The snow was too fluffy to stick together well, so I had to make a snow lady. She looks giant, but she’s just a few feet across and tall. She is sitting on the deck table.
I took a photo with my phone and emailed it to a few folks. That photo was deceptive in scale, and I had to come clean and admit that Snowlady is more of a Snowdoll. Her polka-dot skirt (red hots) has become an all-over lovely shade of pink now that the red hots have melted.
Happy end of February…
Thursday afternoon at about 4pm the herd showed up. There is a small herd of about 8 deer that hang out around our place, but they are usually in the backyard or in the swamp during piano lesson time, when people are coming and going. The day I took these, the deer didn’t care who was around. They just stood to the side when the students left. They prefer arbivitaes, but the small shrubs lining our driveway will do in a pinch. Since they seem to keep them trimmed nicely, and not stripped, I didn’t shoo the bambis away. No sense in buying a hedge trimmer when we have friends like these. I think there will be lots of babies this spring. The food has been plentiful and the hunters scarce. I may have to fight for my parking space.
About a mile north of us on Bull Road stands the Clinton House, built in 1730. No, Bill and Hillary don’t live here. Nevertheless, it is a really good example of the historical houses in this area. I think you can read the sign pretty well if you click on it. Yes, this house is currently occupied, as are many of the era.
Biking in North Idaho around 1994
Just before the Coos Bay Bridge, Oregon Coast. I guess he didn’t read the sign.
The famous bearded man in a self-portrait.
Happy anniversary to us. In 34 years we’ve had a lot of fun, had a lot of angst, and I’m ready for another 34. Happy anniversary to Randy today–I love you.
It snowed lightly most of last night, then turned to raining ice needles. It rained ice from about 6am until 1:30 this afternoon, when the snow started again. Before the ice started, there were about 3 inches of snow on the ground. Not too bad. Then we got an inch or so of ice, and then another 8 or so inches of snow. And wind. And now Randy is spending his energy trying to get through the three + feet drifts in the driveway. Since it was blizzarding most of the late afternoon, I had no idea the drifts were that high. The guy across the street just broke his snowblower trying to get through it. Well, there’s enough for a snowman. It’s just too dry and icy to stick together. Maybe next storm.
Happy Valentines Day! I hope everyone has a great day with the sweetheart. Mine went to work on the 6:43, as usual. He called from Secaucus on the way in, (don’t you love that name Secaucus?) and said that there were only 6 people in his car. Usually it’s standing room only after Harriman. So most folks opted to stay put during the storm. Yesterday I went to Hannafords for produce at 9am, and the place was packed with people, as if it was the day before Thanksgiving. Strange, this hording. By tomorrow the storm will be out of here, leaving who-knows-what in its path. Weather guys have said anywhere from 10-18 inches, but it only snowed about 3 last night before turning to ice. We’ll see.
Many have emailed or called and asked about our snow situation, in light of the publicity surrounding the 11+ feet of snow that fell upstate in one storm. That snow was lake effect snow. We occasionally get a tad of that, but we are too far from the Great Lakes to feel too much effect. Lake Ontario really slammed the Oswego area. We live north and west of the city, so we get those pesky Nor’Easters instead. We haven’t had any so far this year, though, and we’ve only had about an inch of snow altogether. They say that will change in the next 24. Weather predictions say 11-18 inches for us. All I want is enough for a snowman.
About five years ago New York had what was supposed to be its first annual bagpipe parade. I think it was the one and only, and the reason might be found in the weather. The day of the parade, April 6th, was cold and snowing. And these guys who were used to wearing pants were in kilts. Enough said. It was a crazy parade–10,000 bagpipes. all 10,000 played from a repertoire of four songs. Yes, it did get old after about the first thousand or so, but in a silly sort of way. If they ever do it again, I’m there.
I’ve been in a lot of parades in my day. Once I sat in a water ski boat in a bikini and threw candy kisses to those lining the parade route. (I was about 12) I was in many parades while in the high school drill team. The last time I was in a parade, I walked with a sandwich board for the American Lung Association, in Boise. I’d do the bagpipe parade, but there is this problem of my lack of bagpiping skills…but I might give Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade a try.
The Ghost Ship and Portland Head Lighthouse. As I said before Netfirms bombed the last post, the Ghost Ship was taken on one of those grey days in Casco Bay, Maine (I am pretty sure it was Casco Bay–maybe Tiffany-ann remembers better than I do). This old ship happened upon the horizon just at the right time. Maine is a very cool place to visit.