Sunday, April 3, 2016

Winter Is Back With a Vengeance!

Well, it happened! It's winter again here in the mountains of Upstate NY. 

We got about 5 inches of snow last night and the wind is fierce today. 


The critters are going crazy at the feeders this morning - poor little things. 


The only feeders I leave out overnight are the ones that are either inexpensive or won't be damaged if the bear comes for a visit....the suet feeder, a small mesh tube feeder, and the flat feeder. 

I woke late this morning as I spent much of the night tossing and turning with this sore back of mine. 


The poor little birds were trying to do what they could with the few feeders that were out - I felt so sorry for them, I threw on some winter shoes with my bathrobe and trudged through the snow to the garage to get the rest of the feeders. 

Another one of my super awesome outfits, yup - and I'm still trying to warm up my ankles!


No sign of the horses yet this morning - if they are smart they are in their little red barn. 


When I checked yesterday, the surprise daffodils I unearthed in my new garden bed by the swing were just getting ready to bloom. 

They must be awfully confused today. 


The glass on the kitchen door is all frosted again, which is my fault.....I removed the storm glass and put the screen back in a few weeks back so I could open the door for a little air when I overheat while cooking. Just call me 'Flash!'


The squirrels were stuffing 3 peanuts in their mouths at a time and running off....I wonder if they have a little family to feed already or is it too early?


There must have been 20 Juncos waiting for their breakfast when I got up this morning. This little guy is waiting ever so patiently for Mr Squirrel to finish stuffing his face. 


The deck thermometer says 20 degrees....not quite April weather, is it? 


But it's warm and cozy in my little house and as long as the budding plants survive this cold spell I certainly can, too. 


There's a nice fire burning in the wood stove and before long this room will be too warm for this flashing mama. 


But this old girl will be happy as can be, snoring on the corner of the sofa. 

We are so blessed to be safe and warm and today is the perfect day to give thanks for that. 

What are you thankful for today?




45 comments:

  1. I am thankful the horrible winds we had yesterday and last night here in Southwest Virginia have died down. They were fierce. I am also thankful for you and your blog.Your posts are one of the highlights of my day.I always look forward to reading them. (Yours is my favorite and the best, as far as I'm concerned.)

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    1. Phylis, you are just so sweet - thank you so much for making my day so much brighter!! We had the horrible winds also - there was one night I couldn't sleep at all, I was worried a tree was going to fall right down on my house!

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  2. We had the wind yesterday and last night and I am thankful that it's over. Took a walk a bit ago...funny to be walking along seeing blooming trees and snow on the ground ( we only got about an inch here in PA )

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    1. I'm guessing your snow probably melted pretty quickly, Deb - I'm glad - your plants were much further along than ours.

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  3. Oh, no! We woke up to 1" of snow! Nothing like you! You are so sweet to go out and trudge through the snow to feed the little birds. Now I guess I don't know what a Junco bird is. Your little home looks so warm and inviting and your little white fuzzy face has the right idea - just sleep till it warms up!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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    1. The Dark Eyed Juncos have a dark grey back and a lighter tummy. I'm sure they are up by your house also. Wow, what a difference in your weather to mine - and yet we aren't that terribly far from one another!

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  4. I know you are not happy with this snow. We had a dusting...but there were wind gust well over 50 miles an hour. So yesterday we had everything, sleet, snow, wind a plenty, and even sunshine. Today is sunny and cold. We have been having fires in the fireplace too. Hopefully winter will go away this next warm up. I am so glad we did not put our pansies out for this. Blessings, xoxo,Susie

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    1. Wow, everyone is talking about the wind gusts - they must have been all up and down the East Coast. My pansies are, so far, safe in the garage....they are keeping a baby fig tree company. I hope my fig survived the winter out there!

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  5. And all this time I thought you were is the NC mountains!! A big snow and freezing weather is such a blow after thinking spring had arrived. Maybe it will pass quickly. Hope your back is better and hope your daffodils survive.

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    1. My back is healing, hope yours is also and that the MRI wasn't too awful. And you are the second person who thought I was in the NC mountains - I guess our terrain is similar!

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  6. I'm thankful I don't live on a mountain where spring bulbs start to bloom and then it snows!
    Brenda

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  7. What a lot of snow! I do love the Junkos so much, do you call them Snow Junkos like we do here?

    I'm thankful for the sun shining today even though it's chilly with heaters turned back on. And the white crab apple that's in full bloom outside my window.

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    1. We get Dark Eyed Juncos here....there have been so many around recently. The goldfinches have returned also, which is exciting, and their color is getting brighter every day! Oh, a white crab apple - how lovely!!

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  8. We have the cold but no snow, Deb. And I hope it goes right past us. I couldn't look at another flake this year. That is nice of you to worry about the birds. It's funny how they become 'our birds' as we see the same ones hanging about the feeders. You really do get attached to them and want them to be comfortable. Your home looks nice and cozy and I can see why you are thankful for all that it gives. I love your kitchen window-sill. What a beautiful view.

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    1. Yeah, Deb, you guys had a lot of snow this year - meanwhile, this storm dumped more snow on us than the entire winter! The ski resort up here just closed last Sunday....I guess maybe they should have stuck around one more weekend!

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  9. Oh my ... that's some serious snow. We had a cool snap here in Southeast Texas, but no snow, of course. Warmed up nicely again today, so I'm sure you'll be warm soon enough.

    Your views are stunning.

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    1. Thanks, Dayle - I love the views from my house, it was a big selling point for me. I've never had a house with a view of the mountains before!

