Octsnowber

Well, put that one down in the record books. We got lots of snow, on the mountain was over two feet and in town was over a foot and we live in between. So, lots of snow. Lots and lots of snow. Since Thursday night we have been listening to the crash and bang of branches falling from our beloved trees. Now, this might not seem dramatic here in this post, but let me assure you that it is quite frightening as many of these branches are too heavy for me to move, weighing hundreds of pounds!!! Imagine those falling on and around your home.

Power lines down. We were without power for about 18 hours. Thankfully we holed up for much of yesterday with my parents. See their photos here. When the power was restored last night we came home to some destruction. Our patio roof was damaged, a broken window, and countless enormous branches down. We still haven't unearthed our car yet so hopefully that is fine.

Today and the next day we will dig out from this. We have been dragging around enormous branches, beating our trees with their own limbs (which seems kind of gruesome) to release the snow and hopefully save branches. No doubt this will be one of those storms we reference when talking to our great grandchildren. Thankfully nobody was hurt and the damage done is minor. We saw houses around town with trees on top of them, cars destroyed. It was crazy and continues to be so, but the sun is out and the snow is melting.




Enormous tree limbs on the roof of our patio


Our yard, not even halfway through the storm


Our car in the middle of the storm


This morning the sun came out


Do you see that bush back there? It is normally much taller than the roof of our neighbors house, now it goes to below my shoulders


Starting to heap up the branches

I am not even going to post photos of the backyard, it makes me too sad. I don't want you to see our tree like that, in her weakest hour.

Gotta Do It

When we purchased our home we had no idea what we were in for each fall. All of the leaves in the world blow into our yard and stay there. Fact. This year we have all of the small branches left from the tree apocalypse that happened here last month. We got all of the major big branches out, but there are still tons of little branches to deal with. We had every intention of being totally on top of the leaves this year. Then we got hit with a month of unending illness and the leaves just piled up.  We have now become those people on our block, all of the other yards are tidy and ready for winter...then there is ours. Usually our yard is very well maintained, but not this fall. Eric just kind of cleared a path through the leaves for visitors and the mailman.

Sure we had opportunities to rake leaves, those window of free time usually popped up in the hours after the girls went to bed and neither of us felt inclined to rake in the dark. It would have been ultimately weird though and it would almost be worth it to be the weird neighbors who night rake.

Then yesterday we had a window of opportunity to actually do something about it. So Eric and Cordelia set to work. I have to take it easy with my cracked rib and there was no raking for me. I did manage to snap a few photos before I took Elise in for her nap.

















When Eric called it a day he'd made a ton of progress. Six major trash bags full and we still have to do the side and back yards. The back yard is the worst because, in spite of a poop scoop, there is always a threat of a lingering poo underneath a leaf pile. GAAAAG!

Snow

We are in the midst of a major snowstorm. Up to 18 inches expected. Normally a big snowstorm isn't a big deal, but the leaves on the trees are still big and green, this makes for some very heavy branches. 

I spent last night listening as branches cracked and fall into the fresh snow. The power went out around midnight. No power means no heat. So it is feeling a little brisk in here. We are waiting for the power to return. I am blogging from the phone. We are wearing coats and pajamas and looking out the window as branches crash and fall.

The girls are warm for now

Our backyard

A large branch on our car

Oh, and have you noticed...?

Last night I was on my way to a meeting just as the sun was setting. I happened to look up into the sky and noticed that the branches of the tree, named Aardvark by Cordelia, were just bristling with life. There were fat buds on the branches. Soon they will start to pour out baby green leaves and then, just like that, spring will be upon us.

Oh I am really looking forward to those beautiful pink and purple and white blossoms that seem to bring in spring with such joy. Just another month and there will be tulips popping up from beneath last year's dead leaves, the ones that blew in after our insane yard rake up. I can almost smell the fresh lilac that grows around our house.

