spring forward slowly

I GOT ALL ZANY about the approaching gorgeous weather, which has been nice, but still a bit cold. Jumped the gun a little. General news bits about me in no order:
• I'm an official Lunch Lady™ now, at Columbia Elementary, handing out cookies and ketchup
• On our walk, Ophee and I found a little owl (dead)
• My Bothell transplanted shrubs have survived.
• I've pruned back the lilacs, roses, forsythia--anything I want to give a new start
• I have actually started and finished a painting, which is a sort of miracle if you know me.
• I made 88 dollars this month making and selling gift and scrap papers. (my little bug below)
• I'm working at 3 jobs.
• I survived the winter, in spite of the stupid ER episode which turned out to be pneumonia.
• There was a skunk in my tiny barnlet, which I am cleaning.
• My auntie turned 90, and I went over Apr 1 to see her.
• I cut my hair very short, and lots of grey popped up!
OK, there's more, and I will grab some photos.

spring forward!

MY LAST POST was at least a month ago. Apologies if you read this. I continue to treat it as my journal, so I'm not always beholden to scheduled postings. DAYLIGHT SAVING time starts toMORRRROWWW!!!
The winter has been a bit boring, so not much to post, not much to report from staying inside, watching the snow, watching nothing grow. Although it's lovely, and better than the current constant grey in Seattle.

sun piggy

LITTLE OPHEE soaks up the sun in the window. This is just another trick so I can talk about the weather. It's beautiful out, sunny and almost all snow gone; very spring-like, 40°. Here's the thing: I'm just having an ATTACK to get out and garden! So many exciting things to do out there. Lots of work, which will be good for me now that I'm going to get skinny and strong in my older years. Sounds backwards, but you know what they say. Youth is wasted on the young, and now that I'm older, wiser, richer in spirit, etc etc. I want to DO many things, and see things. Make art, make the garden glorious.

surnise after rain

OVER THE WENATCHEE hills.

he's baaaaack.

MR. GREAT HORNED OWL is out there tonight. I took Ophee out, and he's just intimidating enough to make me nervous. I'm fairly certain s/he wouldn't mess with Oph, but on the other hand, they are formidable and stealthy hunters with dangerous talons. I realized that tonight, as last time, there is a lot of white on the ground from last night's snowfall. They probably enjoy hunting against the snow, since it's so easy for them with their night vision. They probably see dinner walking around everywhere in the form of rodents, varmints and any other nocturnal creatures.

chillybeauty

AS THE BEES SLEEP so am I. It's cold, and you can nearly feel it in these photos of the sun coming up. Once a California girl, always a California girl. But I love it here and I'm staying put.
So much to do indoors anyway.

happy new 2011!

I VISITED THE DARLING Lawrences last night. Dave and Angie. They've been here a year, from the UK, to run a bed and breakfast, the Apple Country Inn. What a blast to compare views on the problems of both our countries.

snowfallin'

LOTSA FLAKES FALLING out there. I'm enjoying it from my picture window. It always makes me sleepy. Probably the quiet, muffled blanket of white, and the subconscious signal to just stay home by the fire. :B

the night visitor

Great Horned Owl (Bubo Virginianus)
LAST NIGHT I was startled by a very loud hoo hooing outside, and at first I thought it was kids goofing off. But it was the real thing. It was quiet, so Mr. Owl's hoot carried. I hadn't seen an owl up close. So I tiptoed to the walnut tree where I located the source of his 'hoo - hoooo hoo." He regarded me several times. I stayed very still. But he took off anyway after about 4 minutes. When Ophee and I went out for her nightly constitutional, I was 5 feet behind her, when the owl swept right over us at eye level, and fortunately I didn't have to duel him for my puppy. I think he was checking her out, and decided 14 lbs. might be just a bit much to deal with. Nevertheless, lesson learned, and quite a thrill....super silent and spooky, he was on us before I even knew it. And in a blink was gone.
Here is a photo of when I first spotted him/her (it was dark, so I had to retouch this in Pshop, but it's identical to the scene).

last night's snow

AT MIDNIGHT, I went out in the yard with Ophee, and I couldn't believe how light it was from the fallen snow. I took this photo of the little turret with the lights twinkling warmly. The photo doesn't do justice, but it was charming, even beautiful in the snow. Like coming upon a little warmly lit cabin in the forest.

an elegant hunter

Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)
HE SWEPT BY when Ophee and I were out in the yard this morning. His presence explains the occasional feathery murder scenes I find in the yard. Also, I am fairly certain starlings are a favorite dish, and I've had big populations in the trees lately. Like everyone, scrabbling for food and warmth. Closeup photo is actually a juvenile. They mature to more black and white.

my snowy block

IN THE SUNSHINE, which we get a good amount of even in winter, the snow is so pristine, and all the colors shine against it. Here's my little street, with beautiful sky overhead, and a shot of Saddlerock, dressed in snow.

our path panorama

THE ROUTE WE walk, Ophee and I. This looks so generic, compared to the way it looked when I took it on Thanksgiving. It was so breathtaking outside, with the contrasts of white and blue, and the sun, sparkling on anything it could.

yer snow buddy

TILL SOMEBODY LOVES YOU.
That's about all I have to say.

before & after

SO ONE NIGHT, it was frosty and cold, and the next morning all was blanketed by our friend Snow.

why the trees

OK, ENOUGH ALREADY with all the leaves. I must explain myself. I am utterly ravished by autumn colors. The tarnished tones of red, gold, and myriad greens make my heart ache. And usually, against the foil of blackened vegetation, give the impression of a Czar's robes. I wonder if I fell in love with trees as a child...I have memories of huge trees with wonderful billows of falling leaves to play with. In Huntington Beach, Terrie and I had the pleasure of attending a grade school where old trees littered the ground with their leaves in September. I remember, even as a kid, on my last day of school there, I walked the grounds, taking in the sights and smells of my old tree friends, and feeling a pang of sadness that I would rarely if ever see them again.

free mulch!

IF IT'S POSSIBLE to be excited about a Troybuilt Leaf Blower, you can see why here. These are just the farthest corners of the Farmlet— lots more leaves in between. But they will make lovely blankets for my transplants.

our favorite walk

OPHEE AND I walk 2 blocks to the irrigation waterways, which are like little streams in the summer, and now are empty of water but the path is covered with pine needles, hoofprints of deer (which I might see if I was up at 5am), blackberry brambles full of quail, and leaves, EVERYWHERE. Wenatchee has its share of trees, and we delight in scuffling through the multi-colored crunchy carpets.

the long shadows

WASN'T IT JUST September, yesterday? Watching the seasons change here, it's so obvious the time of year. In Bothell, seasons blurred. The shadows are really stretching out, and I have plenty to do before winter, which promises to be a snowmonster.
My friend Ethan gave me a leaf blower which has turned out to be my favorite back-saving device. Thank you, Ethan!