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Post by Phalon on Feb 24, 2012 6:35:12 GMT -6
That's exactly what I thought, Stepper: ferns and feathers. I did a two-minute drill to find out what causes those types of patterns (I felt quick blog coming on), and found this beautiful poem. Frost-Work
These winter nights, against my window-pane
Nature with busy pencil draws designs
Of ferns and blossoms and fine spray of pines,
Oak-leaf and acorn and fantastic vines,
Which she will make when summer comes again
Quaint arabesques in argent, flat and cold,
Like curious Chinese etchings . . . By and by,
Walking my leafy garden as of old,
These frosty fantasies shall charm my eye
In azure, damask, emerald, and gold.
~ Thomas Bailey Aldrich Yep, we're getting that snow; it started about 7pm yesterday, but the ground was already so wet, the accumulation wasn't much by the time I went to bed around 1am. It was more slush than snow. About 5am this morning though! OMG, gorgeous! The big, heavy wet flakes falling without wind covered everything in a thick layer of white; the trees look like they're made of cotton. Under the soft orange glow of the street lights it's magical. School's been cancelled - not due to accumulation, the phone message said, but because of its consistency. Driving on this type of snow is like driving on grease, (I wonder if LX's drivers training session this evening is still on - scary thought). There's no school on Monday either due to a teacher in-service day, so the girls have a four day weekend. Can you believe they both were disappointed to hear the snow-day call come in?! Today was Winterfest, though - the last day of a week-long school spirit celebration, to end in the big basketball game tonight. I wonder if the game will be cancelled too - though the current weather system is supposed to pass by afternoon, the Lake Effect is forecasted to kick-in this evening. |
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Post by Phalon on Feb 25, 2012 7:38:45 GMT -6
They were right about the Lake Effect kicking in last night. The wind picked up and is picking up moisture from the warmer lake water, freezing it, and dumping it on us at an alarming rate. Different than system snow, because Lake Effect snow doesn't stop until the wind stops. Not as pretty as yesterday's...mainly because it's blowing so hard it's difficult to see anything.
I hope, once it's done with its blustery business, the snow sticks around long enough to go skiing at least once; it's supposed to be 40 degrees tomorrow!
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Post by stepper on Feb 25, 2012 12:19:12 GMT -6
Blowing too much for a cross country venture? Ever try skiing straight into the teeth of the wind and then turning around and letting it blow you back? Okay, it's not really possible, but it's a fun thought - skiing without effort. Maybe some day they'll come up with a new sport - para-skiiing. You get a snowboard with a sail and wait for the wind.
There you go - that's what I remember, and miss.
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Post by Phalon on Feb 26, 2012 8:14:43 GMT -6
Paraskiing has already been invented; it's been a competition sport for years. Much more thrilling than just waiting for the wind, a paraskier jumps off the side of a mountain or out of a plane with a parachute.....and no, I've never tried this.
Kite-skiing is a sport too, and is more like what you're thinking, only on skis, not a snowboard, (I'm sure snowboarders have their own version). This to me, sounds fun.
Skijoring sounds really fun. It's like dog-sled mushing, only instead of a sled, the musher is on skis.
Who knew, huh? The weirdest new winter thrill sport this year: Downhill Ice-skating. I'm serious. I can't even imagine how someone came up with that one.
Pictures coming if you want; I've run out of time this morning, though.
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Post by stepper on Feb 26, 2012 13:44:58 GMT -6
Figures. I feel like a teenager on a date - you are such a tease!  Sure! Share the pictures. Somebody survived an avalanche and two days later decided it might be fun to go that fast if they could keep from tumbling? |
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Post by Phalon on Feb 27, 2012 6:58:24 GMT -6
Since you asked...(smile)....maybe just a few. (I hate to seem like one of those people who insist you look at all 523 photos of their trip to the Museum of Canned Tuna.)  Part of the ravine...with Hubs snowing blowing the sidewalk in the background.  It's hard to see in the photo, but there's a birdhouse that BP made hanging in the smokebush. A little wren used it last spring, and in fall we cleaned it out, but left it hanging. I don't know if any of the winter birds use it as shelter during bad weather, but it's a nice thought.  Cinnamon and sugar! I think the river birches are my favorite trees in the yard; I planted a clump of three for LX shortly after we moved in, and another clump for BP when she was born. Fast growing trees, they're probably close to 40 feet now. So graceful they are all summer long, and I love the contrast between the cinnamon-colored peeling bark, and the pure white snow. |
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Post by stepper on Feb 27, 2012 20:27:00 GMT -6
Nice pictures Phalon - thanks for sharing! Your description was right on too. It DOES look like a Christmas scene. Add a cardinal someplace and you've got a Hallmark shot.
