambassadors spreading the word about Buffalo’s spectacular summers. Each year these savvy marketers selflessly pry themselves from the pleasure of being here for winter to go on a promotional recruiting mission. They are our boots on the ground, personally evangelizing our temperate summers, arts and cultural activities, stellar waterfront, and the dozens of weekend festivals to all of our southern neighbors. To show our immense gratitude for their service, I think we should FedEx each of them a snowman. page 80 Right: Icy docks on the Niagara River2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=87http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=872009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=88http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=882009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=89http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=89Western New York Winter Survival Strategy #8 Vent Think of this survival exercise as a form of frozen, northeastern voodoo. Build a snowman and dress it up to look like your boss, ex-boyfriend or girlfriend, or someone else who makes your life miserable. Now let off some steam. Spend the afternoon throwing snowballs at it, yell at it, make it work weekends, moon it, rearrange its body parts, dress it in drag, have a party and don’t invite it. The possibilities are simply endless. The ultimate satisfaction comes when the temperature goes above 32 degrees and they proceed to thoroughly deform, fall apart, and finally melt and flow into the sewer system. And just for the record, the snowman in my front yard bears absolutely no resemblance to you. Left: Metro riders pack the trains as they return home from an exciting fireworks display following the New Year’s Ball drop page 832009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=90http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=90Western New York Winter Survival Strategy #9 Hibernate This is a strategy roughly rooted in nature* and is probably the result of watching too many hours of the Discovery Channel. Step One: Spend all of October and November gorging yourself with nuts, berries and Cheetos. Step Two: Disconnect the phone Step Three: Disable the doorbell Step Four: Close all blinds and curtains Step Five: Crawl under an extra heavy quilt to avoid body heat loss Step Six: Set your alarm clock for April * I haven’t personally tested this strategy yet, although over the years I have mastered Step One. page 84 Right: Sunset at Gateway Park in North Tonawanda. During the summer this placid scene will bustle with thousands of concert-goers, and boats rafted several deep2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=91http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=912009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=92http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=92Western New York Winter Survival Strategy #10 Stare at Stuff Cabin fever, the result of too much staring at the same four walls, has a remarkable cure–staring at other people’s walls. Fortunately for us Western New York has dozens of places designed specifically for this purpose. From the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, one of the finest collections of modern and contemporary art anywhere in the world, to regional collections such as the Burchfield Penney Art Center, Castellani, Anderson, CEPA, and Hallwalls, to hundreds of small, local galleries and studios, ours is a bustling arts region with something to capture everyone’s imagination. After you’ve exhausted the gallery scene, there is still plenty to see at local treasures such as the Botanical Gardens, the Buffalo Zoo, and a long list of amazing museums. In fact, there’s so much to do you should probably start during the summer. Above: Sammy Tulipane and Cullan Donnelly “getting all cultured-up” as they adhere to this strategy and intently stare at walls at the Burchfield Penney page 86 Right: One of Buffalo’s newest treasures, the Burchfield Penney Art Center2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=93http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=932009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=94http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=942009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=95http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=95Western New York Winter Survival Strategy #11 Gallows’ Humor One of the first casualties of winter survival is always our sense of humor. Winter has a long list of aggravations specifically designed to make you lose it. Sometimes it’s a puddle of ice cold slush just a little deeper than your boots are tall. It could be triggered by the fact that every other school on the