November 21, 2016

Snowy World


We got our first storm of the season this weekend. Forecasters quite often over exaggerate, especially for early season storms. When I saw there was a severe winter storm warning, I downgraded it to a mild snow shower. But it was totally legit. 36 hours later it is still snowing merrily.  

We had planned to go to Ottawa on Sunday, but woke up to rain dripping off the eaves, huge snowflakes falling furiously and 32 degrees. Slush everywhere. Not the most promising weather for travel. So we stayed home.


The map Gilbert drew for us to get where we needed to go in Ottawa. This is actually quite close to how I drive in Ottawa--there are so many one way streets. I work on the assumption that Canadians just roll their eyes at me and say disparaging things about American drivers. Canadians are so polite. They would probably apologize for driving the correct way when I wanted to drive the wrong way on the one way street. 

 After overcoming massive disappointment in not being able to to go Ottawa, we settled in for a cozy, snowy Sunday at home. 


The kids had to go out in the first snow. Yes, Elsie has bare legs. They were supposed to be outside for only a few minutes until it was time to dress for meeting, but they ended up staying out there for about 20 minutes. I am a bad mother.


Building a snowman


 My snowy Orianna girl


Their muddy snowman


On the way to meeting


My windowsill. 

My paperwhites and amaryllis are not behaving properly. Hopefully they will pop up soon. 


Winterberries my darling brought home from the swamp while he was hunting. He says that is true love. 

Snowy, cozy Sunday afternoons are lovely. 


Everyone called a snowday for today. But like political pollsters, they were off by a mile. Not even a delay! I had banked rather heavily on at least a delay, since it was still snowing like crazy, so I let the kids sleep in. Oopsie! Finally, I had to acknowledge the fact that our two school districts didn't know a snowday from a summer afternoon and wake them up and hustle them onto the bus. 


There are more maintained roads I could take to work, but this one makes my heart sing every morning. Isn't it lovely? 

And what is the point of a four wheel drive vehicle if you don't flex it's muscles once in awhile for the sake of a singing heart? No point, that's what. 


Elsie was slightly tardy to school, since I had to stop to take pictures frequently. Thankfully I am not technically working until 9:23, so I moseyed to my hearts content. And for the sake of arriving safely. The roads were rather terrible. Even the maintained roads. 

Over half of Elsie's class didn't come in, so I didn't feel too bad about getting her there 7 minutes late. 


After dragging us all out of our jammies and cozy houses, the powers that be decided to close the school at noon. So Elsie and I headed home for a cozy afternoon. 


Snowy fields





Snowy tunneled roads are the best, aren't they? 



This is so north country. 


The Amish school hadn't called a snowday, either. 


Amish corn bundles

November 8, 2016

Halloween. And some other things.

I like posting things in the proper order. However, when I didn't have a computer, my pictures were downloaded to several different computers. And some insistant people want pictures of the kids on Halloween. So I am just going to put up a few pictures and ta-da! They will be recent. 


Abilene was a charming old lady. She was so adorable. 


All the kids! 


Being fabulous


Isn't Abilene the cutest little old lady ever? She really got into the part by being slightly grumpy from not napping and then promptly falling asleep. 


Tori and Ashley came trick or treating with us! 


Trick or treating at the funeral home. I was a little leary about the candy--I mean if those people want job security....


At this point, Abilene was very concerned about the lack of napping in her life. 


Halfway through trick or treating. We went a little early this year and actually got home before it was full dark. I was apologizing at the first few houses, but I was quite pleased to be done before dark. 


I love these boys! 

These three pictures are all the pictures I have of this entire past weekend. Lindsey is home, Clover and Evan were up, it was union meeting, and I sprained my ankle. Somehow it all conspired to make me not picture-takey. 

Saturday morning, we went on a quick trip to Martin's Store for various things. (I bought a little gold bell in the shape of a lady.) On the way home, we realized it was the local craft fair. I was just going to run in, and the next thing we knew, we had spent a full hour and a half there. It was a lovely girls shopping trip. And we got all kinds of fun things that I didn't take pictures of. 

Just believe me--it was great. 


Being a kid in November--pushing strollers with rock babies into mud puddles and trying to jump over little muddy spots. 


Abilene all suited up for a walk! 


Turkey's and frosty fields. 


This flock has about 30 birds and hangs out on one particular stretch of road on the way to work. I almost always see them coming or going. 


This morning I had to stop by Mom and Dad's to pick up my laptop computer cord and while I was there, the cows came rampaging onto the lawn. So I got in on some cow catching. 

As in, I drove the suburban over there and prevented the cows from running back onto the lawn. Vital, I am sure. Still, there were a lot of beautiful early morning sun on the cows pictures to take. So I focused on that. 





The sun was just right for making everything slightly dramatic looking. 

November 2, 2016

Woodpile

Guess what? I am still putting pictures up of the first weekend in October! This is the longest, most drawn out weekend I have practically ever seen. But it was a really great weekend and I took a lot of pictures. 

These pictures are all about the woodpile. We spent a good bit of time around the woodpile, although Owen did his bet to lure everyone away from the pile to play hearts. At one point he said he refused to be one of those people who invites people to their house to make them work, so we had to go play hearts. Scott and Sarah ignored him. 


In the morning, the kids played with the logs.


They built a road


And a house


I love the hard hat full of leaves.


Mom's morning glory 


The big girls going on a walk, which was the impetus for the little kids needing to go on a walk. 


Cute little Abilene bird in the woodpile



There was a lot of wood


Wood explorers


I love these kids.


Isn't she marvelous?


Yep! She is. I think I will put up a lot of pictures about her.


I LOVE HER.


Grandpa and the wood splitter with an audience



Beautifully split wood


Gilbert and Grandpa


Owen and Hoyt doing wood


Carrying wood to the basement window


Impromptu coffee table


When the basement is finally full, we all sat around on the remaining woodpile.


Cheyenne, Sarah, and I


Evan


Evan and his Lincoln boy


And his Elliott boy


Those White boys!


Sarah and Scott


My grown up Cheyenne girl!


Woodcutter Dad



Tori, with her why-are-you-taking-a-picture-of-me face.


Cheyenne cuddling Abilene


Livie and Daisy


Dimply Livie


Scott in a tractor, Gilbert in a little car.