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Post by Phalon on Mar 3, 2012 8:53:37 GMT -6
The weird winter weather continued this week, and I wonder if it can really be considered weird if weird now seems like the norm.
Wednesday was our warmest day yet; it got up to 60 degrees. I opened the windows in the house to air it out - they haven't been opened since October or November - and left for a long walk with the dog. I had planned when leaving that "long" would mean covering great distance; I had on a pair of jeans that I hadn't worn in a while and they seemed a bit too snug, so it would seem more exercise is in order. "Long" ended up being the amount of time we spent walking though - it was like walking with a toddler who has to stop and examine every little thing every step of the way.
The temperature steadily dropped soon after, and by dark we had a mixture of rain and sleet. It's stayed in the thirties for the remainder of the week.
Yesterday morning walking to the bus stop, BP stopped and stared up into a tree. She was quite a bit ahead of me; I had the dog, who was doing the toddler-walk again. When I caught up with her, I saw what she was staring at: the first robin of spring.
"They're talking to each other", she said. And it seemed they were. There was a cardinal sitting on a fence under the maple. The cardinal chirped, the robin sang back; the cardinal chirped again, and the robin sang. When we left so she wouldn't miss the bus, they were still continuing their conversation. "I wonder what they're talking about", BP said.
"Maybe the cardinal is warning the robin that he returned too early", I answered.
It would seem so. It's snowing now after a night of horrendous wind that blew so hard we could hear the maples making that sickening cracking noise.
I hope everyone is safe; Joxie and Sis - I heard Indiana and Kentucky got hit by tornadoes.
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Post by stepper on Mar 3, 2012 9:14:21 GMT -6
The jet stream is especially fast this week and in just the spot to set all this stuff off. We were spared the worst of it and only got winds and some drizzles - although they felt like more than drizzles with the wind. The local Saturday morning news has been focusing on the damage from the tornadoes. Of course they show the worst they can find because that's the news, but they aren't having any problems findng serious destruction - buildings that are half gone - buildings that completely collapsed - it looks like a real mess and it's early for this kind of outbreak. Even if they're okay they may not have electricity, but it'd be helpful if they signed on and said "Hi, I'm okay." (hint hint)
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Post by Mini Mia on Mar 3, 2012 18:09:20 GMT -6
My lights went off for about a half minute, then came back on. I was really surprised that was the only time they did that. Even more surprised that they didn't stay off completely at some point. The wind was almost as bad as when Ike blew through. Or so it seemed. I and my family weathered it okay ... those that I have heard from anyways. There is damage here and there, from what I've heard on the news. I haven't been out to have a look around. My niece always takes her little ones to my Mom's house to hide in the 'basement.' Basement is a loose term ... it's a hole Dad dug out under the house to put a wood stove in for heat. Boy, that made walking around barefoot in Winter a nice treat. Although I never wore shoes in the house before the wood stove was put in, so the cold wasn't a deterrent anyhow. 
So, now we wait to see how Q fared the weather.
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Post by Phalon on Mar 5, 2012 5:30:11 GMT -6
It calmed down here a lot over the weekend. It snowed off and on, but without wind, or measurable accumulation. I walked to the video store last night to return a couple of movies - just a few blocks there, and a few back, but a very pretty walk with the snow falling.
Very glad to hear nothing overly exciting happened your way, Joxie. Sometimes no excitement is a good thing! Glad you're okay.
Now if Q would just check in....
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Post by quettalee on Mar 6, 2012 9:14:52 GMT -6
Q checking in. Very little damage for me, thank the gods. Just about 15 miles north of me is where the devastation occurred. I was very lucky this time. Glad everyone is OK.
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Post by stepper on Mar 6, 2012 18:08:40 GMT -6
Glad you're okay, but that's getting a bit too close for comfort! Have you got a storm cellar?
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Post by Phalon on Mar 7, 2012 5:40:02 GMT -6
Whew!!! Relief! Glad you're okay, Sis.
It was pretty strange around here yesterday. Way warm and very windy...but not windy like last Friday windy. The whole town was without power though, off and on all day - off for a minute, then back on for a brief period, then off for just a minute again. Irritating at home, but I'm sure it was more than irritating for businesses. I had a couple of errands to run, and one store could ring nobody up without registers, and the other was cash only because their credit card machines were down.