planet has declared a snow day–except yours. Or it might be set off by a sadistic snow plow driver who seems to wait just around the corner until you’ve finished shoveling your driveway before speeding past and dumping half the snow on the street back on it. The solution is to get the last laugh–not necessarily by telling knock-knock jokes, although they sometimes do help, but by realizing that we all weather the weather together. It’s figuring out that if you had to slog your way to school, so did your teachers and the principal. And since they rarely live anywhere near where they teach, they’ve had to trudge in from even farther away. It’s freaking out your neighbors by using excess salt you’ve saved all year from kimmelweck rolls to melt your sidewalk ice. And as for the snow plow driver who is actually just doing his job, the next time he rolls by, wave him over and offer him a piping hot cup of coffee. What this strategy lacks in humor it easily makes up for in good karma. Left: A fresh layer of snow at the Buffalo & Erie County Naval and Military Park gives a whole new meaning to Cold War page 892009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=96http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=962009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=97http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=97Western New York Winter Survival Strategy #12 Make Soup Here’s a surefire recipe that will both cure cabin fever and warm your cockles. It’s made using leftover chicken wings. I’ve found it’s difficult to make this very often because there are rarely any wings left over to make it with • 4 cups chicken stock • 1/2 lb andouille sausage • 1/4 cup butter • 1/4 cup flour • 1 cup sliced okra • 1 medium onion, chopped • 3 stalks celery, chopped • 1 bell pepper, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 can chopped tomatoes, undrained (14 1/2 oz) • 1 cup spicy hot V8 juice • 1/2 cup sliced scallion • 2 bay leaves • 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce • 3/4 tsp. thyme • 3/4 tsp. salt • 1/2 tsp. ground pepper • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper • 1/2 cup rice • Frank’s Hot Sauce to taste • 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese Directions: In a large dutch oven, brown the sausage over medium-low heat. Remove the sausage, leaving the rendered fat in the pan. Add the butter to the fat and allow it to heat up over mediumhigh setting. Add the flour and stir constantly until it becomes a medium brown color. When it is brown, turn off the heat and add the celery, okra, onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Slowly pour in the chicken stock. Stir well. Add the rice, tomatoes, V-8 juice, green onions, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, cayenne, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes. Add the chicken and sausage and allow to heat through. Add Frank’s Hot Sauce to taste, or until your tongue goes numb. Fish out the bay leaves. Garnish with crumbled blue cheese just before serving. Chicken Wing Gumbo Soup Se r v e s 6 -8 Ingredients: • 1 lb shredded chicken wings (remove skin) Left: The tugboat Daniel Joncaire and the former Cleveland-class converted to guided missle cruiser USS Little Rock silently guard the Inner Harbor at the mouth of the Buffalo River page 912009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=98http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=98Western New York Winter Survival Strategy #13 Pretend Snow is Fun For non-winter people, this is a doable leap. Take it in small doses at first. Partner with a buddy. Dress like Ralphy in “The Christmas Story.” And have a hot chocolate and fireplace at the ready. Some say making snow angels is a gateway drug. Catch a few snowflakes on your tongue. Threaten violent acts on anyone who laughs. With a true commitment to the process, after a few sessions you may be able to work up to ice skating, tobogganing with the family, and even peaceful hikes around Delaware Park. The hard part will soon become pretending that you’re pretending. page 92 Right: Snow, wind, and cars swirl past the pedestrian bridge crossing the Scajaquada Expressway2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=99http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=992009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=100http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=1002009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=101http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=101Western New York Winter Survival Strategy #14 Declare Victory Stand on a chair, thump your chest, and proclaim supremacy over ice, snow, and the cold. Declare their existence to be there solely for your amusement. Snow and