What weird weather we're having #7

Loved the tube.
We only got 4" but what fun today, we have in passed years gotten, more but its not done yet, more for the weekend. Icky LOL

Poor tiny rose.

Haven fun.

I thought this was cool. my gazing ball.

Snow on the ponderosa pine.

I thought this was cool, sun trying to come out, never did LOL

Love my new camera, look out Red, I'm getting good. I think LOL
My Camilla in the snow.

I don't think there's snow predicted for tomorrow here, but there are high winds and snow predicated for Saturday and Sunday here in the foothills. I need to figure out how I'm going to get out and get dog food this weekend.

Lots of bunny tracks across the front yard.

It is beautiful, though. Willow, my kitty came in with little snowballs on her belly fur this morning. She has a nice, thick coat, so she's prepared for this weather.

Little house in the big woods:

Bunnies and Snow go together. I only have human and cat prints (where I tossed my cat out in the snow, because he was trying to escape and I knew that would solve it.)

Did he learn? I would love to have one of those cats who learn . . . mine will just try the same again later. LOL

Heavy snow in Portland this morning but it warmed up and turned to slush. We are supposed to get 4+ inches tonight and below freezing temps through the weekend with snow showers. I did a little Christmas shopping this morning but I feel like there is still so much to do! Next week 6 of my 7 kids, 2 daughters-in-law, and 4 grandchildren will be here and I still have not decided what to have for Christmas dinner! My daughter who lives in Portland is doing Christmas Eve so that is taken care of. I need to plan breakfasts, lunches, etc and my sister & her husband, and her daughter + husband + 3 boys will be coming over one of the days - I love having a big family but geeezzz. Plus a few of us can't eat gluten, and one doesn't eat pork, etc etc etc. I also want to have time to make homemade marshmallows & fudge. I don't make cookies because I am one of those who can't eat gluten and I can't even have wheat flour in my kitchen! I have to go to the airport twice on the 24th and I am stressing out! I had the schedule all figured out but the bad roads have changed that.
Ahhhh - but when I take Koka out for a walk or to the dog park everything seems trivial and so what if it doesn't get done.
Katie your house in the woods looks so beautiful and peaceful.
The Dusty the cat story is so funny - I can just picture it!
Trisha it is so good of you to help out the older folks. I can't imagine trying to navigate the snow & ice with canes, etc. Poor things! They are lucky to have you there to help.
Tilly great photo of the gazing ball.
Stay warm tonight everyone - we shall see what Mother Nature brings us tomorrow!

Thank you, P. It is peaceful, esp right now. And I'm flooded with memories of growing up in Alaska - the snow really cleans everything up and lights up the night.

You do have a lot going on. So here's an idea - assign the planning for each meal to one of your kids/visitors. They can have the ideas and get you the recipes and you [just] have to do the shopping. Then when they get there, put on the music and make somebody king of each thing. I love it when my host or hostess does that because then we get time with her/him.

There are lots of online gifts you can get and then just present a gift certificate to the recipient. My folks buy each of us an entertainment book each year because they can do it online or in the mail. If you have a printer (and maybe some fancy paper or envelopes), you can wrap up a little box with the gift certificate in it. Then you can just focus on gifts for the little kids - maybe some kitchen utensils? LOL

It does look like there will be more, so we'll just have to take it day by day, I guess. Isn't is so nice to have a companion to leave the house with? Dog love is just a little bit different than cat love. I'll bet your family is excited to meet Koka.

Katie thank you for all your suggestions. About 5 years ago I began giving the kids cash and then I do great stockings for my kids, their spouses or significant others, and my grandchildren. That is 18 this year - every year someone else has a new girl friend or boy friend. I do like shopping for the stockings and they have a great time opening them! Two years ago I gave my parents stockings (now 92 and 85) and my Dad said it was the first time he had ever received a stocking. That made me so sad - I never stopped to think about what it was like for him as a child, especially during the depression. I do buy gifts for the grandchildren and of course that is fun!
All my kids like to cook so there is plenty of help in the kitchen. The problem is my indecisiveness about what to have for dinner. Maybe by tomorrow I will have the grocery list all done. :)))

Enjoy the beautiful snow. Even though the winter weather causes inconveniences it is nature's gift to us.

