More Snow

I am running out creative and different pictures to take in the snow now that we've had about a dozen storms this winter (maybe a slight exaggeration!).
Yesterday while Paul and I were out cleaning off the cars so Paul could go to work and I could move a car into the driveway, Rudy yelled out the front door to ask if he could take some pictures. I said yes, I don't think I really had a choice, and these are the pictures he took.

Mario (there were 2 of these almost exactly the same -he sure does love Mario).

A firefighter sitting on a stool. (Chris & Patti, see the recycling containers - we love them they are great for in our kitchen!)

Paul coming in to say good-bye to Rudy.

Yesterday we didn't really get much snow, even though we had a snow day. We ended up having some rain and so we couldn't go out and play. Today Rudy decided early on that it was time to get ready and go outside. It is so funny how much he loves the snow - you would think he would have a genetic aversion to it, since it rarely gets near freezing in Guatemala - let alone see snow! He ran outside and immediately made a snow angel, which he then proclaimed was a Spiderman Angel. He then ran around the yard saying "yay" over and over. He really likes the snow.

We didn't get much snow today - just a few inches- but it is really windy and there are a lot of drifts. Here's on that was by our side yard.

Our poor gazebo, which we hardly use except for storage, is covered with snow because of the wind. I am not looking forward to cleaning the snow out of it.

See the weird drifts on the roof?

In the midst of the wind and snow I was very excited to see signs of spring. My camera battery was dying so I didn't get any really good pictures, but several of the trees and bushes in our yard have buds growing. Maybe it won't be winter forever!

The Naming of Friends

I've been planning this post for a while and whenever I think about it, I have a poem from Cats in my head that starts "the naming of cats is a difficult matter". For Rudy it is not at all difficult. Gato is obviously the first example. Here are a few others:

Spotty Guy

Beary (He was so proud when he came up with this name. He said "you know, like a bear and a berry.")

Kitten

Blanco (white in spanish)

Pinky and white

Good thing Aunt Renee is not letting him name his new cousin!

A Spring Day

Okay, it really isn't spring but since the temperatures hit the low 40s today - the first time in weeks it's done that - and the sun was shining brightly, it felt like spring might soon be here. We decided to get some fresh air and take a walk at the park.
When we arrived we were greeted (or attacked) by ducks hoping for a handout (we had none).

The park didn't look very spring like in some places. It just shows how cold it's been lately - some places are still snow covered, others are all grass - since it hasn't been cold enough for all the snow to melt, only the areas that get a lot of sunlight have melted.

Even the sidewalk was covered with snow in many parts (something we didn't anticipate when we chose what to wear!).

You can see the pond in the back is also half frozen and half thawed.

Being the boy he is, Rudy of course found a stick to swing around for a while.

Shadows on the ice - didn't this turn out good?

Saying good-bye to the ducks.

Mother of the Year

After 4 significant snow falls this winter, Rudy is finally the proud owner of snow boots. Of course, they came AFTER the most recent storm this week. But he had fun wearing them inside. And he did get to go outside and use them today. So for anyone in our area - there will be no more snowstorms this year since my son now has boots. (And I also just got warmer mittens and gloves for him - not just the fleece kind that the snow sticks to!).

Jam Session

What do you do on a snowy day? Have a jam session in the basement!

">

Record Setting Snow

In the past 7 weeks we have had enough snow to surpass every other winter on record. The local total is 50 inches, and it's only the beginning of February, so there's still the possibility of more snow. Here are some pictures from the most recent storm, that came just a few days after the weekend's blizzard.

The storm on Wednesday started with rain - typical winter weather for our area. We started to doubt that there was really snow coming for a while because it was so warm. This picture isn't very good but there was a patch of grass cleared from snow, where the birds were hanging out and eating and then they were bathing in the puddle of water at the bottom of the driveway. The picture isn't great because I had to take it through the window and the bushes. When I tried to open the door and take a picture the birds all scattered.

Thursday morning view of the snow that did finally come.

When we went outside this morning, the first thing Rudy did was lie down in the snow and make a snow angel. It seems to be his new habit.

Rudy trying to pick up the boulders of snow left by the plow.

This picture doesn't do the pile justice, but this is the pile of snow from clearing our driveway 3 TIMES in the past 10 DAYS. Unheard of! It is taller than Rudy.

The ice and snow that is on the tree branches was falling off as we took a walk.

We are such bad dog owners that our dog rarely gets a walk. But for some reason, as soon as it is snowy out, we take him outside all the time. And he loves it.

Rudy thought it looked like fun when Lou rolled around in the snow so he decided to join him.

I love this picture of Lou with his ear crooked.

The Superhero Show

This is from November. Rudy decided to put on "The Superhero Show" for us one day.

">

Blizzard - Day 2

Today we ventured out to explore the snowy world around us. First thing this morning everything was still snow covered.

I took a walk with Lou and Rudy, but about half way down the block, Rudy decided he didn't want to go with us, so he headed back to Paul.

The sites in the neighborhood included many trees with piles of snow on them.

Our cars all buried (there are 3 because we have my dad's car while he is away).

I was fascinated with these markings in the snow and finally figured out that they were from ice that fell off of the power lines.

I was talking to Rudy about making a snow angel and he told me he wanted to make a head print. he then leaned over and put the top of his head in the snow. It's a good thing he was wearing a hat!

After Paul did some shoveling, and Rudy and I had gone in, Paul took a walk down to the bay.

The telephone poles looked so cool with thick snow on just one side. It's amazing that it didn't just slide off the pole.

In the afternoon, we went out again, this time to play in the backyard.

Paul and I made snowmen that Rudy named. Here are Slidey (at the top) and Downy.

Rudy has been in Superhero mode lately. While outside he kept saying to Paul (in his 'bad guy' voice) "Let's get the girl!" and then he'd throw snow at me. So the battle of the sexes begins in my house and I am outnumbered as usual!

This is Paul's snowman that Rudy named Lumpy. I have a post I've been planning about how Rudy names things that I will have to do this week because these snowmen fit right into it!

Usually we can't see this part of the fence because of the bushes that are here. You can see they are weighted down about 3 feet by snow.

Icicles hanging from a tree.

After playing in the back we took a walk. Continuing the Superhero theme, Rudy made sure he had snow in his hand at all times so it could be his shield.

I took this picture because it was a great perspective of how deep the snow was. Obviously the snow on the right is affected by the snow plowed from the street but the snow on the left is affected by the snow blown off the sidewalk. It reached almost to my knees on either side.