ice are therefore here for your personal merriment, to be skied over, skated upon, snow-shoed across, and tobogganed down. Now, at your beck and command, you can form snow into both human and angelic form. You’ve purchased a new snowblower, and a sweater for every day of the week. You now look forward to late season Bills games, and proudly sport a new Sabres tattoo. You’ve traded your car for a snowmobile. And you’d sell your house and live in an igloo if it didn’t make you homeless eight months a year. Feel the power surging through your veins, for you are now master of everything winter. Left: Canadian geese inspect the ever-growing patch of water as spring approaches at Tifft Nature Preserve page 952009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=102http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=1022009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=103http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=103Waxing Poetic In much the same way that the beauty of winter compels me to race for my camera, there are those among us who are drawn to their pens to capture the moment in verse. We can t thank them enough for the beauty of their words. ice sheets move slowly breaking up and floating down their deaths herald spring by Elizab e th Lam b e rt Winter, hat in hand, slowly walks out the door as Spring mischievously peeks around the corner. by R ich ard Mc C arth y Left: The remains of the day’s sunlight illuminates the Rockwell Hall tower at Buffalo State College page 972009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=104http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=1042009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=105http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=105Waxing Poetic the lifting of the boom by Marin a Blitsh te yn an aura lifts and lilts, the tattoo lighted lake is flow and crash. it is enough to rouse the giant from its sleep, an ice house, the nice folks at a pub next door, knocking for the noise, the coming boom. the tattoo lights on the river at noon, drowned in the moving rush, the flow and crash of time, the speed of it. now open-eyed spring comes kicking the sides, now the sun spills its cards out, playing its hand, now winter takes all and the house drops and the breath swells and the aura lifts. now the siren sounds lap at the dock, and now is the time for laying the heavy head that bears the crown down. it is a light fixture we lift and lilt, the wait of the spring waters, the melt of the ice house where giants sleep, and neighbors watch and knock at the door and drink of the dusk in awe of the sound– the bloom, the breathing, we lift. Left: Festive decorations on La Tee Da, a popular Allen Street restaurant, celebrate the season page 992009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=106http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=1062009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=107http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=107Waxing Poetic Buffalo Boom Town Rhythm and Hues By Bill Zimmermann The Erie lady’s wintry steel belt Shines Bada Bling, Bada BOOM; All frigid season she eats her icy bon bons, From the great lakes yonder and far. Widening her shining diamond white belly as Her breath blows cold over Buffalo land, Forcing villagers to cuddle and dance And ski and prance in fest by winter’s light. To Bloom in Boom a flower cannot, Such little room amidst the snows, The eskimos in Buffalo know… To wait till the great steel belt lifts, Ka-Boom! When the ice flows, and winter goes. Birds return, chirping high over Lake Snowbegone. Beautiful sun shines upon ice for endless miles, melting winter into the deep, before ka-boom, Kaboom–a fast flowing ice race down the river, ice ka-boom, ice ka-boom… –framed in banks of early flowers and then soon onto lighter, longer hours in the sun and wind, and water and sky and summer’s high. She’s often quite a nervous bowl of water, That lake lady of ours, Home to a lakeside land of Queen City blues, jazz, and fiddlers in pubs. Festivals, foods, sports and theaters galore… Praising our four seasons that make a year’s glory. Ice floats, melts, and so becomes Water upon water upon our sea, our northern coast, With hours till sunset looking West, Oh Canada! Until another sweet summer tomorrow, Ever on to another season that gives us reason To be here Oh Queen City of the Great Lakes, Buffalo–not just a small town, but one Big Boom! Left: Ice temporarily fills the void of the boats in the docks on Tonawanda Island page 1012009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=108http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=1082009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=109http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=109Waxing