Where is spring?

Spring is suppose to arrive today at 5:28 AM.  It isn’t as if you can turn a switch and winter will be gone and spring will be here.  If there was such a switch I would have turned it months ago.

Yesterday we walked the back road, it still has snow and ice, my boots got wet, time to give up the snow boots and get out the waterproof ones.  We wandered throughout the yard for the first time this winter. There are many many twigs in the yard that will provide good exercise…and just a few steps.

The snow and ice is still at the snowstick.   We should have a winner this week….maybe.

March 20  PM        Pippa
March 21  5:20 PM   Red
March 22  PM        Sonja
March 23 PM         Alvina
March 26  PM        LD
March 28 PM         Rita

I am hopeful that spring is on it’s way.  In Minnesota you can never tell…it might be March or it might be June.

It froze

It froze again.  The wind blew too.  Chance was needy….he needed a friend to go outside with him.  In the late afternoon little snowy pellets fell from the sky.

There is still two inches of ice and snow at the snowstick.

When will it all melt?  In a day or three??  Here are some guesses that might win.

March 18 PM         Wendy Danielson
March 19  PM        Karen
March 20  PM        Pippa
March 21  5:20 PM   Red

Yesterday I stayed busy clearing odds and ends off my desk…nothing major.  I cleaned the  bathroom, Far Guy ran the vacuum and I dusted some. I did some laundry, I didn’t even cook as we had soup out of the freezer.   Making that list of what we have in each freezer is working well for us.   At least I feel we have a handle on the situation and will use up frozen  “stuff” before making more freezer food.

 

Melting

Our temperatures are warmer and snow is melting.  We may have a snowstick contest winner in a day or two or three.  A winner will be declared when all the snow/ice/water is gone from the stick and I can see grass. 

March 16 just before dark.

The following people have a good chance of winning. 

March 17                Mac n' Janet
March 17  PM        Marlys
March 18 PM         Wendy Danielson
March 19  PM        Karen

Stay tunned!

Far Guy and I have been woodcarving and finishing up a couple of projects.  Photos will be shared at a later date as they are gifts.

We still have some snow drifts in the yard.  Winter is not over yet but spring is getting closer.   Yesterday we saw several sets of Trumpeter Swans flying around, a herd of deer and about four or five Bald Eagles.

Layers and a Movie

There are layers of dirt from the snirt storm last week.

I got the patio cleared off so it doesn’t track in the house so bad.

Not exactly a winter wonderland.

Here is the snowstick, still about two inches of snow.

The wind was cold again yesterday.  I was cold after being outside so I went to the couch with a warm corn bag and covered up with only my eyes poking out to watch a movie on Netflix.  Sometimes I just watch the first movie that comes up…yesterday it was The Great Gilly Hopkins and I give it five out of five stars. Well worth watching.  Then I watched part of A Series of Unfortunate Events a Limminy Snickets TV Series…there were some snakes, I shut my eyes so many times I fell asleep.

It will be a hard week, I don’t like the time change but perhaps we can begin our after supper rides again since it will be lighter in the evening.

Remember to change the batteries in your smoke alarms.  We change our batteries twice a year…no matter what…why wait for the chirping?? no sense taking a chance….you are worth it.   Check the expiration date on your Smoke Detectors…they should be replaced every ten years. We got some new ones last Spring and marked them with the month and year they went into service.  We have Carbon Monoxide Detectors too because we have a LP Fireplace and Furnace.

Snirt Storm and Project Updates

First it snowed and that was okay… nice big snowflakes.

BUT then the wind came up, it just howled through the yard.  Chance had to be coaxed to go out.
It was awful. The wind blew for two days…40 to 60 MPH gusts. My happy little sunflower yard decoration flew off and is probably in the lake by now.  The squirrel guard blew off the feeders, a small piss popple came down in the driveway.   I was sure we were going to lose power but we didn’t.

