As many people have recently discovered (mostly due to Dani posting a link on Facebook) I have a live streaming webcam running at our house. The view is looking out a North facing window, but the camera can vary from looking directly North as it has pan/tilt functions. The pan/tilt functions are controlled from the web, however it can get a bit hectic when many people are trying to drive at the same time.

The camera will automatically return to a North West facing position every 15 minutes if someone changes where it’s facing and the camera is idle.

I can’t guarantee that the camera will be online at all times either. As long as my production workstation and the software are on, the cam is available. I typically only have the camera online through the winter months, and when a house is finally built next door, the cam will have to be moved or be taken offline. There is also an archive of the camera for the past year or two, available by clicking on the latest snapshot to the right. A new snapshot is taken every 5 minutes.

The camera itself is a Logitech Orbit AF and the software is Abelcam. One day I’d like to get a better quality camera, but for now, this one works just fine.

UPDATE: I have a new camera that just needs to be installed. It shoots in HD so should provide a much clearer picture. I may run both cams.

Boy, talk about some crazy weather lately. I know there is all the hype about global warming and all, but over the past couple of years, I haven’t noticed it. Especially through the winters.

Last year, we were away for Christmas to the interior of BC, it was one of the coldest, snowiest winters I can remember since the blizzard of ‘96. I haven’t shoveled that much snow in a long time, thankfully one of the snow plow drivers took pity on me one evening and gave a quick push to the large pile of snow at the end of our driveway. I still owe him a beer or 12.

This past weekend, we experience some severe heavy rains, of which I haven’t see since ‘94. These rains caused flooding and bridge/highway closures among other things. It was to the point that the mayor of Courtenay declared a local state of emergency. I was one of the unlucky people to be caught in the slow traffic.

Today, another storm has rolled in to our area. It has been a bit cooler the past couple of days and we have had some brief spats of snowfall out here in Cumberland in the evenings but nothing too crazy. Today, after the winds and rain picked up, I noticed there was snow mixed in. As soon as I was half way up the highway connector, it was completely snowing, and not just lightly either, very heavy.

At the time I am writing this entry, it is still snowing heavily and has been for the past 3 hours. There is about 3″ of snow on the ground and still accumulating. I don’t know if this is a sign of what’s to come this winter, but I suppose it’s time to get prepared.

I am definitely not a snow-scrooge, other than shoveling too much of this heavy wet stuff, it does help to get the holiday spirit going. Sadly we are also dealing with a patio door leak that has done some damage to our house and we’re waiting on the repairs to start. Hopefully it won’t be too hectic.

Until next time…