More Good Scottish Fences...

We have improved somewhat in the snow removal process.  This photo was taken looking out our kitchen door on February 21:

And here we are now on April 2:

I see bare ground!  Yay!  But as you can see, we are still under a bit of snow.  The bottom line is that I haven't gone out yet in search of new fences, so I am going to post more Scottish fences.

My blogger friend Debbie from It's All About Purple had something to say the last time I posted some fences from Scotland.  She said, "How can you share so many fences in one post.  I would have to split this up, I could get a good month out of these!!!! and a lot of comfort, knowing I have them!!!"  It made me laugh because clearly Debbie can't see just how many photos I have stored on my hard drive.  AND I loved Scotland so much that I took at least a gazillion photos when we were there, many of which I haven't even thought about  touching with my editing yet.

Here are a few that I found that have not seen the light of day for quite a while:

I want this house!!

This is the beautiful town of Oban, Scotland.  Not only is the town beautiful, they also make quite a beautiful whisky there.

I love how these two are perfect in step.

Linking to The Run*A*Round Ranch's Good Fences!

Willy-nilly Random Stuff: Squirrels, Pugs and Other Things…

1.  Our bird feeders had been squirrel-free since November 25th of 2011.  On that date, I had finally figured out a way to keep those little devils from cleaning out our feeders.   I know it was that particular day because I wrote a blog-post about it.   Well, the day before yesterday our squirrel-free streak came to an end and the snow is to blame.  The evil geniuses finally figured out that they could climb up on that massive pile of snow in front of our house and take the foot-wide leap to the feeder.  I hate to rain on their parade, but it is going to be warming up here this weekend and that jump is going to get wider and wider and eventually they will have to go raid someone else’s feeders.  But, you know, it’s been a tough winter.  I guess I can’t begrudge them a little suet to tide them over until they can find their nuts.

Thinking, thinking..

Making the approach...

Success!

2.  We’ve gotten a nice variety of birds hanging around this winter.    My favorite so far has been this red-bellied woodpecker.

3.  I have been feeling pretty bad for Olive, the pug, in this weather, so today I let her out the front of the house to give her a little more room to find the proper spot for her very important business.  It took her 285 pug circles and three tries before she finally decided on a spot.  She looked so relieved when she was finished.

Where's the grass?

Ahhhhh....

4.  Who’s watching Grantchester on Masterpiece Mystery?  I guess it's over for now.  I am sorry they’ve only made six episodes.  I am hooked on British mysteries.  I guess that’s because I fell hard for Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh and P.D. James when I was younger and never let go.

5.  Looks like we’re in for a long stretch of snow-free weather and temps into the 40s coming up.  Yay!  I hope you all have a pleasant snow-free weekend.

Linking up to Willy-nilly Friday Five &

Random 5 Friday 

Cabin Fever and Cabin Chills…

Worcester, Massachusetts, approximately 30 minutes northeast of us and the closest “big” city, has had the snowiest winter in the United States so far in 2015. Worcester tops the list at 108.5 inches of snowfall.  That’s close to three meters of snow for those of you who measure things metrically and over a meter taller than I am, if I’ve done my math correctly. Hey, no matter how you measure it, it’s one heck of a lot of snow.

Of course, insult has joined injury with the current temperature of 7 degrees F. with a wind chill of -4.  That’s -13.88 for those of you who measure things in Celsius.  Last Sunday, we reached a balmy 30 degrees F.  (-1 C.)  and it truly felt like spring.  That’s how cold it has been.

I know it has been a rough winter in many places on this continent, so you all know that I am not lying when I say that it has been a winter to remember.

To add to my particular chill, Greg injured his foot about three weeks ago and has been unable to deal with the snow, but because he is a good person, our son Evan who lives in cold and snowy Worcester has been very good about coming to help to dig us out when necessary.  However, I forgot about the mailbox after the last major snow and now it is socked in and un-dig-out-able.  So for the first time since we’ve lived in New England, I have had to put a “snowhold” on our mail, which involves periodic and frustrating visits to the local post office.