Finally, in the evening, the minute-to-minute flickering stopped. This time it went out for about an hour, came back on, and then out for a half-hour or so. The house was pretty all lit up with candles, but it was kinda eerie, especially with the moon almost full, to drive through town and not see lights anywhere. LX had her written portion of the state driving test last night at the high-school; they had to take it in the hallways which were a bit lighter than the blackened rooms, using their cell phones for light.
Weird thought: I kept thinking it would have been a good night to be a werewolf.
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Post by quettalee on Mar 7, 2012 16:55:14 GMT -6
Yes it was too close. No basement for me. I got in the corner of the closet with pillows, blankets & a small mattress for cover. It was eerie, sis. So windy & chimes clattering...then nothing. Dead silence. I welcomed the noise from the rain when it arrived.
Today started out beautiful...warm & sunny. Now it's clouding up and kinda has that same feeling as last week. Yikes!
Wow...LX taking her driver's test. Time just keeps right on rolling, doesn't it?
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Post by stepper on Mar 7, 2012 18:48:00 GMT -6
It's a scary thing to do on your own Q. I'm glad you're okay - I feel bad for the people who weren't so lucky as you, but I'm glad it wasn't you.
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Post by quettalee on Mar 7, 2012 23:06:44 GMT -6
I wasn't alone, Uncle Step! I had my boy, Nathan, with me. He is the best cat ever...and not afraid of anything.
But thanks just the same, my friend. It's awful to be displaced and lose all your belongings. At least with the flooding, I had time to get myself and the animals out. Well, Dylan dog and I got out. Peaches the cat was on the very top of the kitchen cupboards when I made the last trip out. The water was already past my knees and I figured Peach wouldn't come down from that perch without a serious fight. His eyes were as big as silver dollars and black as coal. He was still pissed the next day but no damage done.
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Post by stepper on Mar 8, 2012 18:45:45 GMT -6
As sad as it sounds, even when it's one of yours, if they are that cranked up they will lash out no matter what's happening and you have to be extremely careful. I'm glad it worked out that Peaches was okay.
And good deal that Nathan kept you safe during the storm - I'm sure that was his intent. We're might be getting some boomers this evening - the majority of the action will be north of us but we're on the southern end watch zone. Normally that means we'll see flashes in the sky a ways off, but for the past couple of months they've been getting a tad closer than that.
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Post by Phalon on Mar 12, 2012 7:13:58 GMT -6
Lots of under-the-chin and behind-the-ear scratches for Nathan for keeping you safe and in good company!
It's about time it started rolling!!! She waited so long to take driver's ed (and she would've waited longer, because she didn't want to learn to drive in the snow), she'll barely have her license by the time she goes to college! It's so different now then when we got our licenses: back then you took driver's ed, passed the test, got your permit, and drove straight to the Secretary of State office, got your god-awful picture taken and was issued a license, all in the same day.
I'm not sure how it works in other states, but now Michigan has a graduated license. She passed driver's ed, and the state's written test. Now she goes to the Secretary of State, and is issued a Level One license (a permit). She keeps this for a minimum of six months, is only allowed to drive with Hubs or me, and is required to log in 50 hours of drive time (a percentage of that has to be night driving). Then she takes Level 2 driver's ed classes. After passing that, we go back to the Secretary of State, where she takes the state's road test. If she passes, she's issued a Level 2 license - and must follow the "10 and 2" law; no driving after 10pm unless it's to and from work or a school sanctioned event, (it used to be midnight, but they changed it last year) and absolutely no more then 2 people under age 18 in the car at any time, one of which is her. Get pulled over for any reason and if she's in violation of "10 and 2" and she's bumped back to Level 1. Stays at Level 2 for six months. Then she's finally issued an unrestricted Level 3 license. Oh...and if Hubs and I decide for any reason what-so-ever she shouldn't be driving, the Secretary of State can revoke her license up until age 18.
Sounds like a whole lot of rigamarole, but since they've instituted the graduated license laws, Michigan's car accidents involving teenagers has dropped by 30 percent.
One more thing about time rolling along - my little girl was asked to prom. And when I say little girl, standing a mere 5 feet tall, I mean "little". Skyler (note the appropriateness of the name here) is on the basketball team; the tallest kid in school, he towers at 6 foot 7 inches.
Guess what his last name is? Go ahead - try. You're never going to get it.
It's Cornstalk! (He's part Native American.)
I'm seeing the opportunity for me to get in some good teasing with this one. A five foot girl going out with 6'7" cornstalk!!!! Bah-ha-ha-ha!!!
Sometimes it's so fun having a teenager!
