Enjoying the Thaw

Last week I read an article which said January 18 was the most depressing day of the year, according to several surveys and polls, etc. I don't remember any more details, but I find is easy to agree with the choice, although any date in January or February is a real contender!  So, when I spent most of the week doing a lot of reading, and not a whole lot of anything else, I blamed the scientists. They said it, not me- I just went along with the depression.

But!  But, then after a cold, snowy, snowy, period, a sort of tiny miracle happened. Our January thaw arrived. We had lots of rain and wind, and warmer temperatures- up to 48!- and lots of the snow is gone. I no longer need ski poles to traverse my driveway. And look what I saw today:

I don't know why pansy is a slur used to mean wimpy- Look at them, those suckers are tough!  I heart pansies.

Of course, living with J means finding other stuff unexpectedly popping up. This appeared when the snow melted on our bulkhead.

 

Obviously put there for safekeeping.

Last week, I was worrying about seeing Rosie sitting on a mound of snow that had slid off a shed roof. It was in a corner of the yard, and her head was close to being level with the fence top, which I found had pulled away from the wall. If Rosie had tried leaning on it, she would have been out. But, today, ta da! Threat removed.

You couldn't see that chair 5 days ago. (And please ignore the desperate need for paint)

Last goodie to be seen  now is the great bargain we got on 2 rolls of 6 foot chain link fencing. That will create our chicken wonderland next spring. We'll continue behind the shed, and enclose our raspberry/sumac tangle for the hens to ramble safely.

I know, not too exciting, but $13.00 for each 50 foot roll- that's a heck of a deal, people!  Plus look at the bare ground- under more than 2 feet of snow a week ago.

I crawled out of my dark hole of apathy and danced in the fleeting joy that is the January Thaw. And that's a good thing.

Warning- Watch Out

Weatherbug just interrupted my Blogger reading with an alert. Both a winter storm warning and watch showed up. I always get confused about them, but thanks to the time stamps I figured this one out.

We already have 2 of the 1-3 inches the warning says we might get today. The watch was just issued and says "more plowable snow on the way".  Another 5-9 inches overnight- we are in the sweet spot this year for snowfall, it seems.

J left work early yesterday and we both cleared the driveway and stairs, timing it pretty well, so that the snowfall ended as we finished up. I had the blower, and J tackled the snow dumped on the steps. He stopped me to suggest that I get my camera and take a picture of the snow blower to show his brother, who had called earlier about buying one.

Knowing he had pictures of the machine already, I nodded and kept on going. Buddy, if I walk back to the shed and through to the house, I'm not coming back out! Later, when I pointed this out to J, he said he wanted a picture of him using the blower, so he could show off how far it throws the snow. 

Then I felt bad that I didn't indulge him, so I didn't point out that anyone knows how a snowblower works and what it looks like in action. Looks like I'll get a chance to redeem myself tomorrow though.

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!

You were supposed to read that title in your head with a booming announcer voice. Maybe it was just local, but last year there was some annoying (car, I think?) ad where the voiceover repeated the 3 Sundays a lot!  Okay, moving on.

The snow has sort of stopped, after beginning to fall on Thursday. (Today is Sunday in case you missed that)  J had gone out periodically to clear the driveway, but overnight we got a good foot more, so I had to go help too.

First J used the snowblower to get the paper.

 

He had to go out from the shed since there was too much snow on the steps to open the door. I made a path to the steps and he shoveled while I used the machine.

It's done now, and if those little flurries would stop, we would be happy. It was good timing though, we had a 3 day weekend to stay indoors and clean up at our leisure. I was supposed to work Saturday, but did not- that was when the heaviest snow and wind started. What?  The weather people told me to stay home!

Now, to shower and watch the Patriots game.