Poetic Queen City By Lonnie B. Harrell From beneath the frozen minty scene rises the beautiful winter queen A crown of benevolence adorns her head and the subjects in her kingdom are generously fed Her palace is filled with snowmobiles icicles, and winter thrills Snow so deep, it’s like stepping on a cloud Thanksgiving, caroling, and bustling crowds So picturesque, so postcard designed No other place is so refined Even up here in the wind blown chills runs the mighty stampede of the Buffalo Bills So come grab a piece of paradise Spring, summer, fall, or winter on ice I’m sure you’ll have no regrets Enjoying the Queen city’s frozen assets Left: A crowd of excited snowflakes waiting to enter the Studio Arena Theatre New Snow By Sharon R. Amos New snow pristine and glistening beckons us outdoors its silent flakes land on our lashes melt on our lips conceal steel gray streets and sidewalks with a welcome coat of white children’s gloved hands form miniature globes and whirl them into a soundless orbit indoors we light the logs in the fireplace and hope for a white Christmas page 1032009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=110http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=1102009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=111http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=111Waxing Poetic Snow Mountain: Buffalo by Jim Warde It’s the first gift of Christmas that I open, long before the holiday: packed in the all white wrappings of my back yard. Behold the conifer tree rising up ninety feet in the cold air with its thousand arms bending and bowing to the laden snow. The holly bush pokes her prickly leafed bough through the layers of snow to show off her pretty bright red berries and snub her nose at spring still so far away, yet no further than the birds who have gone. An occasional wren or robin comes by. The bird bath abandoned by all becomes the receptacle for fallen snow flakes, becomes the flask to measure the fall. Measure not merely in meters or inches but in depth and length of loveliness. I look at it every day and watch the diurnal movements like magic tricks alter its appearances. In a fast thaw it falls like a bun in the oven when you open the door; rises up to full dome again after the next four inch fall. This snow-domed bird bath is my icon of winter, my barometer of beauty. This is my pure white, snow white unscaled Mons Venerabilis. Left: The box office at Coca-Cola Field. The lines are considerably shorter in winter page 1052009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=112http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=1122009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=113http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=113Waxing Poetic The Beauty We Have by Claire Geist The city is so named For beauty so far forgotten The river ran and light fell through ‘till streets of salt were rotten “Beau Fleuve” we sang! Or so we said, in an emotional eruption But misunderstood and misundertaken “Buffalo” is a grammatical corruption But the river flows, and so does time And glory soon would fill it With golden age, and golden times The economy outgrew it Beautiful river, you are a queen Of light or whatever you choose, But as of now in 2009, It’s your batteries and crown you lose Oh, conquered now by food and sport What of your art and treasures? Buildings crumble, people fly They outgrow your gray, old measures The golden dust fallen on the streets Now looks like salted ice The melted snow with more to come Leaves little room for vice! Or so you’d think! But wrong you are! What problems have we here? The poor grow weak the rich just sit Old prizes stray with fear The city’s charm is lost and yet, We see the light ahead For the city of queens and city of art Could have a crown atop her head You’ll see in time, they’ll all come back Be patient and you’ll see The city’s dust will rise again All the workers do agree! Our people try to bring it all back To the city where light begins Illusions fade and heads fall high As the people make rising grins. So see yourself in deco art Find poetry in the snow, You’ll see the lake effect’s on you In the city once set aglow. Left: The American Falls from the Canadian side of the Niagara River. The skyline is Niagara Falls, New York. The daffodils are pure spring magic page 1072009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=114http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=1142009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=115http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=115Waxing Poetic The Snow Fence In Delaware Park by Allie H. Freeman Excitement abounds witness the snow fence Ice Cycle by Rory