I cannot wait for the obnoxious cacphony of spring birds that chatter in the early morning hours. I am absolutely thirsty for spring rains, evening walks, longer days, and GARDENING! I am so eager to get outside with my girls, play in the dirt, look at plants and enjoy. I can't wait to have Cordelia really help with the planting and tending this year. I am overjoyed at the thought of Elise's dimpled legs luxuriating in the soft green grasses. I am thinking about lunches on the back patio, afternoons on a blanket in the yard, blowing bubbles, chalk drawing....oh and just all of it.

So, I think it goes without saying that my springtime vigil has begun!

* Also, I just wanted to thank you all for you kind words and support yesterday. I cannot tell you how much it meant to me.

Kindness Bandit: Our Neighbor

The day before yesterday I noticed our neighbors were loading their downed branches (from our recent storm) into their truck. They didn't have much damage and had only a load to take to the drop point, each neighborhood has a few allocated drop points for downed limbs. I looked at our big pile and sighed. We have friends who are willing to help us with them, but the job is big. There were many, many limbs in our front yard. Out back, same story.

Then yesterday I came home from an outing. I prepared lunch for the girls and I as usual. When lunch was over I was getting ready to put Elise down for her nap when I spied our neighbor loading up our branches into his truck! I ran outside and happily asked, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!"

He smiled shyly and said, "Well, I knew you guys didn't have a truck...so I thought I'd help."

I thanked him profusely. He has no idea what a gift that was.

The rest of the afternoon Cordelia and I planned on ways to thank him, finally settling on cookies. We bought a new cookie jar, baked some cookies,wrote a thank you note and delivered them.



We have more cookies to deliver to our friends that helped us the day after the storm (I am am talking to you Zachary and Dave P.). I cannot express how thankful I am for the kindness that I have experienced as we deal with a small storm.

Seriously Now

There are only 55 days between now and summer. Today apparently decided to recycle January's weather. While it isn't exactly super cold we are all pretty over the snow.

We are getting a lot of snow today. I am not sure how much before this storm passes, but today we will be hanging out inside. Elise is pretty annoyed that we are skipping yard play, but the heavy snow on leafy branches means that we have a falling limb situation. It is all not as dramatic as it sounds, but it is better to steer clear of those branches.

All of the snow on flowering trees is quite beautiful, but I am itching to log some hammock time. 

SNOW!?!

You may recall that we had blizzards in April this year. Well, 2013 is the year of endless winter apparently. Seriously folks, it has already snowed here. The trees were just starting to lose their green when the storm hit. If you aren't from this part of the country you may not realize what that means.

Let me break it down into a mathematical equation for you:

leafy trees + heavy snow= lots of broken tree branches

I went to bed Thursday evening to the sound of a heavy rain. When I awoke, there was silence. The kind of silence that only comes with the muffling effect of snow. Animals were silent, households were slow to get rolling. 

While the girls were thrilled about it, dogs included, we were actually quite lucky.

This tree branch is big. I don't know if you can tell from the photo, but it fell from our tree half in our yard and half in our neighbor's yard, missing our car by a few feet.

We lost a ton of branches, and it was a little frightening driving through town as limbs continued to fall throughout the day.

This bush normally stands about ten feet tall, here it is bowed to about my waist height.

It wasn't a lot of snow and it will be gone today as it is supposed to return to normal fall weather in the 60s and 70s this week. Still, that was our drama.

What is it like where you are?

And it is so Worth the Wait

**No photos in this post are from yesterday as it is still brown outside, there is green to be found if you squint, but these pics really capture the mood.

Last night was wonderful, heck all day yesterday was pretty spectacular. The weather was perfect. We drove around with the windows rolled down, breeze in our hair. We opened doors and windows. I think probably a thick yellow fog of winter air (dog farts and diapers) dispersed into the atmosphere. Fresh cool air filled up our home. The dogs lounged in the yard, lazily woofing at the occasional squirrel (something I fully support) and looking for gross yard stuff to eat, because they are dogs. The girls were angels, no crazy meltdowns or bizarre behavior to mess with the mood of the day. It was fantastic.