How sweet that your Dad finally got a stocking. It really was tough times in the depression.

So when you have the list done and food bought then you can relax and enjoy. It sounds like you will have a house full.

Sally, your other post reminded me to come back and look at the youtube video of your DS and DIL's dogs. It does look like their dog is either a lurcher or an irish wolfhound. And one of the shepherdy-looking dogs looks like he has some Norwegian Elkhound in there. They have such cool markings. We had one when I was growing up in Fairbanks. He loved the snow and his coat got so thick that he could only spend a few minutes at a time inside.

I love the part where the dogs and the horse check in with one another. Are those draft horses? Does your son have them for recreation or do they use they for work?

Very cooL!!

katie59...next time I get stressed I'm going to ask for your help! Great suggestions!

Great pics Tilly!

DS finally got home (the one in CA) the freeway was shut down, he had to stay at work last night and got stuck on the freeway trying to get home today. Poor DIL had to deal with the horses,cats,dogs,goat and pig in the snow by herself. Aw to be young and able. They're having so much fun with the snow, they're beside themselves LOL

We have snow on the ground now and it's getting cold again, means ice in the morning. arrrrghhh. We're going to have to pick up some our people for our annual Christmas potluck tomorrow night. Just have to go down the street, but some can't manage if it's icy.

Becareful everyone!

Yes they're draft horses.....his way to deal with MS (besides cross-stitching). Just for fun. I think all the dogs are rescued, I know for sure most of them are. DIL is a dog trainer and has a very big heart.

Glad you enjoyed the youtube.

You be careful, too. I think tomorrow will be worse than today in some places - I know it'll be days before our snow is melted. Glad your DS got home, finally.

I don't remember - has your DS tried bee stings for his MS? I know of an acquaintance of my parents who swears by it.

Their place looks like animal-lovers' Heaven.

You haven't seen the half of it. We switch between calling it the farm and the zoo! LOL
Don't know if he has tried that or not, DIL is very involved with MS Society and keeps up with things, but I'll ask her.

It would be an excuse to add an apiary to their menagerie . . .

Finally have computer access.... 10-12" of snow, no wind and now no water. Drove into town today to buy water for the animals and pick up tow chains (just in case). This is shaping up to be an interesting holiday! Kids and dogs are loving the snow, cats - not so much.

Katie - if you find you can't get out for dog food, let me know. Perhaps we can get it and get it in to you if you can't get out.

Hope everyone stays warm and safe.

ladybuggfan...glad you could access. Sounds like you've been hit pretty hard, are you driving a snowplow? LOL
Be safe...hope you get your water soon.

Ladybug, my cats aren't fond of the snow either. Even my little escapee has decided it isn't worth it.

wow, i've read most of the posts, but i'm behind and most of it will have to wait until tomorrow. theses are a few pics of what was waiting for me when I got back from work tonight. I had to chain up in order to get here.

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is there some patio furniture here?

....

Enjoy the beauty, but be safe. There is a storm expected today, but north of us. However, one son's family is supposed to travel from Annapolis, MD. to Foxboro, Mass. today. They will be traveling through an area that is supposed to get 6 - 12''. I hope they got an early start, to try to get ahead of it. We are only supposed to get rain here. We shall see.
DH gets out of school at noon today for a 2 week break. He is so excited!!!. He is finishing up a frame project for someone. It is a newpapaer from a couple of days after Lincoln was shot and there is an article about the surrender of Lee to Grant. So he had to rig up a two-sided frame so that both sides of the paper could be read. It has been a very interesting process for him. He used some walnut for the frame itself and milled it to the moulding profile he wanted. The finish on the wood is beautiful. Now the final step will be to make a stand for it to sit on. It is pretty large, too.
In case I miss saying it, May all of your holiday season be blessed with family and friends ( and a shovelled driveway).
Jan
PS: I love all the snow pictures.

Sally, no snowplow just a 4WD superduty. We use it to haul horses. Makes it much easier in this weather to get around. We have an elderly neighbor that was stuck and we are unable to locate the tow straps that we'd packed when we moved. We needed something to help haul him out and I needed water so it was a good reason to go into town.