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Post by stepper on Mar 12, 2012 19:00:43 GMT -6
You could start explaining to her how she'll have to stand on a ladder because when you take a picture it'd be impolite to cut him off at the navel....
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Post by Phalon on Dec 8, 2012 6:54:02 GMT -6
Ah, reading back through this page, I miss Sista Q.
I brought this thread up now, because even though with the fair weather making it not seem wintery, I was dragged into the seasonal spirit last night. After everyone got home from their different events...and we each have different places to be throughout the weekend, so last night was the night...we put up the tree.
I love our tree; I'm biased, of course, but it's the most beautiful tree ever. It was kinda sad though, putting it up. I know I've mentioned it already, but every year I get a special ornament for each of the girls, (BP always pouts that LX has more ornaments despite being reminded every year that her sister is 6 years older). My idea has always been that when they leave home, they'll have ornaments to decorate their own tree. LX put the Christmas fairy on the tree last night, and said it'll be the last time it hangs in its reserved front and center spot; she's taking it, along with the rest of her ornaments to college next year. Waaaaah! I can't believe it's nearly time for one of my babies to leave home!
No time for whining today, though. I cut a boatload more greens and berries yesterday, and after BP's volleyball game, have to spend the rest of the day making arrangements. Tomorrow is the winery bazaar. Whoo-hoo!!! It'll all be over soon. I have to keep telling myself that.
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Post by stepper on Dec 8, 2012 18:18:35 GMT -6
Sorry Phalon, but, it hasn't happened yet. And why would she take it with her? She's coming back home for Christmas and her ornaments will be waiting for her to place on the tree when she gets home. When she for-real moves out, that will be a different story, but until then, you might at some appropriate time suggest she'll want her ornaments on the tree at home.
I know what you mean about special ornaments. I have too many Peanuts ornaments for a single tree. I really should put up a second one. And I have lots of older ornaments that are delicate or were hand made by mom and that alone makes them special. A Christmas tree has no real theological significance, but the memories associated with the ornaments have a worth that can’t be measured - only treasured.
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Post by Phalon on Dec 9, 2012 8:17:26 GMT -6
I'm not so sure, Stepper. LX is extremely attached to her "stuff" when it comes to nostalgia. One look at her room - which is very cool, actually - and you'd understand what I mean; every inch of every surface except the floor, is covered with stuff. Collages of things that mean something to her on the walls, ceiling, doors, some of it laminated on wooden furniture we found set out for the trash, which she painted in wild colors. I could go on and on about the stuff she's got up there, and most likely if I took a look now, I'd see something I've never noticed. Odd thing is it's all very neat, and orderly.
When she told me she was taking the ornaments to college, I mentioned she'll be home for Christmas so why wouldn't she want them here. Still, she says she wants a little tabletop tree in her dorm with her ornaments....to include the toilet paper roll!!!. OMG, I'd packed it away separately last year with some of the other decorations that don't get put out every year. It's a toilet paper roll for god's sake - sloppily painted green and sprinkled in glitter; she made it in daycare when she was two.
You'd have thought I gave all her worldly possessions away when we got down to the end of the ornament box, and it wasn't there. Where's my toilet paper roll?! You didn't throw it away, did you??!!!!!
Now I have to find it....uhm...I hope I can.
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Post by stepper on Dec 9, 2012 10:07:38 GMT -6
Get her a table top tree as a Christmas present so she'll have it to go with her, and so she can see how little will actually fit on it. If she has mostly miniature decorations they'll pretty much fit though, and since she has an artistic bent she'll make it into something wonderful. But she might find out there's no reason to take everything and the new tradition will be what to put on the tree at home - she'll bring something back with her to put on your tree and that can be part of your present.
I keep forgetting her age. She doesn't have a large trove of ornaments huh. What she has will probably fit on her tree. As long as it's going to happen, you can make another memory and help by getting her her first tree. Tell her you want a picture when it gets decorated. Or maybe get it, but save it for when she leaves for college.
Having to let go can be harder than holding on.
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Post by Phalon on Dec 11, 2012 5:16:47 GMT -6
Actually, she does. There's not only the ornaments from me, but also those from my brother, Mom, BP, and her friends. If she keeps some at home, cool. If she takes them all - that's fine too; it's the reason I started getting them for her. I don't have the same level of sentimental attachment to stuff that she does. For me, it's more the idea that she's not going to be living here that got me all sentimental. On one hand, it seems so far away, but the other hand is frantically waving that the time is quickly approaching. We filled out the order form for her cap, gown, tassel, and graduation announcements the other day. It seems like it was just yesterday that she was cracking up while watching Sponge Bob.
Oh, wait a minute. That really was yesterday.