Brennan O’Connor rising, falling, chilling and stalling on its way to the end of the lake to begin the cycle one more glorious time gray, black and crusty the humped shadows pass around, by and through day and night clearing the water and way for the return of echoing flights the passing of our breath no longer steams or mists with the entrance into each new day the ice has snuck by one more time and our harbinger once again fondly addresses our countenance with the return of the light of life. Heralding in the season Snowflakes fall it is winter Children love it Grownups walk and talk Folks down south wonder how we do it? Southern born and small town raised Winter storms rage, lights, camera, action. Stuck in the snow, Neighbors come and we get to know Oh how nice they are not cold like ice Only seeing them from afar Winter acquaints us Shows us the warmth of the season Memories of my youth surface neighbors smiling and greeting not aloof. Left: The cherry trees in the Japanese garden behind the Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society come alive to welcome spring page 1092009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=116http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=1162009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=117http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=117And before you know it, it’s spring Before you’ve had a chance to catch your breath from all of the winter activity, spring is already upon us with all it has to offer. Often, even before the snow has a chance to exit, the spring flowers are pushing it out of the way. The brilliant white of winter is quickly replaced by an explosion of color from daffodils, tulips, and cherry blossoms. Like clockwork, sneakers replace boots, lawn mowers replace snowblowers, and bicycles and motorcycles find their way out of garages. No sooner does Boomdays help us wave goodbye to the ice, than sailboats appear in Youngstown, the Bisons host their home opener, and the long parade of weekend festivals gets underway. Without the thunderous applause it so richly deserves, yet another spectacular fourth season has come to a close. It’s once again time for a fresh, new season. Let the merriment begin. Left: Mirror Lake living up to its name as it reflects the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society and the cherry trees trees in full blossom page 1112009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=118http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=118A special thanks I’d love to thank everyone by name who has made an impact on this book. Unfortunately that would require a phone book and I have just one page. First I’d like to recognize the hundreds of thousands of people who have built and maintained the beauty that spoils us all in Western New York. There is an old adage in photography: if you want to take better pictures, find prettier models. Thanks to the stellar job done by our Olmsted Parks Conservancy, preservationists, environmentalists, and the legions who have fought for our waterfront, even a point-and-shoot amateur such as myself can take reasonably good pictures. I’d also like to express gratitude to the following groups and individuals: • Howard Goldman, who graciously allowed me to photograph his antique Buffalo City Hall snow globe. • Jeff Wurstner, who took the photo of the Blizzard of ’77 rooftops and shared it on Wikipedia. • Robert Czyz, owner of classicbuffalo.com, who provided the dramatic picture of the Ice Bowl Winter Classic at The Ralph. • Laura Donnelly, my wonderful wife, who had the presence of mind to take pictures immediately following the October 13, 2006 storm. • Tim Herzog, owner of Flying Bison Brewing Company, who allowed me to be the first person ever to simply “borrow beer.” • Boomdays 2008 poetry contest winners, an event coordinated by Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper. • Michael Kelleher of Just Buffalo Literary Center, who kindly allowed me to advertise in their newsletter for additional poetry submissions. • The Buffalo Department of Public Works for permitting me to photograph their fleet of trucks at the Broadway facility. And an extra special thanks to Cynthia Van Ness, whose website BuffaloResearch.com contains a page, “The Truth About Snow in Buffalo,” that provided valuable inspiration and a tremendous leg up in locating vital resources. page 112 Right: The Burchfield Penney Art Center framed by flowering trees and tulips on the Buffalo State College campus2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=119http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=1192009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=120http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=1202009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=121http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=121Index