Red your pictures are beautiful. Lots of snow for you from the looks of things. Glad you had chains for your vehicle.

DH drove into Mercer Island this morning said that the road through town looked like a parking lot with abandoned cars pulled to the side. Freeways seem clear here and most secondary roads are passable. Good new for us as the Pump Man should have no trouble getting here to check out my well and water situation.

The sky is clear here which means no more snow for now, but it will be very cold tonight if the clouds don't come back in to cover us. Hope everyone stay warm and safe.

Just called DDIL and they are holding off leaving until tomorrow after the roads are plowed. Her sister called and asked what their new plan was and Lauren said " what new plan?" then was informed of the huge storm expected today up that way. They hadn't seen the weather forecast. LOL

Woke up to a light covering of snow here but tomorrow we are expecting 6 - 8" in the city. Since the city closes down for 2" and turns into a ghost town I can only imagine what tomorrow will look like! Sunday will be freezing rain and windy. I am supposed to go to my DD's boyfriend's parents house in Sandy for a latke Hanukkah/Christmas feast on Sunday but since they live toward Mt Hood they may have to cancel. I was looking forward to it. The boyfriend's parents are so much fun & terrific people and I like seeing them. My family and their wives/friends/etc are such a diverse group it is like the United Nations when we are all together!
Rc as usual your photos are breathtaking. I love the one with the dog. Lots of snow there!
Ladybug hope you get water soon. That's a difficult thing to be without. :(
Koka is continuing to be a great pal and just loves the snow so much that she dances around. She's still skittish around some people but warming up to the cats. She often looks like a coyote when she runs and plays and people are constantly asking me what kind of dog she is. No one has heard of American Indian dogs and they back away because they think she is part wolf. When I explain that these dogs are not and never were part wolf they let their kids pet her. I have heard her bark once in the past week but I am hoping that if a bad person approaches the house at night she will be a little more help!
Have a good day - how nice it is to have you all to trade stories and thoughts with!

katie59...you were right 'Fiona' (big shaggy dog) is a 10 month old Irish Wolfhound, DIL says they have trouble getting her to come in the house, "No, play snow".

rc....great pics as usual. You used chains to get the car in, what did you have to do to get yourself in? LOL We got snow last night, but not like that. It's still snowing, but the valley floor doesn't usually get deep.

Drive safe and stay warm everyone.

Thanks to all about the snow photos. That crap has still been coming down all night long. So now I'm stuck in the driveway until I or the neighbor (I'm very hopeful about the neighbor, it's been a long time since i've ran a tractor) take the tractor to it again. I'm not sure if they've went by the rd with a snow plow again, so, it might be for nothing.

Katie, thanks for all of the info a how to get the dog and cats to get along. If Shadow were my dog, I would definitely do that. But, he's not mine. I'll be staying with him (if this snow doesn't let up, he's coming to my place - but he'll have to stay in the kennel. I have snow, but not this much) through Jan. 9th. Then his people will be home and they can plow their own driveway!! I like the idea about the electric scat mat and magnetic cat door in a box. 'Itsa' cannot come inside, i've tried it before, and it was a mess beyond words and then it took months for my other cats to forgive me for letting it in. Right now I have $0 extra for a little while, especially after buying chains for my car and a new set of all weather tires for my car a month ago. My prior car and current are about the same size, I thought for certain the chains I had for the other would work for this one.... Of course they didn't! Sorry if I have a negative tone today, I hate the thought of being snowed in. :-( But, getting rid of the raccoons really brings a smile to my face! My boss at work has a ton of raccoons as well that are doing a lot of damage. He's thinking of getting a silenced air rifle, if he decides to get it he said that I can barrow it. Not the nicest thing ever, but there is no shortage of raccoons out their either.
Your place looks very cozy and tucked in. Nice Picture!, However, I would detest not being able to go if I wanted to.

