Sir Walter Raleigh is a Wolfpack Fan

Richard — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 13:23:18 +0000

Our N.C. State basketball team has made it into the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament. It’s been a while since we’ve been here, and we’re very excited to be back. So excited that it seemed appropriate to dress Sir Walter Raleigh up in a Wolfpack jersey.

That’s Life in Raleigh….a/k/a Wolfpack Country.

Sir Walter Raleigh loves the NCSU Wolfpack!

Snow: Now You See It, Now You don’t

Richard — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:55:00 +0000

Aahh…..this is how we like it. Yesterday evening we enjoyed a beautiful snowfall. But now, the very next morning, the streets are just damp and there are only traces of white on surfaces and dotting the grass. Even better, our only snowfall this winter started falling on the eve of President’s Day, lessening the distress about the morning commute and the anxious speculation about whether schools would be open or closed.

Yeah, yeah, go ahead and laugh that there’s a long list of schools and businesses that are starting on a two-hour delay though there’s hardly a flake in sight. Our workweek is forecast to end with three seventy-degree days. It seems like we really have the best of both worlds this week: The beauty of snow and the glory of open windows and a fresh breeze.

That’s Life in Raleigh.

Six More Weeks of Winter? No problem.

Richard — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:27:22 +0000

It’s hard to believe that yesterday was Groundhog Day 2012. Sir Walter Wally, Raleigh’s groundhog, predicted six more weeks of winter for us. Really, Wally? Here in Raleigh in the winter of 2011-2012, I don’t think we’ve had six weeks of winter-like weather yet. Our snow total for the entire season sits at 0.0 inches, the thermometer hit 70 more than once in the last week, my heating bill actually makes me smile, and it’s starting to look like spring everywhere. Daffodils and forsythia are in full bloom, trees are budding and flowering, the air is sweetly fragrant, some insects are back, and so are the birds. There was even a flock of robins checking out my garden today. On the down side, my yard is starting to look like I need to pull out the mower already. Nah, it’d be a shame to mow down those buttercups that are out there.

I’ll gladly take six more weeks of this kind of winter.

That’s Life in Raleigh.

Hurricane Irene in the Skies over Raleigh

Richard — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 03:13:28 +0000

Hurricane Irene's clouds over Downtown Raleigh

Tornadoes in Raleigh

Richard — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 19:49:15 +0000

Saturday, April 16, 2011, is a day we won’t soon forget around here. A violent storm system spent the week marching across the U.S., leaving death and destruction in its wake, and saving the worst of its wrath for North Carolina. Lives were lost and homes and businesses were destroyed.

While it was a very frightening experience huddling in the closet with my family, all of us were all safe and we didn’t personally suffer property damage. However, all of our neighbors in Downtown Raleigh were not as fortunate, as Downtown suffered a lot of destruction.

When we opened our door after the storm and smelled freshly-cut wood, we knew things could not be good around us. Everything—houses, cars, signs—was plastered with tattered bits of leaves. (The last time I remember seeing this was when Hurricane Fran roared through Raleigh in 1996.)

Bit of leaves were stuck to everything in Downtown Raleigh near where the tornado hit.

There were trees on top of houses, power poles laying across roads, crumbled chimneys, the tops of trees sheared off, asphalt and sidewalks raised up where trees were uprooted. Main arteries in and out of Downtown were completely blocked by trees and downed power lines. The damage to Shaw University’s campus in Downtown Raleigh was so extensive that the rest of the spring semester had to be cancelled.

New Bern Avenue in Downtown Raleigh after the tornado.

The hood of this car was peeled back by the Raleigh tornado.

On the ground in front of the minivan you can see where a tree had been growing.

The tree flew over the minivan and landed here in the next block. You can see the tree just to the right of the person in the photograph above.

The path of the tornado went right through Raleigh City Cemetery.

Tornado damage in Raleigh City Cemetery.

