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Surviving an Ohio Valley Winter

Thursday, March 7, 2013


photo by Geoff Heeter

It's been a winter. It didn't really get revved up until right before Christmas, but it's been going right along, and February's been no picnic, no picnic at all. Gray and snow and sleet and ice and rain day after day.

I have had to resort to coping mechanisms. One being basking in the greenhouse, which just got a whole huge post of its own. Vital. 

The Fastnacht Supper on Fat Tuesday at our Lutheran church helped. Crullers and bean soup and stewed prunes and milk. Mmmm. And Mardi Gras masks that make you look like a flounder or a mantis or Marty Feldman.


Little photobombers named Liam.


Luke the leucistic song sparrow helps when he sings under my bedroom window at first light, sitting on the post that song sparrows always choose. I must do a little trimming of the crape myrtle to make room for him. I cannot believe he is staying to set up a territory. It's too good to be true. He's been with us since right before the Big Sit in October. Just blew in like a snowflake and never left. Yay Luke! I'm glad he's a boy so I can locate him whenever he sings. I know his song now and can find him wherever he is. Our yard, for whatever reason, seems to support only one pair of song sparrows each year, and I'm delighted that Luke is the guy.


We have embraced the snow. We really have. The storm before last came down at the rate of 2" in an hour, and lasted only a day. It was so beautiful I went out just to photograph it all.


Germantown Road.


Pawpaw Creek, where Liam found his velociraptor claw. (I identify it as Duck Creek in the post linked here, but it's actually Pawpaw Creek).

We got a really big snow of about 7" and Phoebe and her friends got together, went sledding, and then built a giant igloo in the front yard. It was awesome and they about killed themselves building it. Every time they come over they do something wildly creative like build an igloo or make a video.
 We love having them here.


We built a snow ruddy duck. Chet sat on it but only for a moment. Too cold.


Baker much prefers baking his bacon in the SUN.



If you ever wanted to cuddle a puppeh, I'll bet you want to cuddle this one. He's delicious, especially when pre-heated. He's like a little corn muffin. And the sun brings out his seal brown so beautifully. Melty melty Snickers bar of a doggeh.


He likes to carb load in winter. Here, he is staring at a croissant just out of camera range.


Aren't we all. Hang in there. Spring is coming. The woodcock says so; the robins moping in the snow say so; the bluebirds peeking in the nest boxes say so. Whatever the thermometer says.






4 comments:

Posts like this make me wish I was a kid again and could come over and play at your house! Actually, the adults look to be having a fine time of it too.

On the way to work this morning, I thought,"Why don't I just jump off the Williamstown Bridge?" Thanks for reminding me that it's the end of winter. Your message is always laden with hope. And silliness. And bad dog photos. Merci. I love how that word combines thank and mercy all in one.

Thank you for the snow, and Igloo, and snowy Ruddy Duck (I love snow) to go with my leetle bit of cold! Springs comin' and I am working the 'spring forward' night just to watch it move ever nearer!

Kathy in Delray Beach

Posted by Anonymous March 7, 2013 at 2:20 PM

The Harlem Shake Whipple video: I'm not sure I had this level of FUN when I was a kid. Vicarious pleasure watching everyone rock out wearing costumes. Mether needs to be dancing with that broom in her hand! And the winter photos and the prose--it's good you can find the good things about a dark, long winter. Spring isn't far behind! And Queenbeehoney, please don't jump!

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