No More SNOW. No more PLEASE

Please click to enlarge these photo's so you can see what I was photographing. Just to the left of the 2nd tree.....the tree on the right is a sign. A for sale sign for the house of the bad neighbor. The sign is almost 100% covered by the snow!!
We often go outside, even with snow on the ground to sit and enjoy the serenity. Thus the furniture and outdoor heat thing you see on the table top are still in place. Too much snow, even for us. Our neighbors, I'm sure think we're way way beyond odd for going out and enjoying the weather in winters past. This year.......NO, we've not gone out and sat. Way way too cold.
Chairs? Only an inch or so and you'd not even be able to tell the difference between the top or bottom of the chair. I should add, chairs in other's yard are probably taller with snow piles because these chairs aren't solid...they are steel mesh....so lots and lots of places for the snow to fall through BEFORE it become solid and starts adding up.
Looking to the right out the deck door . The longest ice cycle there is about 5 foot long. Probably would have been longer, but I've knocked some of these off a few times.
If this picture doesn't make you feel cold...yikes. This is out back. The V...in the tree at right is about 3 feet from the ground. Across the back...are large grasses....you can't see them, they are totally covered with the white cold stuff.

I am soooooooooooooo very tired of snow, so very tired of ice, so very tired of CoLd. This picture is after the 3rd or was it the 4th storm? I've lost track. Early morning out the back, looking at our deck through one of the back bedroom windows. Look at the ice hanging from the roof. I've knocked it off a couple of times, not that you can tell. We've had a record of 27 inches of snow so far this half of the shortest month of February...AND drum roll, that's 26 inches MORE than is normal. I am, tired of it, as are most people in the area; but bite your tongue please, there are over 12,000 homeless people living...........or trying to stay alive in these conditions in this area. Can you Help? Yes, you can...everyone can, not perhaps in the same way..........but each and everyone of you CAN HELP, so PLEASE, Please, PLEASE do.

Before the Second Snow Storm

Day before yesterday, this is what we traveled home to. It was pretty, sun out, but cold and snow was everywhere. Our street had been plowed but look at the volume on the edge. Our community always does a good job with the streets; but then they can since it's a small community and not a large amount to work on. Others sure aren't that lucky.
Our wonderful neighbor used his snow blower to take care of our drive and walk which made getting in with the luggage easier. It wasn't long though before the sun disappeared and the 2nd storm hit. We got snow during the night and hubby shoveled before work (couple of inches), and again when he came home for lunch (couple more inches). It continued snowing all day. When good neighbor got home for work, he got out the blower and he and hubby together went at it again. It was slowing down a bit when we called it a night last night; but as I look out again this morning....street, walk, and drive are once again covered.

This weather is difficult for all of us, but I keep thinking about those homeless folks without a roof over their heads to ward off the cold snow.

Love Story

Perhaps when you first read the title, Love Story; you thought I was gonna talk about the movie. Nope. My parents, it's really quite a love story.

They met in high school when Mom was a freshman and Daddy a senior. She always said she chased him until he caught her. lol In those days each class had a hall or wing or floor. So, as she used to tell the story she and her girl friend who had her eye on one of Daddy's friends would race through the freshman wing to get to the senior wing between classes to interact. They went to dances, hayrides, and movies; typical high school dating for the times. Daddy went off to service (US Navy, Fighting Seabees), and they wrote letters back and forth. They got married when he got safely back home and began their life together.

Many of you know that life together ended last April when Mommy died. August would have marked their 62nd year together as Man and Wife. Quite a marvel in light of the number of divorces today.

This necklace reflects their love for each other. The circle is my Dad's first wedding band. He needed a larger one somewhere along the line. The both loved lighthouses. The TV room at home has quite a collection of ceramic lighthouses. They toured them when they traveled, and the wall is full of photographs and cross stitch pictures of lighthouses. They had the lighthouse designed by a local jeweler. The diamond on top of the lighthouse is the diamond from Mommy's engagement ring. She always wore this necklace, only removing it just prior to her surgery.

A Great Aunt (same one that gave me the heirloom dishes) left me her diamond many years ago. I had it tucked away, and gave it to Mom when she and Daddy had their new rings made. Daddy wears her wedding band, (the 2nd one); and I wear the Lighthouse necklace. We both feel her close to us as we wear these special pieces, we feel the love.

So in my alphabetical remembrance, Love Story is part 1 for the letter L. We miss you Mom

Heirlooms

Do you have family heirlooms? These hand painted dished are one of mine. This is a marvelous set for 12 with all the serving pieces. They were given to me years ago by my Great Aunt Irene. She was my Dad's Aunt. Click to see the dishes, they're sooooooo pretty. I always loved them. Very light mellon creamy background with colored flowers, and pretty gold and red boarder. I use to use them alot. My Aunt always said she liked to give things away when she was still living so she could see people enjoying things. Then a friend said it made him nervous when I used my good dishes and so they got put away. They weren't easy to get to-- to use; so it's been awhile since I've enjoyed them. A couple of years ago I got my first dining room set, which included a hutch. I'm thrilled to get to display my dishes. The last time Daddy came for Sunday dinner, I decided we use our nice china.

The cool Italian wine glasses I got Christmas before last from my Dear SIL, in our gift exchange. Look how beautifully they go with my dishes! We fixed a special meal, used our special china and had the special wine glasses. A good evening for sure.

The Marvel of Nature's Beauty

While not the best picture, look at the marvel of natures beauty. This is something we mortals simply can not come close to. One cold morning very recently I saw this between the 2 window panes over my kitchen sink; as I was pouring my morning coffee. Made me groan for how cold I knew it was to have this between the window panes; thinking about those poor homeless living outdoors (please check out The Bridge and Beyond), but at the same time I was in awe of the beauty. Sometimes the prettiest sites are right before our eyes...we just need to take time and look to enjoy it.

Butterflies

Long ago, I enjoyed cross stitching. I didn't photograph many of my projects; but found this one to share with you. My older brother had a wonderful butterfly collection when we were kids growing up. I made this for him years ago for Christmas. Technically, I think this is a month instead of a butterfly. I'll have to have him look at it and tell me. Just thought I'd share this with you, as a way to make us think of warmer weather.