Taste of Winter

Winter finally showed up in a dusting of snow for our neck of the woods.  I took Boom-boom for a walk to see what I could find.

It truly was a dusting that merely iced the rock wall in the back yard.

Just a tiny cup of snow here.

Holly leaves serving a spoonful of snow.

This looked like a flamenco dancer celebrating a bit of winter brightness.

A grape vine as a sled run for the fairies?

This one didn't really get the pine and the snow the way I hoped but I got some mildly groovy bokeh.  I'm learning.

Snowy fireworks perhaps.

A fragile, dried out hydrangea bearing the last few flakes before the sun melted them away.

For those curious about my Duluth-style hats, I just mean a knitted one with bits that cover the ears.  This is the one I got at Christmas and finally had cause to wear.

Wimps Need Not Apply

I live in an area that gets snow. Snow is not a rare occurrence. As such, it seems our road departments and schools ought to be reasonably well equipped to deal with it. Schools were canceled for today before the first flake of snow fell last night. I am typing this post out and setting it to post early because I intend to capitalize on the opportunity to sleep in. That said, I think it is silly to cancel school before the precipitation has commenced. Makes me wonder about the general survival skills of the decision makers so of course this is the prefect opportunity to waste time with highly scientific internet quizzes to determine my own survival skills.

At least if I had to face a class of angry kindergartners I could handle them.

16

Zombies seem to pose a bigger problem for me.
62%

But I am not half bad against a number of wild animals.

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Is this a good number of cannibals to be able to sustain or not? I haven't kept current with cannibal nutritional needs.

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I dunno, if this is so great either and I have no intention to seek hard evidence verifying this estimate.

51%

At the very least I know how to dress for the weather...

Friday 55-Harbin Ice Festival

*image from boingboing.net




The wind sweeps down
from the far corners of the world
gusting across the plains,
whistling through the trees.
The gales moan and howl
as they batter and chap
those they toss along.
The blustering gives way
to a haunting melody
gently beckoning
as it softly swells
and draws those
who fall under its charm.

On a Midnight Plane to Georgia

No 55 or Da Count this week. I've been scurrying around for a day trying to get ready to go to Georgia to take care of my mother-in-law. If you recall, some time ago she fell and broke her wrist and pelvis. She comes home from the hospital today and I am scheduled to fly out early tomorrow to stay with her for a week.

This is not meant to be a complaint but I have a few concerns. My back is still not right. It's better than it was but I have been down this road enough time to know I'm at the point where if I don't pace myself I could completely screw things up. So I want to be useful to my MIL but I also don't want to make my own situation a whole lot worse.

As the time approaches I am also wondering how things will be going interpersonally because we don't have an especially close relationship. At times it has been more than a bit contentious. things have been better recently and I am glad for that. A week of just the two of us, both coping with varying levels of pain...could be very interesting.

Finally, we currently have about 3 inches of snow, we are expected to get about 6 more then ice on top of all that. It's not supposed to stop until tomorrow morning after my flight leaves. It's a 2 hour drive to the airport when weather conditions are good. After running the car into a ditch last week and doing $300 worth of damage to it I am less than thrilled to be heading into the city in the pre-dawn hours during such lovely conditions.

Any and all prayers and good energy for the well being of me, my MIL, and my family while I am gone, as well as me just getting there in one piece are most appreciated.

I can't say that I will be posting at all while I am down there. If I do it will be sporadic and I know I won't have a lot of chance to get around to all of you. I should be back to regular posting the first week in March.

UPDATE: 11:30am...We've got 6 inches already and the worst has supposedly not even started. ugh.

HNT-Snow on the Roof

No, that's not the world's worst case of dandruff. During the snow storm last week this is how much snow accumulated on my head as I walked from the chiropractor's office to my car. My camera was in the car so a HNT post was born.

Keep warm!

HHNT

WARNING: Longjohns Recommended for Optimal Viewing

First of all. thanks to everyone for the kind words over the weekend. You all are the best.

Did you all put on your thermal undies? Ok, feel free to proceed to the pictures. If you didn't heed my warning and the images send a shiver up your spine don't blame me. I warned you. We had an ice storm last week and though I am not fond of how they can tend to lead to power failures when trees weighted with ice pull down power lines I do think they make for some gorgeous scenery. Now imagine the poor, infirm Lime with her crickety back donning parka and boots and carrying her beloved camera in the dripping slop as she trudges through a heavy layer of snow, ice, and slush in her back yard. Ever the suffering artist, I did it all for you. It's how much I love you all. Ok, ok, so I was trying to heighten the drama of the pictures and I would have taken them all for myself anyway because, as my kids tell me, I have a weird fixation on photographing flowers and sticks and blades of grass. But I AM sharing and my mother said I should always share...except for my germs, and some of my harsher opinions, and hats because we don't want headlice...Anyway, onto the pictures.

For those of you who live in warm climates and have never seen this kind of ice encased landscape, it really does weigh down a tree limb when the whole thing is covered in a thick layer of ice.

Poor frozen rhododendron or azalea (I forget which). Makes ya want to knit a tiny sweater for it doesn't it?

My washline. Remember when it was filled with tie dyed sheets and towels over the summer?

Frozen bridal wreath. I want to carry this poor thing to a heater instead of down the aisle.

Sing it with me now...I have a pussy willow. It's frozen on a stick...Ok, so that's not how the song goes but I like this shot because you can really see the crackled surface of the ice.

I bet those of you who didn't take my warning seriously are wishing you had right about now. This is still my backyard. It's a heavily wooded acre. I love the way an ice storm makes it all look so lacy.

Next we shall sing "The Holly in the Ice Cube."

Hope you enjoyed the tour. Now go fix yourselves some cocoa and warm up.