All of the dirt on the fields in North Dakota and Western Minnesota ended up mixed in with the snow = Snirt.  Everything is just filthy outside.  I am hoping for a rain to help clean things up.  It blew so hard that the window screens caught the snirt.  The dirt hangs there like cobwebs.

It is not exactly a winter wonderland.

There is still ice and two inches of snow at the snowstick.  We are headed back below zero again. 

Ongoing projects: 

I am working on Mikey’s blanket. (Our great grandson who will be born in May…his middle name will be Michael…so I am going to call him Mikey…just like in the Hey Mikey Life Cereal Commercials.)

Taxes!!  Information was compiled and the paperwork is at the accountants.  I am always happy to have my part completed.

A special woodcarving project is in the works…it is going slower than I anticipated.

A lake

It warmed way up to 49 F  or 9C  eh!  Then it rained and we had snow fog.   Then the wind blew.  Snow melted and melted.

On March 5th we had four inches of snow at the snowstick. 

We have less now and lots of water and ice.  No grass there yet, but it could be getting close…unless of course we get more snow.

It thundered in the afternoon…it was a strange sound to hear in the winter.

We bought a new rain guage, one with huge numbers on it…which is just perfect for us old folks.   Everything in the lawn and garden section says Spring is on the way.   BUT the weather forecast is for below zero weather on Friday morning…how could Spring be so cruel? 

I was just about ready to put my parka away along with my good snow boots because I don’t want to wear them in the mud.  I have an old ratty pair that can get muddy and my red waterproof boots… it is too early for Crocs even with socks.

Snowstick Contest 2017

It is probably time to start the snowstick contest.

Leave a comment with your best guess.   The date and morning or afternoon please.

Here is the history;
2011  April 8
2012  March 13
2013  April 30
2014  April 10
2015  March 11
2016  March 8
2017  ???????  Your best guess

I am not certain what the prize will be most likely a bark carving of a house. I better get busy and carve a few!  You can be assured that it will be a one of a kind Bark Carving!

I will add the guesses to this post.  Guessing will end at 9 PM Sunday night February 12th.  For the shy people you know my email address or if you don’t know it …it is in my profile…click on the little yellow flower on the sidebar!

When the snow, ice and water is gone from the snowstick I will declare a winner.  It must be grassy ground!

Guesses: 
Date         AM or PM     Name
March 1                   Sam I Am
March 3    PM         MJM
March 5    PM         Karen 51
March 6 PM            Dreaming
March 10                 Michele M
March 11  PM        Phyllis P
March 13  AM         Djan
March 14  PM         Mildred
March 15                diane
March 16                Terry and Linda
March 16  PM        Sandy B
March 16  PM        Linda
March 17                Mac n' Janet
March 17  PM        Marlys
March 18 PM         Wendy Danielson
March 19  PM        Karen
March 20  PM        Pippa
March 21  5:20 PM   Red
March 22  PM        Sonja
March 23 PM         Alvina
March 26  PM        LD
March 28 PM         Rita
March 29 PM         Kathy
March 29  PM        Linda Reeder
March 30               Cynthia
March 31  PM       Ann Z
April 1   PM         Dale K
April 2   PM         Bonnie
April 5   PM         linda M
April 6   PM           Anonymous
April 7    PM         J.T.
April 8   PM          Paula Kaye
April 10  PM         Sharon A
April 11  PM        diane in wisconsin
April 15 PM         Intense Guy


          

January Thaw

We are thawing out.

The walk is clearing up bit by icy bit.  The rain followed by heavy snow twice since Christmas did a real number on the walkway.

The snow slid down Far Guys garage yesterday…it was a slow slide and it continued all day.  It may be gone overnight.  We hope Chance is not outside when it comes down.

We are expecting it to stay above feezing most days for the next ten days!!

The snow stick has shrunk by 6 1/2 inches.  Yesterday it was holding at 10 inches.

The great sort continues, this time to old files….it is a paper nightmare. One more day and then I have to switch gears…I promised to help someone with a project and it will require my attention for a few days. Then it will be back to the great sort…or maybe the Shiny Brite tree…it is still up and pretty.

