A holiday weekend of winter

 Dear Polar Vortex, thank  you so much for the snow you have dropped on Eastern OR. Not everyone is as thrilled as they might be. However, we do thank you for keeping us from the crazy freezing temps. Scooter (the dragonfly) is having enough trouble under snow! 

Even the pond is still burbling under the layer of white. 

Jon spent the weekend taking care of his rabbits. This is from Friday when we had a nominal amount of fluff. It got deeper, but wasn't wet. Just nice and pretty. 

On Saturday there was a stunning sunset. 

Tried to capture the lights on the icicles, because pink ice was so different. Alas, just managed to get pretty lights instead of colored ones. You can sure tell how old and uninsulated certain houses are in town by the amount of ice festooned across the roof edges!! This one is definitely in that lineup. 

Steve and Jon spent Saturday working on several different things (Steve had to go to town) and moving snow. 

This is about the only cat who was outside- The vortex coated the lawn sculpture with lovely ripples and shades and layers. 

 Schultz was hidden until Monday. It seems a squirrel tried to land on him and took off the very tall layer of snow blanketing him! 

Godfrey was doing fairly well, he's in the way of the ice falling off the roof on Monday. Hoping he doesn't get wiped out! 

Buford Buckshot provided a lovely spot for the birds. He, too, was finally brushed off on Monday. He was also quite a bit closer to the snow around his legs, so perhaps the squirrel jumped on him, too! 

Meepette was completely covered by Monday. Up to the tip of her curved tail!!!! She does look a bit disgruntled in this photo. 

Sunday was spent cooking and moving snow. Steve had a chance to take me for short drive and it was so beautiful! The locust trees were gold and black calligraphy on the parchment skyline and along the banks of the creek, those trees wrote stark lines about the hardship of winter's storms. You really couldn't see that much, there was so much white for miles and miles. We spied a few magpie and a ring tail hawk, and cows! 

These two bulls made us laugh for quite a while. Steve thinks the only not snowy bit on their pelts was where their foreheads were meeting. They scooted each other all over in the field while we watched. True stubbornness!! 

Rain is expected, hopefully the snow you dumped won't create flooding like last Feb. That was really horrid! The snow and ice falling off the roof today (those photos are still on my camera) are a bit startling from inside, am sure it would be impressive if I was on the sidewalk. Had to move a great pile of snow from the porch, there is a lot still left. As I type, can also see there is a wind picking up. Drifting snow isn't as much fun as plain fluffy stuff, I'm just thankful we aren't in OK or places where you have dumped severe winter storms. Thank you for the brief visit with winter and next time  you visit, well....I'd rather just have a normal winter of snow and not a from a vortex! 

Mother's Day and a few days later

Dorothy came down for a lunch of hamburgers and fixings. Steve did the burgers, I did the fixings. Except for dessert, Steve bought a chocolate cream pie. 

We missed having Tony with us. Remembering he was with us for 2016 Mom's Day is a beautiful memory to cherish. 

 "Families are magic mirrors. Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present, and the future." G.Buckley

 Jon brought down Granite, the chinchilla rabbit. Moses was very intrigued by the larger than he is mammal in a box. Rabbits are not a rodent, in spite of the teeth and ability to procreate quickly.

 Jon added strawberries to his chocolate pie.

 Most of these photos were taken with the cute little point and shoot Jon picked out for me. I took a lot of pictures to practice. This is one of the plants Steve picked out for me. He thought it was a bleeding heart, I was glad it was a fuchsia. This is one of my very favorite kinds. I hope I can keep it alive over the winter here in EO. He also got me the hanging pot in the above photo of Jon, Dot, Steve, and Granite.

 Young finch through the cleaned window and screen in one of the kitchen windows.

 Allium

 Kerria Japonica, these last 3 were taken with the older canon.

 The storm clouds on Monday were beautiful, so was the sunset on the other side of the town.

 The locust trees are finally getting leaves!!!

 Last year, at this time, I was in AK. Thankfully, the virus hasn't disrupted much in our immediate family, just travel to the north. Until then, may you find ways to shine for those around you. Below are marbles I'm wire wrapping. Tony did this for jewelry, mine are more for durability in all kinds of weather. I have more than two dozen more to add!! If you are in town and walk past, see if you can find them.

Fur, Feathers, and Fabric (and a couple other photos!)

One of the prettier days when the mountains could be seen from Dad's bench. 

A VERY scruffy bull moose in the area. I first saw him and was certain he was a horse. Then, as the car got closer, I realised it was a mangy moose losing his winter coat! 

Sunset over by the Senior Center- 

 The bluff is in VERY bad shape.

While down by Arness Dock, I spied this very young eagle. Not immature, as it has it's adult plumage. But, he's a young adult! There was also one swooping over the lake the other day. 

The babies are being born!!! I spied a pair of twins near the yard this morning and last  night, I spotted this mamma and baby. They didn't stick around for photographs! 

The author I met at the Kenai Fabric Center. I'm holding her newest book (it was left at the fabric store!) and Patience Griffin is holding fabric created for the quilts in her novels. Follow the link to find out more! 

I went for a short walk when I got back to the house and found a LOT of mosquitoes. Jon asked if they were in force yet. Yes, Jonathan, they are! 

Steve sent this photo of Dorothy and Jon on Memorial Day. Notice how Jon has his arm around Grandma? Color me one impressed mom! 

Flour and a New Year

Be at War with your Vices, at Peace with your Neighbours, and let every New-Year find you a better Man. ~Quoted in Benjamin Franklin's 1755 Poor Richard's Almanack, December 

Tony had suggested adding assorted ingredients to make colors, but Jonathan stuck with basic aged flour. Flour I tossed out after finding it in my cupboard when arriving home after two years. I wasn't sure how good it would be for baking, but it fired well. My own photos from New Year's Eve were not as clear as the ones Jon took off of the video he shot on New Year's Day, so I used his. I also found several creatures inside his flames, which he thought was a bit silly~ I reckon he'll not end up as a Firework Maker's child! He also told me the objects near the flames are not as close as they appear. 

Enjoy and imagine!