And speaking of yesterday....the weather was a sloppy mix of rain, sleet, and snow. Xena Sis called me over for coffee; she and her Hubs just got back from Mexico on Sunday. When I arrived at her house, I found her dancing around on her porch, wearing shorts and a sleeveless shirt, and staring confusedly into the sky, wondering what went wrong. I gently led her back inside.
Sometimes, it's nice to have friends crazier than myself.
The sloppy mess turned to straight snow in the evening; this morning is simply beautiful with that fluffy wet kind of snow that sticks to everything in a thick covering which looks like someone laid a blanket of cotton down. I love that I'm the first one up, and get to be surprised when I open the door to let the dog out. I love that I get to see it while it's still dark, with only the orange glow of the streetlamp lighting it all.
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Post by stepper on Dec 11, 2012 16:51:05 GMT -6
I serve that purpose for several people.
I've probably said this before, but mom would wake me up to go walking with her in the snow late at night - or maybe early in the morning - before anyone else was out and about. I remember that once it snowed so hard we went talking and several hours later went again but our footprints in the street had filled in so we got two pristine walks out of the same storm.
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Post by Phalon on Dec 12, 2012 5:26:32 GMT -6
You have mentioned it before, Stepper, but it's worth hearing again. Such good memories you must have of those walks. There's something special about being out in the snow at night, and being the first to leave footprints behind.
I walked my errands yesterday morning. It was a lovely walk downtown - still snowing a bit, but not too cold, and no wind. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't the same as walking in the snow at night.
It's pretty warm this morning; already above freezing, and I expect there won't be a trace of snow left by noon.
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Post by stepper on Dec 12, 2012 17:20:38 GMT -6
You're quite right on both comments. I have great memories of those walks, and there is something very special about those walks. I think it has to do with the dark, the lack of other people being out and about, and it's just so peaceful and calm. It's a singular experience each time and I enjoyed every one.
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Post by Phalon on Dec 14, 2012 5:16:39 GMT -6
I think you're right. When it's snowing it's also a different kind of dark - even different than when there is already snow on the ground. It's quieter, and lighter -but BP claims it's because the sky is different; it's always pink. She made the claim looking out the window the night it snowed. I never noticed it before, but she was right, and when I went out in the dark the following morning while it was still snowing, indeed there were streaks of pink.
I've made a big dent the last few days in the Christmas preparations, crossing off a bunch of stuff on my To-Do List. It probably has something to do with actually sitting down and making a list, instead of running around like a chicken with its head cut off, without focus. I am still, of course, running around like a headless chicken, but now the head on the chopping block is clucking out directions.
I had fun the other night making some gifts; I was making a mess at the same time, so of course it was fun. There were a boatload of pine cones left over after I'd made the arrangements - the white pines seemed to put on an excess of them this year, which may have something to do with the drought - trees tend to overproduce seed when stressed. It's kind of like a built-in survival instinct in an attempt to ensure survival of the species.
Anyway....I tied raffeta around the tops of some of them - like a wick - and dipped them in melted paraffin, then sprinkled some with salt, and others with salt substitute. They're fire-starters for my brother; he's got two fireplaces in the house. The paraffin makes them burn longer (supposedly for 10 minutes); the salt produces a bright yellow flame, and salt substitute makes a violet flame. I'm not sure if this will work - my boss gave me the idea, and I got the directions on-line.
Then I melted more paraffin (any excuse to play with fire and hot wax), and added essential oils to scent the rest of the cones. Again, like with the fire-starters, the wax is supposed to make the scent hold longer. Boxed them up to give as gifts - kind of like potpourri, only more chunky.
The one thing I didn't take into account before doing this was the type of cones I used. White pine cones are notoriously sappy - that's actually what makes them so pretty. Each tooth has a cap of white sap on the tip; it looks like they're snow-covered. The sap eventually dries, but it takes months. Even wiring the cones for my arrangements left my hands covered in sap which took some major scrubbing to get off.
The hot paraffin melted the sap, and ruined one of my best pans. Drats. And the cones don't look as pretty as they did with those sap-covered tips. But at least my kitchen smells wonderful.
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Post by stepper on Dec 14, 2012 16:34:46 GMT -6
No pink here. No snow either. Today it was dark, gray, and overcast with just enough drizzles to keep the streets slippery. One day we'll have a decent snow storm, but it hasn't happened since 1985. I was in Turkey that year.  |
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Sure! Share the pictures.
"There are people you meet, who move in and out of your life, like ghosts-- and after they're gone, you find that they've left a part of themselves with you.