In spite of it all, I have maintained my true love of winter and snow.  I know this winter is a freak.  At least, I hope this winter is a freak.  But dealing with a winter like this can lead to a very real case of cabin fever.  To combat that, when the sky has been blue and I haven’t had any immediate responsibilities, I have taken a ride around just to get out of our cabin with my camera.

I’ve found that while I am suffering a bit from “cabin fever,” most of the actual houses around here seem to be suffering from “cabin chills.”  That’s what I’m posting here today.  Some of these icicles look pretty darn lethal so don’t stand under them when it starts to warm up.

Well, this house doesn't seem to have an ice dam problem, but I thought it stood out beautifully in the snow.

We did end up with a ice dam on the back of our house and water dripping in so decided to get our roof scraped.  We can now only get out of the house through the garage.  Fortunately, we have not had a power failure so far.  Hey, you gotta look on the bright side!  Here's the view from our kitchen door.

I do think it's kind of funny that people on Facebook are insistently and frantically counting down the days til Spring.  Like the minute Spring hits all this will be over.  Yeah, right!  I mean, don't you remember the April Fool's Day Blizzard of '97?  Don't expect Mother Nature to pay any attention to you and your Facebook posts.

One word says it all…

SNOW!!!

But you know I can't stop at one word...

I took this photo on the 11th.  Those tracks are loooong gone by now. They are well buried under another 8 or so inches of snow.

Seems like apple season is a very long way away.

We've been wondering if we need to get our roof scraped.  I think if this structure can hold up, maybe our roof is safe.

The Dark-eyed Juncos fly south every year to be a part of our winter.  I'm not sure they really bargained for what they got this year.  But this little fellow looks pretty content.

The juncos are ground feeders and they leave tracks all over our covered porch when the wind blows the snow in.  I like them.

Here's my Buddha in his winter home.  He's supposed to stay warm and dry there, but this year he didn't stand a chance.  I think he has the right idea about how to handle a winter like this though.

We need to just keep calm and carry on.  I'm sure a little meditation couldn't hurt.

Good Snowy Fences…

Yesterday was a truly beautiful day here in snowy Massachusetts.  I had an appointment early in the morning for a massage (Lucky me!) and afterwards, I just had to drive around for a while to admire the beautiful mounds of snow against the perfect blue sky.  I managed to pick up a few shots of fences on my rounds so I am going to link on up to The Run*A*Round  Ranch’s Good Fences.

The snow just keeps on coming and it's getting harder and harder to figure out where to put it.  It has been snowing off and on today, but it won’t amount to much.  However, they are threatening us with another foot this weekend.  If Worcester doesn’t win The Golden Snowglobe Award this year, it will be a miracle.  But, we are currently ahead of Buffalo by only six inches.  It may be a close one.  I am a person who likes the winter, but this has gotten to be a bit ridiculous.

They look cold, don't they?

In a white out...

We have had us some snow this year.  At this point, we have about three feet on the ground and more on the way this weekend.  To add insult to injury, it has been downright frigid out.  We humans complain about it all the time.  Facebook is covered with snow images and statements of disbelief.  Well, it is winter after all.  I found a couple of creatures who seem to be taking it all in stride.  Heck, for the dark-eyed junco, this is a walk in the park.

The powers that be managed to clear enough snow out of the way to allow the Patriots' Super Bowl celebratory parade to occur yesterday in Boston.  Seems like it is more important to do that than to make sure the schools are open for the kids.  Oh, well...  But a good time was had by all and I'm just happy football season is over.  That means spring is sure to come again and with it the crack of the bat.  Go Red Sox!

This next photo isn't a very good one, but it will give you some idea of what we're dealing with around here AND it gives me the opportunity to link up to The Run*A*Round Ranch's Good Fences.

Aren't you glad you don't have that job in this snowy weather?!