After the storm ended, Downtown Raleigh residents left the safety of closets, bathtubs, and hallways and ventured outside. Neighbors were checking on neighbors and lending a hand before the rain even stopped coming down. Those who regained power quickly offered hot showers, cell phone charging, and freezer space to those who had to wait longer for power to be restored. Community cleanup efforts have been ongoing. Progress Energy seemed to put forth huge efforts to restore the power as quickly as possible. And the City of Raleigh has been doing a fantastic job of management in the wake of this emergency, from organizing volunteer efforts to planning for debris removal.

St. Patty’s Run Green 8K

Richard — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 12:24:55 +0000

This was not just another wacky race in Raleigh. Well, yeah, there were some…ahem…unusual outfits, shall we say, but there were no doughnuts involved. Just things like green hair, tutus, striped kneesocks, green mustaches, kilts, and plenty of weird head ornaments.

The route of this race was through the heart of my neighborhood, Historic Oakwood. The amazing sound of 2,000 runners running by my house is a hard one to describe. My shoes, however, did not join in that pounding noise on the street. I admit to sitting in a chair on my front porch watching the runners go by and providing encouragement from my couch potato position. Of course I was cheering on the St. Patty’s runners. My name is Callahan, after all.

That’s Life in Raleigh.

The view from my porch

Pot of gold at the end of the rainbow

Searching for Signs of Spring in Downtown Raleigh

Richard — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 23:23:48 +0000

Today seemed like a beautiful early spring day, so we decided to walk around Downtown Raleigh and look for signs that spring is headed our way. I’m really hoping warmer weather is right around the corner, and from the sights we saw I think we’re closing the book on another record-breaking winter here in N.C.

Signs of spring spotted during my stroll included blooming bulbs everywhere, flowering trees that seemed to be outdoing themselves, and even some over-achieving bushes and trees already sporting that fresh green sheen of new growth. Plus there were people in flip-flops and so many of the restaurants had their outdoor tables and chairs at the ready. And the surest sign of spring in Downtown Raleigh? School field trips!!!

I think we’ve almost made it.

That’s Life in Raleigh.

Field trips are the surest sign of spring in Downtown Raleigh.

This Is January Weather As It Ought To Be

Richard — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 18:16:02 +0000

Even though I’ve been dwelling on the weather lately–and not only in my writing–I really have to point out what a beautiful weekend we’re having in Raleigh here at the end of January 2011. Sunny with a high of 60 degrees on Saturday and Sunday. And the timing couldn’t be better. There are sooo many things going on around here this weekend, and this kind of weather always makes everything better! We’re showing off our awesome city to our international audience this weekend as we host the NHL All-Star Game and Festival. Yep, great hockey towns don’t have to be covered in snow and ice.

While I’m planning to spend as much time as possible outdoors enjoying this much-deserved break from winter, I’m not putting away my electric blanket yet.

It’s Melting Fast

Richard — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 13:11:35 +0000

Now, this is how we like our snow here in Raleigh. It’s not supposed to stick around for long…if it snows at all. A week ago, it was snowing hard and fast and piling up on our streets. But then yesterday our high temperature was in the 60s. With an overnight low last night of 50 and our weekend temps predicted to be in the 60s both days, this mess is history.

Goodbye, snow. And don’t hurry back now, ya hear?

That’s Life in Raleigh.

It’s a Winter Wonderland

Richard — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 13:42:13 +0000

Well, the forecasters got it right. We did get snow on Christmas Day and more snow on December 26th. A lot of snow. Maybe 8 inches or so, which is a huge amount for Raleigh. And it’s still cold. Today’s high is forecast to be 35 degrees or so, and tomorrow we may hit 38 after dropping into the teens tonight.

There is hope ahead, though!! By the weekend, our temperatures are forecast to be in the 60s again. It would be really nice to be already done with winter around the first of January. To be fair, I think we’ve done our time.

In the meantime, we’ll enjoy another day at home with the family. Movies, music, games, and a warm kitchen with heavenly smells. We need to finish our snowman, too, and take our sleds out on the hills of the cemetery. There’s a lot to do before our normal temperatures arrive!

That’s Life in Raleigh.

My sign decorated for the holidays and topped with snow.