Sometime around 3 I loaded up the girls into the stroller. I leashed up the dogs, one in each hand as I pushed the heavily laden stroller. Seriously folks it is quite a thing to watch, people will stop their cars to stare as I make my way through the neighborhood, one person leading four others with only the power of my alpha-ness to control the whole shebang. We took at least an hour, meandering through the labyrinth of our neighborhood. Cordelia and I played I-spy. Playing that game with a four year old goes something like this...Cordelia looks at a red house and says, "I see something that is red." Or she stares at a cloud and says, "I see something white in the sky." So, it's pretty easy to keep up. Elise is happy to just look around and chillax, a major shift from the baby who would howl for an entire walk for the last two summers. The dogs were happy to plod along at their basset-y pace, stopping to smell stuff and pee on the sidewalk. There is this obnoxious standard poodle named Noodles near our house and he barks incessantly at us, Bumblebee always stops to relieve herself by his fence, it's kind of funny---if you're into that kind of humor.



Later we worked in the back yard. This year the winter clean up is extra special thanks to the major, limb breaking, storms that hit over the winter. There were thousands of tiny broken branches and leaves to be dealt with, in the aftermath of the storms we were focused primarily on cleaning up large branches and now we face the insane task of cleaning up everything else. It's happening and it feels so good to get out there and do some manual labor, to feel the dirt and the air, and to smell the decay of leaves and to see the new plants poking up through the brown grass of last year. Oh it is so close. We stayed outside for ages today and the girls got so dirty. I saw them grinding soil into their hair and eating dirt. I didn't really try to stop them as it seemed to make sense after such a very long winter.

Arborist Nightmare

I could hear the wind all night long, blowing in waves over our house. I heard the occasional screech of metal on metal as our neighbor's shed moved with the fluid waves of air, rolling down the mountain, through the foothills and onward towards the plains. I slept soundly under a small mountain of blankets until just before the sun rose when I woke in the half-light. I lay there listening to the sounds that had been blowing their way into my subconscious. Occasionally the gentle hum of the heater would chime in, the domesticated cousin of the wind storm.



Our purple pool was pulled loose from its home. I could see it in my mind's eye as a the wind picked it up and flung it across our backyard amidst a new carpet of fallen leaves. When I went to let Bumblebee out for her morning constitutional she looked up at me as if to ask, "What happened out here?" There were leaves and branches everywhere, an arborist nightmare.



The seasonal shift isn't occurring without a violent struggle. Leaves are being pulled from their branches and tossed into the air, flying far from their home. Birds struggle against unforgiving currents of air and reconsider their original plan to rest here in Wyoming for a few months before heading south.

When the winds come to Wyoming I am learning that they will stay until April. So I am settling into this new season of living inside, being under one roof instead of long days in the backyard. I have a cup of hot tea at my ready. I am excited to begin a new season in our first home. What are you looking forward to as the seasons change?

Winter Hath Arrived!

I had vague dreams of snow and cold last night. Small wonder considering the arctic blast we've been dealing with the past couple of days. The snow started falling on Wednesday night, lightly at first, but by yesterday morning the snow was laying in a thick blanket across the ground. The thermostat isn't expected to even flirt with the 30sF.



When the weather gets like this I often wonder about homesteaders, those folks who thought this was a good place to make a go for it. Sure, they probably found Wyoming in the spring or summer, but one winter here is enough to give you a decent education in cold. I know that my great great grandparents homesteaded here and I just shake my head in wonder that I've come from such hearty stock. I'm afraid that I wouldn't have made it in Wyoming back then....I would have wimped out and headed for the Pacific Northwest, because heaven knows I would never survive the heat of the Southwest!



Thankfully I was made for here and now. So, I am equipped with the powers to adjust the thermostat, curl up under a blanket, drink soy hot chocolate and have my husband sit on my feet when I become desperate.



Today, as the cold settles in we will be indoors. I plan to visit with a friend, write, play with a toddler, hang out with my husband and be so thankful that I have all the conveniences of the modern world. I will just enjoy looking at the crisp white layer of snow that covers our yards. I can marvel and the sparkle of snow as the cold wind carries it through the air. I can just be thankful for a warm day indoors.



What do you do on snow days?