Snow

I am not certain what they are calling this Winter Storm with the one two punch.  We got 2 1/2 inches of snow in the first part.

The second part of the storm remains to be seen.  I hear that there will be some wind…so it can blow around.

We have no place to go so we will stay at home for the duration.  I have enough projects to keep me busy for days!

We made the run to town for fresh fruit and vegetables before the snow began.  The roads have been icy since the Christmas rain.  I am not sure they will get better before spring.

We took down the downstairs Christmas tree…Chance was happy to have his Love Seat back in it’s rightful spot.  The upstairs Shiny Brite tree can stay up awhile longer.

Cold Weekend

I made some lists and checked them twice.  I will go to town when it gets warmer this coming week.  I made a list of food to prepare for Christmas.  I  hope to keep it real simple.

It snowed but it is too cold to shovel, I will shovel Sunday afternoon after it warms up.

A peek out the window.

Blue jars I should probaby put marbles in. A tiny vase with a pencil carving, a Loon that Far Guy carved, an Angel that I bought at a garage sale, my blue collie ( a cover for a candy dish) and a Nutcracker.  Hanging in the window on the left a stained glass piece from my cousin Mary Jane and the other large piece of glass was a gift from a now very famous Glassblower.

The snowstick is out this window. We have eight inches of snow, it was so cold when it snowed last night that it was like a sprinkling of powdered sugar over everything.

I finally changed the flag.

I have kept busy reading, working on a crochet hat and making a few more Christmas Cards.  I also did some indexing at Family Search.  Far Guy woodcarved for awhile.  Then we all had a nap!

Yes it is bitterly cold here, but there are no snakes or bugs…not even any of those ticks. It makes us appreciate those days when it is above zero.

Three Days of Snow

It has been snowing here on and off since Monday afternoon. We have been hermits since then, who wants to be out on questionable roads anyways. 

This time the snow is light and fluffy and blows around a bit.

We have just about eight inches in the yard.

The snow slides right off the shovel!   Far Guy shoveled some, then I shoveled but left some for today.  No sense in doing it all at once.  The freaking snowblower wouldn’t start…it has an electric start that just made a grinding sound.  Good thing my brother came by with his big snowblower to do our driveway.

So far the only decorating is by Mother Nature.

The Christmas Cards are done and most are mailed, I still have a few on my desk that need to go to the Post Office.  Most of the Christmas Ornaments have been mailed or will be mailed soon.

We have discussed where we will put the Christmas Tree downstairs. A new spot this year.

One of these days I will bring down the angel and the Nativity and the decorating will begin.

Shovel fun

First Snow Report

Well we got snow and it is white.  It was a heavy wet snow.

Friday morning, the snow continued to pile up throughout the day.

I went out just before dark to take a few more photos.

I ventured through the snow to  sweep off the snowstick.  It says about seven inches but the wind was blowing the snow around…so I will guess we got about nine inches.  The snow was above my snow boots…uffda that was a chilly reminder that I should have shoved my pants legs in my socks.

Birds visited the feeders throughout the day. A few geographically challenged Finches, and our usual Chickadees, Grossbeaks and Woodpeckers.

This poor tree is broken.

The sunset was pink through the snow filled trees.

Far Guy shoveled a path for Chance and my other baby brother plowed our driveway.

There is time enough to do the shoveling today, we have no plans to go anyplace, it is probably just as well I imagine the roads are a tad icy.  We are thankful that we were able to escape power outages, many were not so lucky.

The weather channel named this storm Argo.

Snowstick

We finally got the snowstick in place.

So far the snowflake on the welcome flag is our only snow.

There it is poised and ready for snow.

For those of you who don’t know, I put a snowstick up every Fall so that I can measure the snow in our yard throughout the Winter.

Yesterday we had just about 60F or 15C eh!  It was a beautiful day. No snow in sight for the next few days either.  So far it has been a wonderfully warm November…one of the best ones I can remember and as far as I am concerned it could stay this way all winter!