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  10. Maybe the snow will soon be gone so you can return to gardening. Like you, gardening is relaxing but also tiring activity. I tend to overdo when working with flowers. I had back surgery 3 years ago, so flower gardening is limited. When back is sore, put ice on area to reduce inflammation, (do this approx 20 minutes 4 x per day)then heat to help with healing. I have found many exercises on pin that help when done on regular basis. (Need to start slow to determine if it is helping you before making it a daily exercise) Good luck, hope back is better so you can resume gardening

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    1. Thanks for the suggestion, Theresa! I had my sweetie bring over his ice pack and used it last night and this morning....he brought me his back brace also, and I've been wearing that when I don't have the ice pack on. What a difference it made when I went to bed last night!! I need to start doing my yoga again....and I need to find a clone to do everything else that needs to be done so I have time for it!

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  11. I'm curious, your back door looks so neat with your pretty valance, but would you mind me asking what the hanging heart is? Also, I have a stone fireplace similar to yours, minus the insert and I've never been able to hang anything on mine. Would you mind me asking what you've used to hang your mirror? Hope you dont mind me asking.

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    1. Do you know, Phylis, that pretty valance is actually a scarf I bought a couple of years ago at a festival? I tacked it up one day with thumbtacks to the kitchen door and it makes me smile every single time I see it. The hanging heart I have had for years, I bought it at a garden show up in Troy, NY probably 15 years ago or so. It's metal mesh and filled with cinnamon scented rose hips....that have long ago lost their scent. Every now and again I put it in a ziploc bag with some cinnamon oil and leave it there for a while to refresh the scent. As for the fireplace hanging, the previous homeowners had a hanger up there - it seems to be in the cement between the stones....I am guessing they had to use a heavy duty drill to get that hanger in there. If it wasn't there I would probably have just propped the mirror or something else on the mantel.

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  12. Well, yuck and double yuck to all that snow! I am thankful our little mini-blizzard episode was last week, and we have warm, wonderful weather here today. I am also thankful all those little critters have you to take care of them. :-)

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    1. I spoil those critters, Mimi, but I feel so sorry for them on these cold days!! They got an extra large helping of seeds and peanuts in the flat feeder this morning, poor little things!

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  13. WoW at the snow! Just when you think spring is upon ya. The weather is already in the 70s and 80s here in North Carolina. I think its cool you have a bear that comes around. I had a fox that stayed in my yard last year. And we live in a neighborhood the middle of the city! crazy huh. Enjoy the snow.
    Lisa

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    1. Lisa, you can take the bear....please!!! You have no idea how huge they actually are until they are up close - scary! And I have some friends up here who have had a bear actually break into their homes and do serious damage - now that's beyond scary! Thankfully that has never, ever happened to me but I try to be very careful about what windows and doors are left open. Wow, a fox in the city - that's rare for sure!

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  15. That cold and wind moved through MN the last few days, but we missed the snow this time. Today it was 70...what a weird year! Hopefully that snow melts SOON!

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  16. Oh no! We had a really early spring, and then a freeze. Definitely a different kind of March for us!

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    1. For sure! Did the freeze do any damage to the plants in your area, Mimi?

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  17. Sorry to hear about your back, but I know how that feels. You really did get the snow. We are suppose to get some on Thursday, but just flurries.

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    1. And it's still snowing, Betty....it doesn't want to stop today at all!

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  18. Say it isn't so! This time of year snow usually (!!) melts quickly. It has been cold and windy here. How is your back? A massage might be just the ticket...

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    1. A massage would be wonderful, Donna, although when my sweetie tried to help by rubbing the sore spot it was so tender I nearly cried! Maybe in a few days I'll be ready for a proper massage....let's hope!

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  19. Hi Debbie!
    I am thankful we didn't get the amount of snow you did! Wow!!

    We woke up to snow yesterday morning, but it was only a dusting and melted by late morning. My husband David says that Spring is broken. I think he's right! Your fireplace reminds me of ours with the pretty stone work. Your little birds are very lucky to have you around and that squirrel too! :)

    Hope Spring returns soon. Stay cozy!

    Debbie

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    1. Thanks, Debbie! I need to make a batch of your potato leek soup next.....that would be just the thing for these snowy days!

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  20. It's snowing here right now!! Hail, then snow, then rain, then snow again...where is the sun? I hope it comes back to all of soon!!

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    1. Wow....will we remember this in a month when you're sitting by your pool and I'm having a cocktail by my firepit on the deck? :)

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  21. As Phylis mentioned above, so glad the winds here in s/w Virginia have gone away. We tend to get wind in the springtime, but those gusts the other night were too much! Nice today, sunny and near 70. Your fire in the fireplace looks familiar since we tend to do that often during the winter and YES,,.... this flashing mama can't take it for too long. xo

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    1. As soon as the weather warms up again I'll be letting the fire die out - this wood stove is so effecient and combine that with these hot flashes? I'm melting, it's horrible!! :) I guess I could go roll around in the snow....:)

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  22. Haha. I remember those hot flashes. Who needs a fire going when you've got the heat within. Well, actually, with all that cold, maybe it is a small, very small, blessing.

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    1. Well then I'm guessing you remember it's hot one second, freezing the next....yikes, I feel like I have a fever all the time! But yes, I think it is a small, very small, blessing....my heating bills will be far lower as I can't stand to have the house above about 62! I have throws out everywhere for anyone who wants one....but since it's my house and I pay all the bills? 62 it is! :)

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  23. Oh girl, I'm freezing just looking at that! I know your birds appreciate what you put out. In Oklahoma when it would snow, we would throw seed out across the snow. The cardinals would flock to it. :)

    Stay warm!

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    1. You know something, Stacey - I haven't seen even one little cardinal here - isn't that bizarre? I wish I would! And they are up this way, for sure - I had them at my rental, and my sweetie has them at his house regularly!

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