Snow Day

Five years. Mom has been "gone" five years. I'm not sure how one is supposed to feel. I've been told it would get "easier and easier," and that isn't quite my reality. It was terribly hard at first, then I seemed to hit a zone, but lately...the reality it's been five long years and I really am not going to have another conversation with Mom is setting in. It's hard. I've learned it's very possible, good even I think, to grieve and experience joy at the same time. 

There is one thing mom loved - SNOW. She told us repeatedly how excited she was to someday move to Alaska with us and get to be in all the snow again...and so it is fitting we have SNOW this December 12th - LOTS OF SNOW!  Today, I'm going to snuggle inside under blankets and enjoy a snow day in her memory...though we all KNOW Mom would not be content to watch it - she'd be out there in the middle of it...sledding, building snowmen and pelting us with snowballs. I sure miss her, still. 

Michael checked how much we had last night, and I can tell you we had 7 new inches at 0800 this morning. I have no idea how much we will get in the end as it has not stopped snowing since last night. 

Before you see the next photos you need to KNOW - YES, we DID shovel after the last storm.  FOOLS. The wisdom of the Japanese becomes apparent on days like this.  The city of Misawa did NOT shovel roads in the winter. We got lots of snow. Their philosophy "It will melt in time." BUT we DID SHOVEL. I had beautiful trails to the chicken coop, the compost, around my car...the driveway was shoveled...we could get ou of all the doors. Not so this a.m.  Millie was not impressed this morning when we could barely get the door open for her. 

This is the tallest we've seen the snow on the railing...because we clear it between storms...this is only our 6th winter but it sure FEELS like a lot of snow. 

 

Winter grilling anyone? 

I shoveled a path to the stairs for Millie. I figured she could just slide down the stairs. She did have the same idea at all. We have been training her to outside off leash and to come back...she didn't want to go anywhere this a.m. 

Hope for spring, summer and fall days....and next summer we'll have 2 new babies for the baby swing. 

The front edge of this railing was cleaned off last night. We've had a good 12 inches in the last 12 hours. 

This was all nicely plowed yesterday. Lovely trails around the cars....

Michael had shoveled paths so I could easily get to the chickens (red bldg on left) and compost (bin between coop and my van).  Maybe I won't compost for a day or two. 

I did have to go out and visit the animals. Dash is such a good sport. I gave him an extra treat or two today...though it IS warmer than it has been. 

About that chicken coop....

The chicken yard. Michael had shoveled a couple of areas for them but alas...snow everywhere once again. 

I turned around and realized I had to get the door open. LOL 

She does not seem suitably impressed with my efforts. 

I entertained them this morning with Karen Carpenter songs. 

For all the trouble, the girls rewarded us with 18 eggs this morning (and 2 more this evening). 

The greenhouse with a new coat of snow....another hopeful sign that this is just ONE of four seasons.