This past week started cold (low of 10°F and high of 34°F on 18 Jan) and dry, turned colder (low of 12°F and high of 21°F on 19 Jan) before warming up midweek (low of 34°F and high of 48°F on 20 Jan), and finished the week with air temps falling as low as 1°F early this (24 Jan) morning.  Currently it is 3 °F with light snow and mostly cloudy.  It has been very cloudy lately; solar panels have generated very little power. Winds are out of the NE at 7mph, gusting to 12mph.  Snow has been falling since just before 9am; very lightly at first but steadily now and picking up pace.  Upon inspection prior to the snow starting, I noted that soils in the garden are bone dry.  Excavated trenches around new foundation at rear of property so dried out now that soil eroding from trench walls cover the footings with a thick layer of light pulverized alluvium.  Temps midweek were warm enought to allow final drylocking of foundation, however much loose fallen loess soil was excavated from atop the footing to allow for this Horsetail plants were green mid-week and now they are graying.  Lawns are golden and brown except in low areas where some green is still slightly visible.  Some low growing plant material in the garden is rather verdant.  A dusting of snow covers the ground at 9:50am.  Heard of someone in local Godfrey, Illinois who caught their lawn and that of a neighbor on fire last night attempting to burn brush; this appears to confirm: https://www.facebook.com/DownstateILscanner/posts/%F0%9D%97%A0%CD%9F%F0%9D%97%94%CD%9F%F0%9D%97%97%CD%9F%F0%9D%97%9C%CD%9F%F0%9D%97%A6%CD%9F%F0%9D%97%A2%CD%9F%F0%9D%97%A1%CD%9F-%CD%9F%F0%9D%97%96%CD%9F%F0%9D%97%A2%CD%9F%F0%9D%97%A8%CD%9F%F0%9D%97%A1%CD%9F%F0%9D%97%A7%CD%9F%F0%9D%97%AC%CD%9F-%CD%9F%F0%9D%9F%B5%CD%9F%F0%9D%9F%AD%CD%9F%F0%9D%9F%AD%CD%9F-2108-godfrey-fire-7505-mars-dr-godfrey-resi/1460182952777034/