Some Rose in my Cheeks

Here I've been sitting since my knee replacement surgery, January 10th. Recovering well, taking short rides to the store, thinking about going back to work Monday.  It has been a quiet winter, weather-wise until yesterday!

We got "dumped" with 2+ feet of snow. I didn't attempt to go out and look at it till the sun came out this afternoon, then I needed to shovel my car out and get the camera! Carefully walking with my walking stick and carefully shoveling, I got into the back seat and found the camera. I thought it would be dead from the cold, but it had enough "juice" to give me a few pictures.

I remember when I was a kid, we lived in the house as Dad was building it. He never did finish it, and we had to hustle a lot to make it look done enough to sell in 1995. There were always wires hanging out of future switches in the walls. Big black or white covered wires. He would tell us they were safe, cause they had no juice in them.

Nephew, Jason

I, of course, thought he meant orange juice...I had a limited diet back then and it was the only juice we commonly drank...We still call it juice when there's no power in a line, and I live in an old place that has some holes in the ceiling with those big black and white cords cut and hanging out. But, don't worry, there's no juice in them!

It felt so good to get out in the sun this morning that I may try to venture out again after I eat lunch. My cheeks are still cold and rosy.

Out my plastic protected porch!

Hope you are all safe, warm and cozy, and that you have juice!

  Hugs,

Sherry

The Forest Speaks

Three storms later...
 

 

 Yes, we've had 3 storms, including freezing rain, since my last post.  The first one dumped about 18" on us, the second about 6" with a "creme brulee" crust on top due to the freezing rain. It covered every living branch and twig, every blade of dried weed and grass with ice.

 

 
The next day, as I got out of my car at the office building, I could hear the forest speaking. The wind was breaking and shaking the ice off the branches. The ice was hitting the crust and sliding through the forest. It was constant noise for 2 or 3 days.

 

 

Yesterday's 6 more inches of light pouffy snow quieted it down somewhat, but the dazzling sun this morning had crystals raining down on my car.

Three snowstorms in 10 days is pretty significant for us here, but we take it in stride. Most of us have plows or snowblowers or little tractors to clear our driveways. I bought a Subaru Impreza last winter, and the traction with all-wheel drive is amazing.  I don't know why I waited so long!

The wonderful thing about traction is...I can go for rides even when the roads are snow-covered...without worrying about getting stuck in a snowbank or "doing donuts" in the road.  (A donut is when you spin around in a circle-out of control, usually when other cars are coming toward you!)  I can get up the long steep driveways at Mom's & Trisha's without getting a running start or spinning out.  I can't tell you how challenging they were in the old Saturn wagon!

I always try to remember my camera so I can show you the beauty of My New England. I don't love being out in the cold, and I'm not the sporty type. I'd be happy kayaking on a balmy lake, but snowshoeing or cross-country skiing, not so much!  But I love to drive around and find wonderful places to share with my friends.

I've been invited to put a dozen or so photos in a show at the end of February. My problem is trying to figure out which ones! My iPhoto file has almost 7000 pictures in it at the moment. I really need to spend a couple of weeks weeding them out-I'm overwhelmed when it comes to categorizing and renaming all those pictures. Do you have any suggestions for me?

Well, that's my winter storm tour of Western Massachusetts-in a nutshell! I hope your Winter (Summer for Rina!) is going well.

Take a closer look around you and see the beauty that abounds!

Sherry