~ first day of spring...

...light snow falling :-(



I remembered this happening before, so I looked back through my blog -- and found this post from March 20, 2009 (click on the link below):

Ahhh...springtime (2009)...


The weather channel is making such a big deal about this -- but it has happened before -- probably quite a few times!

~ today's view...

...snow, as predicted.



Schools are closed.  Rick made it to work, slowly, but okay.

Time to stop looking out the window and get back to my sewing room! :-)

~ winter sunset...

...too pretty to let it pass by.  I grabbed my "new" camera and because I had to be quick, I set it on the "auto" setting.  I did some minimal photoshop editing.  I think it's okay -- but I want to do better.

~ playing with my "new" old camera...

My "new" camera has been sitting idle since July 2014.  This is the camera that I received as a Christmas gift in December of 2013.  I have now beat my own record for longest amount of time between getting a new camera and not using it.

So, it's time to learn how to use the "new" camera.  Why?  Because my current goal is to "use what I have" to distract me from wanting things I don't already have -- so that I can get rid of some of the clutter here :-)

Here are some photos taken yesterday -- while it was snowing:






...and the photo that was left in the camera since July 2014!



None of the photos have been edited.  I need to study them a bit and then move ahead to some other settings on the camera.  I have my favorite settings that I use on my "old" camera -- and I need to find that comfort zone on this one too.

Looks like the sun is trying to peek through -- it might be a good day for more practice ;-)

~ the day after...

...winter storm Octavia.

Ozzy doesn't care that the temperature outside is only 5 degrees farenheit.  He wants to go for a walk with me in the early morning.  I try to delay the walk when it is so cold -- but he is persistent -- so I bundle up and take him.

This morning we were treated to a beautiful sky -- and the morning flight of birds that passes overhead.  This is a daily morning event -- usually I'm back in the house by this time, but this morning I took Ozzy for his walk and then came back in for my camera to take some photos of the beautiful morning, and...



...so I could take a photo of this :-(


I first noticed some fur on the top of the snow (right side of photo).  And then...the spatter of blood :-(  It was bright red when I first saw it, and between the time when I went into the house to get my camera and then came back outside the spatter drops had deepened in color.

I am feeling guilty now.  Do you think if I had not delayed Ozzy's walk this would have not happened?  And then I think that this was not a random act of violence -- it was a wild animal catching it's prey to be eaten for survival.

There are some tracks -- and the fur can be from either a cat or rabbit.  It's possible a vulture swooped down to pick up this animal -- but I didn't see any feathers.  Since this happened on my front lawn, I will have to investigate it further -- I really don't want to have an animal carcass hanging around when the weather warms up.

For now, I am off to the store to purchase some sewing supplies so I can continue with the quiltalong I mentioned yesterday.

~ snowy day...

This morning, we woke up to this...



Rick did the first part of the shoveling and snowblower...Nicholas did the second half...and I knocked all the snow off the bushes and trees, and, then shovelled the porch and front walk.

This afternoon's weather was different -- still cold but with pretty sunshine.  So after some indoor chores I was able to work on a block from a new quilt along.



Oh yes, and my little snowman block is finished too -- I made it into a pillow.



Cookie wanted to mention (again) that she helped!

Here is the link to the quiltalong:  http://beeinmybonnetco.blogspot.com/2015/02/my-flower-box-quilt-block-tutorial-and.html

~ he...he...

He makes me laugh... :-)

~ snow gauge...

...this is what winter storm Juno left for us



...between 3-5 inches.  Not overwhelming -- just pretty! :-)

How much snow did you get?

~ snow gauge...

Since I shared this view in my post a few days ago, I decided to use it as my snow gauge for winter storm Juno.



Current conditions:  25 degrees farenheit with light snow

------------------------------------------------

~ Sofia has a half day of school
~ Rick should leave work early
~ Nicholas has opted to do today's classwork at home
~ I will relax once everyone is home safely.

~ putting away winter...

Sofia told me that winter is still lingering...because of the "snow theme" decorations that I still have out.  I have been putting them away s-l-o-w-l-y this week.  Let's see if her theory proves correct once they are all down and out of sight.



:-)

~ better bundle up...

...old man winter's not done with us yet!


               

~ snow much fun...

:-)



Did you get the snow today?  We had snow, sunshine, snow, and now the sunshine is back again.

~ sunshine saturday...

...after the last few dreary photo posts, I am so happy to be able to GO OUTSIDE -- Ozzy too :-)

~ slowly...more quilt along progress...

...drawing lines to make half square triangles.



Seems like this block is taking an awfully long time to finish, right?  If I worked on it straight through, then it would be done.  But...as Sofia always reminds me (when I ask why I can't get these little projects done)...you're busy doing all that "mom" stuff.

Kind of puts things into perspective -- guess I'm just busy doing more important things!

My goal is to run upstairs and sew these together, then, run back down here to iron and trim them -- before the guys come inside from shovelling snow and hand over their sweaty clothes that need to go in the washer immediately...

...days like this are sNOw fun for me!

~ end of a snowy day...

We got 8 1/2" of snow from Maximus.  Rick left work early so he could help us burn some snow shoveling calories!  We were out there for a little over 2 hours...



...we get a break from the weather today and then tomorrow Nika arrives.  This year, Staten Island Chuck and Punxsutawney Phil are in agreement.  It's six more weeks of wintry weather for us here in the northeast.  Thank you to Ms. KF for reminding me about SI Chuck! :-)

~ another snowy day...

...outside



...inside!



Yes, those are Sofia's hair clippies -- helping me to hold the binding around my quilt block a.k.a potholder -- so that I can sew it on :-)

The snow began at 7:00 a.m.  It is 1:25 p.m. and the wet and heavy snow has been continuous...  I think we might have about 6 inches, or, more.

The kids are off from school.  Unfortunately, the school is deducting vacation days -- if this snow keeps up there will be no time off when the weather gets nice...sigh... :-(

~ snowfall totals...

We were right in the middle of that big blue blob and ended up with 13 inches!  The guys were out early this morning with the snowblower and shovelling -- so all the snow is neat and tidy now.



How much did you get?

click here for Snowfall totals

~ snow day...

...early dismissal from school due to winter storm Janus.



The school busses finally showed up after Ozzy and I waited at the bus stop for an hour.  I am on the phone with Rick -- he is almost home.  Then I can relax...

~ snow day...

Ozzy loved the 8 inches of snow that Hercules left for us!

                        

The photo has an unusual format because Rick took the photo with his cellphone. ;-)