Snow Fun

It was my brother Claus' birthday today.  A year ago Nicole, Jackson and I were celebrating with him.
Today we just called.  Too far to go, too expensive, although it would have been fun.
Happy Birthday, Claus!
And in his honor, the photo below.  Claus loves walking in the woods, and always sees some kind of wildlife.
We were outside (here in the States) playing in the snow today, and disturbed a buck with a gorgeous rack, and his doe.  The buck got away from me, both he and I were too startled.  The dog ran barking after the buck, we yelled for the dog to come back, which eventually she did.


When I talked to Claus today, he was saying that he went for a walk today, no snow there, but he did have the crystal clear blue sky kind of day.  So cold that your nose hair freezes!  He loved it, he didn't meet a soul on his walk (he claims when he meets two people on his walk, he won't go back to that part of the woods for years, he calls it crowded).

Nicole came to visit me with the boys yesterday.  We hung out, and let Jackson play.  Went to the store, and on dropping me off, Jackson begged me to come home with them.  Since they had to come back for something today anyway, I just did.  It was great!  We had pizza, the other grandma came as well, and this morning when Nicole was at the grocery store, Jackson and Dad played in the snow fort.  The even got me to crawl through it!
(no photos of that)

Yes, I just had to show off below, I can do it too.

more snow photos

Erika and the kids followed me home, and helped dig me out.  

The help was much appreciated, thank you!

This is the house across the street. 

I'm only posting it, because I love the light (and check out that sky!  Amazing color!)

 Above is my house.  Do you see the mountain of snow that is higher than my hedge?!

 Up the street, isn't it pretty?

 Deep, deep snow.

 These kids didn't have school today, the ones in my town did, with a delayed opening.

 My helper

 More fun in the snow

 Below is today's snowfall in centimeters.

SNOW!

Alright, what else can I say, that photos say so much better.
Also, before I show the photos from this morning, let me tell you that I never went home, I stayed at Erika's with the kids, and later we will go to my house and shovel my house/parking space out.

Sleep over

The snow started this morning (it wasn't supposed to snow in the morning), and didn't stop.  When I checked the weather on-line for the town I'm working in, it even said we had a snow storm at the moment!  Well, knock me over with a feather.  You can't believe any weatherman anymore!
So I left early, after I got the last box of my big order out, and went to Jessica's and Matthew's house.  The roads were, well, all right.  I made it.
I picked up the kids - walked to the school - and they thought it was an adventure walking home.
I will probably spend the night.

I am working on a project.  If it works out, my life will drastically change.
I'll keep you posted.

Winter Storm Warning

That's what's going on today.  So far no snow, but it's early.  The storm is expected to start this afternoon, with rain and slush switching over to snow.  It's fine by me, I just don't like driving in it.  I have a bag packed to spend the night with Erika and kids (Jim is off on a business trip).  It means I'll have to make sure the birds have enough food before I leave.  Their appetite seems voracious, I was only gone for two days to Connecticut, I came home to empty bird feeders.  Yes, they get an apple once in a while too, and they love it.
I'm still searching for a cheap source for peanuts.  Broken nut pieces, like a cousin suggested, aren't to be found around here.

These are Blue Jays, comparable to Eichelhaeher in Germany.  They are brazen, noisy birds.  I thought they weren't around, since they seem to reject the lard/seed/peanutbutter cakes they rest of the birds like.  But put those peanuts out, and boy, the Blue Jays are there!

New England

It's evening.  And it's supposed to get freezing cold tonight - below 0 degrees F.  When I woke up this morning in Connecticut, it was minus 15 C outside, but still 10 degrees F, which doesn't seem as cold.

I went up Friday afternoon, no traffic.  I got started in a snow shower, which scared me, since it looked like another blizzard.  But it was short-lived, and the rest of the trip went uneventful and fast.

It was cold, and sunny, crystal clear sky above, I do love that about winters on the East Coast.  Up the Garden State Parkway, to the NY Thruway, over the Tappan Zee Bridge, onto the Merritt Parkway, which switches to the Wilbur Cross Parkway after crossing the Housatonic River.  Who wouldn't love those names?  Doesn't sound like any old highway or motorway or Autobahn, does it?  And so much a part of my life, I can't imagine not driving those roads again.

And I was in New England.  As I remembered it in the winter, icy cold, you could see as far as the horizon, with the most amazing blue sky above.  The roads I choose parallel the highway running along the shore, a bit further inland, and are all used and usable by cars only.  Everyone drove very fast, and everyone seemed to totally ignore the speed limit.

I was visiting my friend Linda.  Linda is the one who taught me to be totally independent after I found myself alone with three children.  She gave me the courage to drive into NYC (no easy feat), go on loooong drives, explore by myself, buy big appliances, and injected a confidence I am still grateful for.
I was also making a delivery of wood to her Dad Teddy (90!),  who turns wood bowls on a lathe, he does wonderful work:

 One of Teddy's bowls above and below.  The one below is turned from what Teddy calls 'rotten wood'.  Almost deteriorated to the point were it would be useless, he finds these pieces, takes them home, and tries to make something from them.  He finds the texture and colors amazing, and loves the surprise of finding it/them under a not so promising exterior.

  the one above has a crack I'm not showing on the other side, it cracked when it dried more.  

 Above is the poplar wood with the blue section.  Isn't it amazing?

I was delivering chucks with those color streaks in them, but had to bring them back with me,

because the wood is still too fresh and wet.  I'll bring it back after it had a turn in a wood drying kiln, which is being built.  We can't wait the two plus years it would need to dry naturally.

 Sunrise from the kitchen window of Teddy's and Linda's house.  Looking down on a snow covered lake.

And the romantic looking house across the street below:

And some of the ride home:

Look how high the snow is when you look at the mailboxes on either side of the road!

Merritt Parkway

Looking down from the high span of the Tappan Zee Bridge, looking at Nyack, NY.

And after the 2 hour ride, it is nice to see this sign:

And so the fun doesn't end, we are expecting snow again on Tuesday night.  Possibly a major snow storm.

Fun!

Outside

Rain, snow, sleet, melting, the whole glorious mess is happening today.  I'm still home, to come off my mountain is kind of hazardous, especially since the schools are closed today.  So I'll wait a little while before I meander out there, if at all.

My 'little' brother gave me the idea to feed the birds something other then the usual bird food cakes.  Peanuts, was his verdict.  All right, I'm game.  Got peanuts.  And a result you wouldn't believe.  The birds love it.

Especially the blue jays.  I don't see them at all until I put out the peanuts.  The huge crows come around as well, but they are careful, if I stand by the deck door, they won't come get their treat.

Last week, when it snowed.  I love the light after the snow.  Plus I want to impress you with the amounts!

 More birds, and below is the lasagna I put together for our family get-together.

It was yummy!