Snowpocalypse, Snomagedden, or What's Known As WINTER...

Just pictures today...

What I'm doing between shovel trips.

It's WINTER. We're expecting a blizzard in about an hour. The snow was "heart attack" stuff early this a.m.

Hubby and I did about 750 feet of alley, just in case we needed to get out. 

No, the neighbors didn't help. And yes, we did it by hand because we don't have a snowblower. 

And no, we're not crazy. I think. 

The front yard... about a foot

He and I agreed that from now till later tonight, he'd take the back steps and sidewalk, and I'll do the front. 

This is the first winter post-PVI and I'm very happy to be able to help do this for once. I feel guilty when he does it all... 

Old-school

We had the city go by, down the center of the street, once. We live in an old neighborhood, with narrow streets. The ordinance says "cars off the street after 3" of snow."

We've got about 18" so far. 

The crazy (and MUCH younger) neighbor next door has parked his truck BACK in the front of the house, on the easement. The plow guys will have a field day snowing him in.

He's mad because he's got Dish, and no signal for Super Bowl. 

So sad. Get off your rump and shovel, dude!!

Earlier, the end in sight!

The dogs took Hubby for a walk. Bad idea. Under all of this is ice. 

We even stayed home from church. Our church is in an older neighborhood than ours, and we know how it works - we'd have had a devil of a time (pun) getting in and out of the STREET, notwithstanding the parking lot!

Shades of glacier blue in here...

So take a look at the picture here, looks like a pile of snow. Which it is... But can you see the tones of blue in there? Snow isn't colorless. When we were in MT and were able to see some glaciers (the few that are left), we noticed this particular shade of "glacier blue." I would like to paint a room this shade. But I'd have to describe it to someone. 

Ermine wrapped?

Cinnamon bush

The neighbor's tree wears a majestic ermine-like garland of snow. Our arborvitae trees have had the snow gently shoved off them a couple of times. Our maple tree in the front - one bough is about 2' from the ground -- and that bough is SIX FEET off the ground... I'm not entirely sure that the cinnamon bush will survive the winter. It's looking a little peaked, but I'm taking this picture to fiddle with - it would look interesting in black and white, I think. 

The garden is tucked away. "With visions of sugar-snap peas" in its head, I'm sure. It's a reminder that a period of rest is required after a period of activity. The garden sleeps, knowing that come spring, it'll be in its full glory again. 

These are the raised beds, of course, and we're already scanning the seed catalog. That's what you do when you're tucked in the house waiting out Mother Nature. 

We're lucky. We have power. My brother, who lives across town, is running on a generator. Of course we have a generator. It's in the shed. We have yet to even take it out of the box. 

As Hubby says, "It'll only run the fridge anyway, so you'd still have no heat." We should really at least get it to the point where if we needed it, we could use it... Just like the snow blower we don't have...

Guardian of the garbage

Love the snowman. I suggested we make one. Hubby suggested we NOT make one... But it was nice to watch the family across the street enjoy the weather. Dad made a snow fort. Kid knocked it down. Mom took pictures. And kid was on the saucer, "sledding" into the street. 

Lucky we live on a quiet street... 

My original plan was to get out the snowshoes. But with what's forecast to come? I'd be insane. I'm not pushing my luck. Would rather stay home, pushing the shovel in between bouts of snow. 

I'm making a roasted chicken tonight. With roasted Parmesan Cauliflower as well. It'll be yummy. The house will smell good. And I can use the bird carcass for soup or stock. 

I'd bake, but my current "stop eating so much sugar" thing is in the way of that. 

Streeeeeeetch!!!

The Birds...

So I leave you with some bird pics. These are either from my front porch or through the window. 

I love my birds. You'll also notice a decided lean to the big feeder. Almost 2 feet of snow will do that. 

Female Cardinal 

Even if we had filled the feeder - the birds can't get to the seed.

The only seed they can reach.

Up in the maple tree

Smile for the camera

Enough for today