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!