Just Around the Bend

While it's true that I have been complaining about the lingering winter, I love days like today. It started off with a fiery sunrise (so much for red sky in the morning, sailor's warning), quickly proceeded to azure skies and a day of spring skiing at its best. As we drive around the valley these days, we see little signs that remind us spring really is just around the bend. I couldn't be happier.

Home Improvement

I love our home. It's truly been a labor of love to complete it. It's definitely livable at this point...we ARE living in it, after all. But there still remains lots of fine-tuning to do. One thing that's been missing up until yesterday has been a favorite piece of art. It's a 2.5' x 5' fused glass panel created by Jane Tivol, an artist from Berkeley.

In my old house, it was hanging at the end of the hallway, visible immediately as you entered through the front door.

As of yesterday, it has taken the same place of honor in our new home and I love it there. You want to see it? Then, click on the photo, or better yet, come visit us!

Altered States

Everything was in a state of melting today. I suppose that's a good thing, as it is an indicator of warmer temps, which might be an indicator that spring is actually coming. Nonetheless, it was a grayish day, so I never left the house.

Some days I photograph and other days, like today, I play with photographs I already have. (And I do mean PLAY). I'm not really satisfied with any of these, but it was fun to experiment and I think they're kind of humorous.

Voila...a few  "portraits"...

Thump, dyed like an Easter egg

Did I Say That?

Did I say that I was boycotting snow - photographically speaking, that is? I did throw in the caveat that if it was glowing pink or there was some naturally formed ice sculpture, etc etc etc. And besides, for at least a little while, without photographing snow, there might be no photos at all... 

So, I woke up to this view this morning... hard to pass it up...it WAS glowing pale pink...

 I wonder who came to visit in the night... there were fresh footprints on all sides of the house...must have been a busy night for someone! If there was a party, we slept through it.

The forecast is for temps in the upper 60s by end of the week... I can hardly believe it and hardly wait.

The dogs, I think, are with me...although they don't seem to mind the cold. And frankly, digging in snow is better than digging in mud, from my perspective. 

 And remember I DID say, I'd end my "boycott" if there was a good ice sculpture?

I'm so so ready for a change of season. Having said that, I  love this place with its constant changes in light and all its natural beauty.

Prepared

While some of you are enjoying tulips and daffodils and that thing that's called spring, here the snow is blowing over under sideways down. It's barely 30 degrees outside and I refuse to photograph snow one more time this season. Seriously. (Well, unless there's some phenomenal naturally created piece of ice sculpture or the sun is glowing pink on its surface or something like that. LOL)


But in the meantime, I'm turning my mind to other more important matters. Like this...

It's been years in the making -

years of preparation -

for the day this young man 

would take his separation

from family and friends 

and days of youthful playing

to share things of importance -

things that don't bear delaying.

That day has finally come 

and he's ready to serve

with no thought for himself

he'll do it with verve.

His hair has been cut,

the tattoos no more.

They washed down the drain.

He's clean to the core.

The doctor's been seen;

his papers are in.

Now we just wait

'til it's time to begin.

1Corinthians 13:11When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 

Which Froze First? The Chicken or the Egg?

Ready for spring, still dressed for winter. 6" of new soft white stuff last night. Alas....

No denying it's beautiful, but enough, already.

I'm Not a Chicken...*

Saturday Centus* time again... see what my friend, Sue, did. And here is mine....with Easter around the corner, something to be considered...

Which Came First? The Chicken or the Bunny?

I'm not a chicken*,

nor do I lay eggs.

I have no feathers

nor long skinny legs.

I have soft floppy ears.

My fat cheeks are furry.

I love to eat carrots.

I haven't a worry.

I'm not a chicken.

I'm just a small bunny.

My name is Thump.

Do you think that's funny?

I Love Facebook! No, Really!

This is a slight departure from my normal photo blog - i.e. no photo taken by me. However, it's my blog so I guess I can do whatever I like, right?

Facebook is a blessing and a curse. Curse, because it's a huge non-productive time-sucking preoccupation, if you let it be. On the other hand, it makes possible something that would have been nearly impossible not so long ago - something of enormous value. It makes it possible to connect with people who might otherwise have been lost from a person's life.

Case in point: remember my post shortly after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan? Well, today I received a message in Facebook from one of the two young women I had met many years ago. How wonderful to know that at least one of them is OK and doing well. I was glad to hear from her and surprised to learn that she had done part of her schooling in the US only minutes away from my home. Wish I had known that earlier, but it's OK. It's just one more thing that will continue to bond us in our lives. The door is now open. Thank you, Facebook!

p.s. Changing Perspective...

Haha. When people ask, one of my tips for getting better photographs is to change your perspective. Shoot from a different angle. Shoot from a different position. Today I just needed to take my own advice.

Apparently while it was snowing at our house, it wasn't in other places. I had to drive down the canyon to go to an appointment. This was the view from the canyon... a slightly different perspective on the place I now call home...

See, I Told You So!

Yup, just like the weather man said. Rolled over in bed and looked out the window....snowing. I wish he'd be wrong a little more often.

This is the closest thing to the rays of the sun that I've seen today. 

The dogs didn't seem to mind. They love to play in the snow. Or more aptly put, they just love to play. I should be more like them. :)

Seeking Signs

I'm an eternal optimist. I believe in maintaining a brightness of hope and all that. But when it comes to waiting for spring (no, not the calendar spring - the REAL one) to arrive, I'm starting to wonder. Monday we had a huge dump of snow and yesterday was cold and overcast. So, when I woke up this morning and looked out the window to blue skies and golden light, I was sure that spring was finally coming.

And admittedly, it WAS a beautiful day. The sky was crystal clear and the bluest blue. And the azure water is reclaiming the lake from its icy grip. 

The fresh powder from Monday's storm was still soft and relatively unmarked. 

       Little by little the landscape is trying to emerge from beneath its wintry blanket. 

But I hear we're due for another snow storm tonight and tomorrow. 

So I guess I'll continue to seek signs.