  But while we were in Florida last month, we ran across another Liberty.  It was a first for me.  I've never seen the Statue of Liberty with a mustache.  On the other hand, this Liberty doesn't have to find his way through the snow banks.

Linking up to Theresa's Good Fences!

Oranges and Apples...

I’m sitting here very grateful that we have power.  We are currently about half-way through the  nor’easter that was predicted for coastal eastern United States and, boy, do we have us some snow.  But, here in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, the winds that were predicted haven’t arrived yet, so the power remains on.  It’s very cold out, making the snow light and fluffy, not that I’ve tested it yet.  But, I will tell you from much past experience, the light and fluffy beats the heavy, wet stuff any day of the week.

One of my Facebook friends asked if this weather has made me miss Florida yet.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I like visiting Florida, particularly the area where we just were in the northern panhandle, but I’m not, nor will I ever be, someone who would be comfortable living in Florida.

  This is no criticism of the Sunshine State, it’s more a statement of what I like and who I am.  And while this crazy, winter weather can certainly make one miserable for a time, it will pass a lot quicker than the hot, summer days in Florida pass.  They have a misery all their own, in my book.  And I would miss  seeing a winter snowfall now and then.  Of course, I'm not talking blizzard here, but the nice, quiet, normal snow that comes with a nice, normal New England winter.

But it’s oranges and apples.  I am a northern, cool weather loving person and that’s just the way it is.  Different strokes for different folks, right?!

But I took a few pictures while we were in Apalachicola at the beginning of the year.  Don’t say you’re surprised.  And I will post a few here today to contrast with what’s going on outside my window.  Okay, it does look a tad bit inviting, I must admit, but there’s no going back except digitally at this point.

Greg does love his oysters from Up the Creek.

Olive doesn't like oysters, but it doesn't keep her from begging.  She is a dog after all.

The weather wasn’t all that great while we were in Florida.  Okay, it was better there than here temperature-wise, but aside from a couple of sunny days in Apalachicola, it was drab, overcast and cool.  Still, you can’t beat a view like this no matter what the weather.

Here are the oranges:

This was taken off the balcony of the condo we rented on Inlet Beach.  The light, fluffy stuff here is sand.

And here are the apples:

This is not sand.

Hey, the juncos seem to be okay with it.

Stay safe, friends, no matter what the weather has in store for you!

Keeping track of time…

The older I get the harder it has been for me to keep track of what happens when, so a few years ago I began this habit of looking back on my year in pictures as the year ends.  So bear with me please as I go back through the first six months of 2014.

In January, Greg, Olive the pug and I decided to leave the winter weather behind and travel south to Texas.  The Polar Vortex followed us into Alabama but after that we had comfortable weather and truly enjoyed spending two weeks in the great state of Texas.

These photos will tell all there is to tell about our February.  It was cold and snowy.  But isn’t that the way February is supposed to be here in the northeast?

March was a study of contrasts for us, starting the month in the snow of New England and ending up the month in sunny, warm St. John USVI with our good friends Dona and Bob.

Spring came to us in fits and starts in April.  But come it did.

And here's one of Olive the Pug just for good measure.

In May, our son Evan moved out of the house to start a new phase of his life in Worcester, Massachusetts.  Transitions like this are inevitable but it doesn’t make them easier.  We have gotten used to just seeing Evan now and then just as we have with our daughter Carrie.  Greg and I went to Fenway Park to see the Red Sox near the end of the month and received our very own World Series rings.  We watch practically every game, so we felt we deserved them.  But as history has now recorded, we know that the Sox went from Worst (2012) to First (2013) back to Worst in 2014.  Such are the joys and sufferings of the true baseball fan.

In June, daughter Carrie and I took a road trip from Massachusetts to Ohio to visit my family and to see my mother whose health is beginning to fail rather precipitously.  It was good seeing everyone.  I also finished my Flickr 365 Project.  I took and published a photo every day for a year.  Some days it was easy.  Some days it was hard.  But I didn’t miss a day from June 25, 2013 to June 24, 2014.

To be continued...