Abraham Lincoln Statue 108,114 Alberta clipper 45 Albright Knox Art Gallery 16, 69 Allen Street 48, 98 Allen Street Bar And Grill (The Old Pink) 47 Allentown 11, 47, 98 Average annual snowfall 10 Average wind speed 15 Barton House 22 Blackrock Canal 63, 64 Blizzard of ’77 17, 24, 28 Blizzard of 2001 32, 49 Boom Ball 65 Boomdays 64-65 Bow-bridge 2 Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens Cover, 79 Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society 108, 110, 114 Buffalo & Erie County Naval and Military Park 88 Buffalo Bisons 104 Buffalo City Hall 3, 26 Buffalo Coast Guard Station 8, 71 Buffalo Lighthouse 8, 71 Buffalo River 44, 76, 90 Buffalo Sabres 56-57, 58-59 Buffalo Savings Bank 6, 54 Buffalo skyline 66 Buffalo State College 69, 96 Burchfield Penney Art Center 86-87, 113 Buffalo Zoo 36 Cherry blossoms 108, 114 Chicken Wing Gumbo Soup 91 Chinaman’s Light 8 City Ship Canal 50 Coca-Cola Field 13, 104 Darwin Martin House Complex 22 Delaware Park 29, 39, 61 Electric Tower 6, 54, 55 Emerald Channel Water Intake 65 Erie Basin Marina IV Erie Canal Terminus 2, 44-45 Farmers’ Almanac 17 Fireboat Edward M. Cotter 64 First Night 54, 82 Flying Bison Blizzard Bock 31 Fountain Plaza 62, 82 Frank Lloyd Wright 22 Gateway Park 85 Golden Snowball Award 12 Great Northern Grain Elevator 50 H.H. Richardson Complex 25 Hoyt Lake 39 HSBC Arena 56, 57 HSBC Tower 44 Ice Boom 40-41, 65 Ice Bowl 58-59 Ice fishing 20,21 Inner Harbor 44, 90 Japanese Garden 109 Lake Effect Diner 38 La Tee Da Restaurant 98 M&T Center 54 Main Street 6, 33, 75, 82, 102 Marcy Casino 39 Mayor Anthony Masiello 51 Mayor Jimmy Griffin 31 Memorial Auditorium 44 Mirror Lake 110, 114 Mulligan’s Brick Bar 30 New Year’s Ball Drop 54 NFTA Metro Station 33,82 Niagara Falls 4, 43, 106 Niagara River 64, 65, 66, 81 NHL Winter Classic 58-59 Nile River 68 North Tonawanda 85, 100 October 13, 2006, Storm 33-35, 49 Ohio Street Bridge 76 Old Pink 47 Our Lady of Victory Basilica 72 Peace Bridge 64 Ralph Wilson Stadium 58-59 RCR Yacht Boatyard 50, 52 Rockwell Hall 69, 96 Roosevelt Square 6, 53 Rotary Rink 53, 62 Scajaquada Expressway 63, 93,114 Sheas Performing Arts Center 33 Six-Pack Blizzard 31 Skyway 2, 44, 48 Small Boat Harbor 21 Snow Belt 38 Snow Plow 7 St. Patrick’s Day Blizzard 27 Studio Arena Theatre 102 Sunshine Derby 20 Theater District 33, 75, 102 Tifft Nature Preserve 94 Times Beach 71 Tonawanda Island 19,100 Tugboat Daniel Joncaire 90 USS Little Rock 44, 90 USS The Sullivans 88 White car 48 Wind-Chill index 42 Windmills 14, 21 Left: Abraham Lincoln’s commanding view from the portico of the Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society building page 1152009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=122http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=122The Author Dr. Mark Donnelly is an artist, an educator, a passionate community and environmental activist, a proud husband and father, and a man seldom separated from his camera. In his first book, Th e Fin e A rt o f C ap turin g Buffalo , he visually showcased our vast wealth of arts, heritage, and everything else that makes Western New York an amazing place to live. As an award-winning photographer, his work has appeared in dozens of regional exhibitions and galleries, including the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, the Burchfield Penney Art Center, Rodman Arts Centre, and the Art Gallery of Hamilton. As a former writer for several prestigious advertising agencies, he has worked on many high-profile accounts such as Nissan, Seiko, Kodak, Hitachi, and I Love NY. page 116 Above: A picture of me. (mr 1/1)2009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=123http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=1232009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=124http://my.youturnpub.com/YouTurn/FrozenAssets/?Page=124Mark Donnelly, award-winning photographer and one of Buffalo’s most boisterous civic cheerleaders, has once again put down his pom-poms and picked up his camera to promote the city. In Frozen Assets: The Beautiful Truth About Western New York’s Fourth Season, he views the city through the lens of perhaps our most misunderstood three months–our spectacular winters. In his first book, The Fine Art of Capturing Buffalo, he visually that makes Western New York an amazing place to live. showcased our vast wealth of arts, heritage, and everything else You are invited to be inspired by the majesty of our city adorned in white, to debunk the exaggerations about our weather, and to laugh all the while you are doing it. Suggested Retail Price: $29.95 ISBN: 978-0-9788476-8-52009-11-19T17:36:05+01:00