Eight Inches

Overnight.

I have nothing else to say.

Spring

A few days ago, in between downpours and snowstorms, there were a few quiet weather hours.

Whence I spent a few moments wandering around outside, to see what I could see.

And behold, the tenacious plants of early Spring are beginning to test the air.

Our friends in the valley are surrounded by pink trees and blooming daffodils already.

But up here, in the thinner air, the seasons turn at a different pace.

I might grumble a weensie bit, if a season overstays its welcome, but in all honesty, I am in love with this bit of earth that we call home.

I wouldn't trade our land -with its short growing seasons and long winters- for all of the fresh homegrown tomatoes in the world.

Improvisation

I could write about woodstove shopping and chimney repair estimates. Or the coating of snow outside my windows the day before Spring. I could write about car repairs and a kitchen stove that is acting strange, and what its like to scrub kreosote off of hearth stone. I could write about any or all of the little details that make up my life these days.

But instead, I'll write about the kids who have an amazing ability of honing in on any visiting person who has an iphone in their possession. The kids who ask often when THEY will be able to get an iphone (the usual answer is a snort of laughter and a lecture about cell towers and dead zones and what iphones are really for). For some reason, these children have been gifted with a sense of optimism that enables them to forget aforementioned lectures as soon as a new iphone enters the room.

I think you've already guessed the reason why they're so interested in apple technology, haven't you?

Well, I am so pleased to announce that I now have a better answer for them the next time they ask for an iphone. Yep, I hand them a box of Lincoln Logs and tell them why it is infinitely better to be able to design their own Angry Birds towers.

Now, if only I could figure out a non-lethal way to provide a slingshot to a 4 and 6 year old.

Picture of the Week

Why I Don't Bother with Umbrellas

Or "barellas" as my littlest calls them. The kids were asking me yesterday, as we prepared to go out in a downpour, why we don't have any umbrellas. And this, my dears, is the reason...

Do you think that a silly bit of fabric-on-a-stick would have kept my jeans from being soaked through? And the bottom half of my coat? I don't think so. Not when its raining sideways buckets. And windy besides... Had I an umbrella, it would have turned into a sail in my hands, and I would have been fighting just to keep it in alignment.

Granted, perhaps my sleeves would have stayed dry (had I held them up beside my ears). But truly, whats the point anyway? As they say in Scandinavia (from whence a good portion of my ancestors hail), "There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing".

Waterproof boots, waterproof coat with a deep hood, and fortitude are all we need.

I wish I had a picture to show you of my dripping-wet daughter, but she was in an all-fired hurry to get out of her wet things to go hang them by the stove to dry.

Oh, that's right. Still no fire in the stove.

"Well, Mama, I dess (guess) we can hang our wet things in our wooms to dwy!" To which I replied, "Good thinking... but how about we hang them in the mud room, honey? That way the drips won't get the carpet wet." To which she responded with a very dramatic slap of her palm to her forehead, as if to say, what was I thinking?

This is the same girl that a few days ago, on our way to big Brother's classroom for pick-up stated, "Mama, I'm pwetending dat da yewwow sticks and weaves are poisoned, so don't step on dem, otay?"

I honestly didn't mind the soaking, and driving through muddy streams, and standing water in the yard. Wanna know why?

The rain took the snow away. All but the drifts, that is, but who's counting?

Puppies...

Did I tell you that all of the puppies have gone to their new homes now? No? Oops... sorry. Well, the last pup left on Monday afternoon, and I suddenly find that I have time to do a bazillion loads of laundry AND fold them all within the space of 3 days (a personal record, I tell you).

Introducing Lucy...

Zoey...

Ellie...

Jet...

Luke...

Boone...

Sadie...

Bentley...

We get the Spring and Summer off while the Mamas rest up, then once again this Fall, our kennel will be bustling with activity. Can you wait?

Better

The best part about March snow is how quickly it melts away.

We still have plenty on the ground, but by yesterday evening, the branches on my Magnolia had sprung free from the snow that was holding them down.

Sweet, fuzzy catkins are perhaps my favorite sign of early Spring.

My Magnolia is always first, followed closely by our weeping Pussywillow.

The only way I can keep myself from cutting their precious branches is to capture them in photograph and wallpaper them to my screen.

Want to join me? The next two images (because I couldn't decide which I like best!) are designed to fit a widescreen monitor. Simply left click to open the image, then right click to save to your computer. As always, these are for your personal use only, please!