Sally thanks for the advance info on the rds in town. Yep, Eugene was just dandy. On my way home last night I didn't hit snow on the rd. until the top of the reservoir above Lowell. For me, I had to use a sort of "high stepping march" to get into the house. :-p Today, it's boots and rain gear with the ankles of the raingear taped tight around the ankle! Looks funny, but highly effective trick that I learned long ago from hiking in the woods when it's snowing.


Shokami, I love those pictures of Shore Acres. Awesome night shots and great photography!! That story of your new Dusty Rose (isn't there a plant called that? either variety name or common name?) with the fly strip wrapped around her and trailing, and then with Katie saying that 'then the other cats being terrified of her because she didn't look "right".' was tooo funny. My cats would've done the same darn thing. if one came out making that ruckus and sticking hair, the other cats' hair would've stood up as they would've have jumped and ran. Too funny.


Tilly your pictures are great! I'm glad that your learning your way around your camera. Mine has something lodged in between the lenses. So this spot shows up on every picture. It's driving me nuts that I can't get it dislodged. I've put that on my christmas list (there more things wrong with it than that - cracked LCD lense and cover for startes - , the same make and model as the one that I have. However, I think that I was aiming a little high with putting that one on my list, but I can hope!

Katye.... It sounds like your decision to stay home was the right one, even if it was the only one! I bet your two dogs are a funny match outside in the snow, if you can get the "prissy girl" outside to play in it. How much snow do you have now? I sure hope that you get water soon. That's no fun at all. Maybe the pump froze up? that's not fun at all and definitely not cheap.

Portland. wow, you've taken on quite the challenge in trying to accomodate everyone that is coming to your place. You're very busy. Hopefully some of the others will help out. Hopefully it will help Koka work on here shyness a little. So, is Portland all up and functional now? We were supposed to go to my sisters for the Holiday, but now we're reconsidering whether or not it's worth trying to get there and not being able to get back. We would have to take I205 and I84 to get there. My new job doesn't have much leniency towards inclement weather. So, I really want to be back on Fri. My mom however doesn't have a strict schedule, she could stay there for two weeks if she wanted to, and won't go over there by herself. Not, that she can't, just the thought of having to deal with something that might go wrong on the trip is what she doesn't like. That's sort of frustrating to me. She should go if the roads are ok. I'm the only one of the family here. Her DD, DSIL, all her grandkids, etc. are all over there. Anyhow, we'll see how it all plays out I guess. I love that picture of Koka. It's too bad that folks make that association with wolves. My Sister had a dog that was about 3/4 wolf. It was a very sweet dog. it was very shy, but after she spent time trying to socialize it, it was quite happy and loved people!. Anyhow, I was very surprised at the number of folks who wouldn't even give him a chance. He was a sweet dog.

Jan, good luck with the storm front coming in. Also good of you to make it known about the forecast. I'm sort of surprised that given the weather that all parts of the country has had that people are checking or watching the weather before they go anywhere right now. I'm sitting here looking out the window and I'm completely surprised that the power has stayed on this whole time (i had better knock on wood quick), if it goes out, Shadow and I will be leaving. There's not any alternate heat source here and it's 15 deg at best. I lost tv. sometime last night, and this one is a satellite tv so I suspect that it might be what Katie mentioned earlier. But, I don't know where the dish is at. I'm hopeful that It's not completely buried.

Our Snowman..with beautiful green eyes! (brusssel sprouts)

My neighbors Buddaha snow man.

Oh, he is so cute. Love the eyes.

We ended up with about 9" of snow. Everything is beautifully covered and the all water chains are covered with ice. We made it into Shelton today for groceries. All is well!

Love the buddha also.

This message was edited Dec 19, 2008 4:14 PM

This is Jesus the snowman & my daughters. They wanted to make a full manger scene...will need more snow for that! So happy the older one made it home from College today. She surprised me. I was worried because she did not have chains for her car and was supposed to work this weekend. Thank goodness she has a nice boss who let her head home before the next round of storms starts. :)

This message was edited Dec 19, 2008 8:17 PM

Pretty girls and they look cold.

OMG.... they look very cold! But, i'm so happy for you Bea, that they both are home.

Willow it's a good thing that you have a 4x4 vehicle in that snow. I don't. this is beginning to get on my nerves! But, it does make for beautiful pictures.