Mt. Rainier and Lenticular Clouds - Dec. 2008 copyright: JMM

April 1, 2015

March: In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lion


God what a frickin winter.  I thought March was supposed to go out like a lamb?  Not in New England.  Not this year.  It Just. Won't. Stop.  We get a few days of promising weather, then BAM! Back to snow in the forecast.  OK so it's not accumulating and is melting right away, but still.  I'm finally starting to see patches of grass in my back yard.  I really didn't think that pile on the deck would ever melt down.  If my back didn't hurt so bad I'd break this up with the shovel to help it melt faster.



But the plow piles are still pretty big.  That metal shed sustained bad damage to the roof on one side; it's all buckled and dented.  It always leaked, but now it's 10x worse.  I had covered the stuff in there with a giant tarp a couple years ago but I'm not sure how effective it was this winter.  We are going to wait a couple of months before taking everything out to assess damage.  I think most everything in there are tools, and totes with tools.

And that shed on the hill, which already had gaping holes in it, had the door torn off in the first blizzard.  I was finally able to get up there the other day and all the cardboard moving boxes will have to be thrown away as they got soaked.  The plastic totes are fine.

The front yard, which faces north, remains covered with at least 6-8 inches of snow.  Tried taking the dogs out but we all sank through the icy crust and then my boot got stuck so it'll still be awhile before we can go in the front.  I am grateful that the garbage can is back on level ground instead of half buried in the plow piles.  I left it out there because there was really no point in trying to put it in the driveway each week.  I am also grateful that the DPW continued to empty it considering it was always in 2 feet of snow, and covered with snow too.


So since I was still housebound (except for those 2 days I made it to the beaches), I decided to keep on cross stitching.  My friend Amy commissioned one made from this photograph.  It was somewhat difficult to figure out because the squares are hard to see, so I had to be kind of creative on how this was put together and I did end up ripping out several mistakes.  


Amy requested that hers be done in sage and purple.  Despite the screw ups that had to be fixed, I got it done in about three days.


My sweetie had his bday at the end of the month too, so I made his fave, pineapple upside down cake, but I did it as a bundt this time and it came out great!  We enjoyed lunch at our fave place, 99, and visited with his parents for a bit too.  

Then the next day, we were at Walmart and I spied these shoes in the clearance aisle.  Upon further examination, they were girls size 5.  Russell urged me to try them on anyway.  I was doubtful, but put one on, and it actually fit!  They are even a little bit too large, and honestly not terribly comfortable, but I don't see myself doing any marathon walking in them anyway.  They were only $5 and....so sparkly!!!

And celestial as well!  Yes I have freakishly small feet.

Ice covering one of my rocks in the rocks/shells bowl that I keep outside on the deck rail year round. Looks really cool.

On Monday I woke up to an email from Kreativ Drinking that they were doing a paint night that evening at the Mezza Luna restaurant, which is right in my town.  I asked my friends on FB if anyone was interested in doing the class with me and my stepson's girlfriend said she'd go!  So we met up at 6:45.  We were pleasantly surprised when food was brought into the room for us.  I realize it was included in the price but I had no idea that food was included so I was really glad I didn't eat dinner before I left the house.  Antipasto, stuffed mushrooms, garlic bread, ravioli, meatballs and a chicken-broccoli-pasta alfredo type dealie.  DELICIOUS!

Our project was a pretty ocean scene with the moon and pink blossoms.  Sam & I had a great time and it was cool to see everyone's paintings, as they are all different.  Some people added rocks, and land which were awesome.  I was too afraid to mess with mine and possibly wreck it so I left well enough alone.  I thought about adding a whale tale but once you paint with black, you are kind of committed so again, left well enough alone.

I sure hope April finally sees warmer weather because I'm not sure how much more this region can take.  

30 comments:

  1. Your painting is gorgeous and those shoes!! Love them!! I had small feet until I had kids and then my feet got bigger after each of them was born..Wild! I guess that tends to happen...who would have thought it? Not me!

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    1. Thanks!! I'm just waiting for all the snow and mud to go away before I wear them outside. Don't want to wreck them. I'm still wearing my snow boots when I take the dogs out too. Can't wait for this crap to melt away.

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  2. YOU are so talented!!!

    I can understand your PTSD about snow. Your area has had more than their share.

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    1. Awww thanks Teresa! Well I could never paint that without specific instruction by the teacher. Oh and I'm dealing with a bunch of nimrods on Facebook posting April Fools weather forecasts that call for 6" of snow. I, of course, checked the real NOAA forecast and all that's in it is rain and 45 degrees.

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  3. Funny listening to the reports about bad winter weather in the States, I commented to Matt that I was glad we lived in Canada. Seems like the wrong way round at the moment. Hope everything melts for you soon. There are still traces of snow round here but not that much apart from the plow piles same as you.

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    1. Did you see any pics of the Iditarod? They had to truck snow into Anchorage for the start of the race and I saw the sleds running on bare tundra. All winter Russell's been saying, 'I didn't sign up to live in Alaska' and I said, 'We probably would've been better off this year if we did....'

