What A Difference A Week Makes

From snow and single digit temps

to raking leafs and burning limbs

to a day warm enough for swimming

while Blue birds make housing plans.

Six Words Doubled

Determined to catch her elusive shadow.

Unknown fact:  Shadows can't be captured.

A Double Dose

for 

My Memory Art: Six Word Friday

Time Lapse Weather

Wednesday afternoon

As the storm strengthened

Wednesday just before dark

Thursday morning

Boot Leggings

Twenty eight degrees with sunshine!

I've been in too long

so I walked

in boots and layers of clothing.

I walked in snow and running water.

I enjoyed the blue sky.

Although I wasn't barefoot I think I reconnected.

"We Ain't Ashes"

said Daryl.  And the suspense of The Walking Dead keeps reeling me in with only two shows left in this season.  Let's get on with it!!!  I NEED to know.

I raked some leafs to deepen the dogs' bed in the tool shed and covered that with a warm blanket.  I fed the dogs and retired to the couch.  I decided to veg out since it was unseasonably cold.  From the history channel (which I thought safe) I immediately learned there were six major catastrophic apocalyptic events with Earth's name on them.

I'm hoping it is a zombie apocalypse, if anything.  Thanks to The Walking Dead I do know what to do.

In the mean time I'm hibernating.

See you in the spring!

The Morning After...

We are lucky.

We have power!

Dam Snow...

Been wanting to say that a long time

but had to wait til I crossed the dam.

 Norfork Dam and Mountain Home

 has less snow 

than we do.

Snow in our valley.

Every one stay safe.

Valentine's Day Tragedy...

The day was cold but ice and snow were trying to melt.  We had hopes of a snow leaving day but it didn't work out.

All my life I've been warned of the danger of icicles.  Never believed them!  Now I know.  The death of the recyclable bag of cans was very sad.  Impaled with a great force never to be whole again.

Then the depression and tragedy of the season made itself very clear to me.  I should follow the birds and go further South.  This poor bird house is uninhabitable.  The tragedies abound.

The frozen bird house cried out to me

reflecting  the essence of this season.

The Red Mule still stands tall.

The snow remains.

Happy Valentine's Day!

May yours be filled with sunshine and smiles. 

Cabin Fever and Guns...

Snow on the roof
Ice on the grass
Not telling how many times
I've fallen on my a--

All dogs are gone
Shot the chickens for fun
Downed the cattle from afar
My husband had better run

JOKING!  FICTION

Random 5 Friday

Random Five Friday at A Rural Journal with Nancy was just the inspiration I needed today.  I may have to call my Ramble Five!

1.  Winter still hangs on in all it's glory.  This is supposed to be part of the south but someone didn't get that message.  We had just five inches of snow this time but add sleet, rain, freezing temps and you are walking on a ice rink.

2.  I'll not tell how I can no longer break through the ice with my boots.  I will not tell that when I come to an incline I sit and slide so I won't fall.  I won't tell how cold my backside is after that slide.

3.  Schools have been closed this time for a week and more weather is coming in soon.

4.  Farmers are loosing calves to the extreme colds.  We lost our last born.  Some farmers have lost five or more.

5.  Watching the dogs slide on ice is a little funny.  I laugh but the dogs don't.

Sunday Snow...Who Put Phil In Charge?

My ground hog At The Farm did not see her shadow since it snowed all day!  Late or early spring?

 As the big flakes fell

Cardinals were out in force

sitting in the pruned fig tree

waiting to steal dog food.

Sunday

Monday

Jill, our ground hog, says an early spring

and you know women are always right!

Morning update!

Jill may be hormonal.

This is a 9AM...another storm!

Wishing everyone a short winter.

A Heart On Snow

The heart-shaped brier leaf lay

reminding me of my blogger friends who missed me.

You have made my world bigger

and my heart more open.

Thank you.

My Winter Walk

At The Farm you can't really see the lay of the land unless there is the contrast of snow with the trees.  After viewing the hills around me in the valley I know why it was chosen through the years as a Native American campsite.

Fresh running water and

flat lands with rolling hills on all sides 

made this valley perfect for anyone's home.

I wandered to Rock Hollow.

It was not a safe day to climb.

The snow showed me how hidden

the valley and the people here would be.

It was an Ariat day.

No, still haven't found that new pair of rubber boots.

I'm grateful the foresight of my ancestors

allows me to call this peaceful valley My Home.

Sunday...

The rain has melted the last of the snow.

The cardinals come as quickly as the dogs

when they hear the dog food rattle.

This guy has a mouth full.

A shy visitor...I had to hide for this one.

Did they come by four wheel drive?

No, it was an airborne assault.

The water garden waits for me to finish my job.

Happy Sunday.

Trekking...

Monday I walked into the snow and mud.  I wanted to remember the last day I explored in 2012.  I needed to reconnect with the land.

I saw beauty in  frozen sand as the rain washed a path through snow.

I captured diamonds in the cedars

and rejoiced that my Lizzy was happy At The Farm.

I visited a frozen pond hidden among the pines.

I reached the highest point on our acreage and enjoyed the view while it gently rained melting much of the remaining snow.  I heard the high-pitched yip that Junior voices when he's on the trail of a rabbit. 

The Bald Eagles weren't around or they had flown away with the first sound of our approach.  A Blue Heron took flight from the pond too fast for my camera or me to see well.  The crows cawed telling the world I and the dogs were here.  

Bird song filled the air but the dog pack had them uneasy so they stayed high and safe from the marauding bunch that traveled with me.

I had lost track of time.  I headed down  to the valley that has cradled our family for five generations.  It felt good to be home again.