Desert Offerings

I have this new habit. Every day when I take Betty for a walk (Bumblebee can’t take walks anymore) I find something in the desert. Sometimes it is a piece of gnarled wood, discarded marble tiles, a piece of beautiful garbage, whatever. I am not sure why, but I feel compelled to hunt for something. 

I have a gorgeous collection of cholla skeletons and weathered branches, and beautiful stones. I feel like all of this is leading me to something, but I am not sure what.

It is Official

Everything has come to life in the past week. The trees and vines are all bearing leaves, the grass is mostly green now. Spiders, flies, bumblebees, ladybugs, ants, worms, rolly-polys, butterflies---all over just making every inch of the earth crawl with life. The unicorns are out in full-force shooting rainbows across the land (oh that might not be true, just wondering if you are still reading). I absolutely love it. I could get lost just staring at the ground with my girl.

Flowers are blooming everywhere. The smell, oh the smell is just too wonderful. When we take walks I have to remind myself to quit sniffing lest I hyperventilate from trying to take it all into my nostrils...that would really destroy the mood. The lilacs are just about to bloom. I cannot wait. I am nuts about lilacs, their smell is about all I can take.

So, we are spending a lot of time outside enjoying the warm air (it was 82 F yesterday) and lots of pink lemonade!

Slow Down

Yesterday afternoon was magic. My soul needed it desperately. Nothing really happened at all, but that was the most important part. The girls and I went out into the backyard. I set up the hammock. I laid in the hammock for about five minutes before the girls took it over.

 

The girls played for hours. I just worked in the yard, cleaning up the winter debris of leaves and fallen branches. I truly enjoy physical labor. I started to clean out garden beds. I basically just puttered around, working hard, but without a focused aim. I looked at caterpillars and weevils and worms and centipedes. I inspected new growth and I threw the ball for Betty Sprinkles. 

 

It was a grand first day of spring to be sure.

 

The girls made a mud pit and Cordelia asked,"Mom can we just let loose and get dirty?" I said,"Sure, but you have to get dirty from head to toe. They did.

 

There was a lot of laughter and exploring and all of it at the slow pace in which life is intended to be lived.

Later in the evening Eric and I were talking about it and he had mentioned a co-worker who had just returned from a trip to Italy. She had spoken with Eric about what an impression the slower pace of life had made on her.

We are so busy, always working and it is too much. Time to focus on the moments as they happen. Notice the way the sun feels on skin or dirt under nails, remember the sounds of tiny girls giggling. Taste the food we eat. Listen to the conversations we have. Be here now.

Project: Jewelry Organization

Every time I go to downsize I do so well...until I get to jewelry. You see I don't have a ton of jewelry or anything, but the pieces that I do have were almost all gifts and they are all used and treasured. I have whittled down the overly sentimental/unusable items,even getting rid of a plastic yellow ring given to me in 2nd grade by my first boyfriend, Eric (not my Eric).

I am left with several pieces that I try to keep organized and accessible. I have tried many different methods, but I can never stick to ridiculous systems. I like to take jewelry off and toss it aside. I don't want to wrap it in velvet and carry it down to a vault.

Here are a couple of ways that I have come up with to store my jewelry and still keep it easily accessible.

Jewelry Tree


I made this jewelry tree to hold everything (rings, necklaces, earrings, jewelry, bracelets), the only thing it doesn't really hold are post earrings (see below for another option).



To make your own jewelry tree you will need:

• Container. I used a glass vase, but you can do what you like.
• Rice. You could also use dried beans, sand, stones, etc.
• Sticks. Choose ones with lots of branches.
• Paint and brushes

Paint your sticks. While they are drying fill your vase with your rice or whatever you chose. When the sticks are dry poke them into the rice (or whatever) and arrange them to your liking. Add jewelry and you are done.







Egg Tray
I am vegan which means that I don't eat eggs (among other things) and until recently the egg tray in my refrigerator was about as useful to me as a pair of chaps. Then one day, the clouds parted and a beam of light shot down from the heavens and onto the empty egg tray; I had an epiphany. I could use this egg tray for jewelry storage.



I just toss in my earrings or rings and they are nicely separated and stored. A miracle? Perhaps.

Do you have any storage/organization tips to share?