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  4. Wishing you better weather, JoJo, that region has been pounded this year. Weather like that can kill off long time flowers too, that happened to me when BC got so much snow in 2008. Our warm currents protected us this year, and we have daffies and tulips out now. Stay warm.

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    1. My friends in Sandwich all have clear yards now for their flowers. Then you come over to my side of the Canal and turn into my neighbourhood and we all are still somewhat buried. Things have melted off more since I drafted this post but my front yard is going to take quite a while yet to melt.

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  5. My nephew lives in Boston, not a pretty picture and when it all melts, look out. We still may get more snow here in Colorado. I like your new shoes, like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, just click your heels together and make a wish!

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    1. Thank you!!! Would I end up in Washington State if I did that? lol They've had the best winter out there. So jelly. I miss that climate. Oh it's entirely possible we could get snow in April. I don't dare think this is over yet.

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  6. Hope this crazy weather gets itself straightened out. Though we don't have snow or ice down here in Florida, our temps have been flip-flopping, a few nice almost Summery days in the 80's, and then blam, a couple of 40 degree nights and days in the low 60's.
    Yep, I'm definitely a believer in climate change, no matter what Florida's Govenor, Rick Scott says.

    Oh and like "loverofwords" commented, when I first saw your new sneakers my first thought was of Dorothy's Ruby Slippers. :)

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    1. I think your Gov's name should be changed to 'Cleopatra, Queen of Denial'. lol

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  7. Yikes JoJo! Looks pretty cold there still. You did get nailed there this year. Sure hope that you get a beautiful Spring and Summer. The sparkly shoes...how fun!

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    1. I just took the dogs out and it feels ice cold even though it's allegedly 32. I'm still bundling up every time too. Sucks.

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  8. On a brighter note, those shoes are adorable. I love being able to buy girls or women's shoes. Don't you? We can fit into the cuter stuff, and it's a lot cheaper (usually).

    I am HATING your weather. It's not fair. But you continue to make the most of life, and that's a gorgeous painting.

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    1. Thanks Robyn! Well usually I'm not much of a shoe buyer b/c I can't find anything that fits w/o giving me blisters on my heels, and believe me, those sparkly shoes have that potential. Which is why I'll only be wearing them when I don't have to walk much! I don't own very many shoes at all. I'd rather spend money on craft supplies than clothes and shoes. lol

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  9. I'll gladly steal the shoes but will leave behind the winter!!

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    1. Hey if you have a walmart near you, that's where I got them. They have a purple celestial version, also with silver sparkles and laces, but those were $20. These were on clearance for $5.

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  10. I just can't get over what the weather has been like for you over there :( Shame it couldn't have been shovelled up and transported down the the reservoirs in California x

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    1. California is in a very bad way. I worry about their fire danger; it's going to be catastrophic esp. w/o enough water to fight the fires. Hey at least it's raining today. I think....I THINK....we're out of the woods.

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  11. I wish we had some of your snow in our mountains to alleviate our drought.
    That cake looks sooo good. I haven't had upside-down cake in ages and I've been kind of craving it.

    Arlee Bird
    A to Z Challenge Co-host
    Tossing It Out

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    1. The cake was very good if I don't say so myself. I love sweets but I find that I prefer to bake them from scratch now rather than buy commercially made cookies and cakes. Now our snow is melting and it's raining. Wish we could send some your way!

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  12. Love your shoes!

    P.S. You didn't join A-Z this year?

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    1. Thanks! Nah, I ran out of topics after 2013. I was a minion last year for Tina but after she passed away last summer, the wind was out of my sails. Although right now I've been so annoyed with so many things that I'm wondering if I should sign up and quickly catch up with 'A-Z of my Pet Peeves'. lmao

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  13. seems like lots going on at your place ... so interesting 'finding' things as the snow melts ... like lawn furniture and where the my girls left things in the Fall. But we can finally make it to the BBQ again - so that might be Easter dinner today :) kinda of loving your celestial shoes

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    1. Thanks! I'm also finding stuff under the snow as it melts....I really thought I did a better job of pre-blizzard poop patrol but apparently not. lol I'm also finding green sequins, green mylar streamers and there's a piece of gold heart shaped sequins in the back yard too. What can I say....I like things sparkly. :D

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  14. I'd like to complain about the weather in London, which has been very windy and with a huge windchill factor, but really, compared to what you are having, it's a picnic.

    LOVE the shoes!

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    1. Hi Val! Thanks!!! Hey I'm just glad that things are almost all melted. I'm not a fan of wind and cold though. I just want 50 degrees and rain.

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  15. Your painting is beautiful! Congrats on doing so well with the cross stitch, too - not easy to work from a pic! It looks wonderful!
    Hope you are feeling better!!!

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    1. Thank you Tama! My friend wanted a second cross stitch from a photo but it was way too hard to see the stitch count on it so I was unable to do it.

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