Posts from the ‘Front Porch Musings’ category

the sound of snow

Lately, whenever I write about the weather, it immediately does the opposite. Yesterday, it started snowing, which changed to rain and back to snow and occasionally to icy pellets. I wrote that I didn’t think it would stick on the valley floor. It stuck…and when I checked the weather before going to bed, the forecast was for 1 – 3 inches accumulation. It is early and dark and I don’t think there is more than an inch, but some “real” snow stuck – the ground is white!

I like Winter – at least a bit of it. I know from past experience that at this time of year I have had my fill of it and am ready for Spring like everyone else. But this year, having spent the Winter in a mild and sometimes quite warm climate, I’m enjoying this blast of Winter.

Yesterday was cold and gray and by evening the surrounding hills were white with snow. I sat in a dark motorhome and listened to the wind. And this morning am doing the same. The toppers are not flapping – they might be weighed down by snow/water/ice – and the wind is not the constant, howling wind of the last several days. It is a “storm” wind of occasional gusts and swirls of snow. It grabs at the flaps of the various vents in the motorhome, rattles the rooftop antennas and makes its presence known by the occasional draft near the door. The sound invokes that feeling of coziness at being inside in a warm and dry place – the sound of snow.

Snow, sort of

Snow

That is snow on Karl – well, pellets of a snow-like substance…

Snow

Snow in the “hills”…

I don’t think it is going to do enough to stick so we can play in it and probably I am the ONLY person in winter-land who even wants that, but fun – for me – to see a little bit of the white stuff!

Bad news is the rain/snow mix and near freezing temps are forecast through Saturday so I will hold here through Saturday. I’ll work Saturday and drive Sunday and Monday for home – back to work from the home property on Tuesday. I will be continuing to live in the Winnebago for at least a week. Sara, my caretaker, is in the process of buying a condo and closing, etc. – it is never over until it’s over! Currently she is planning on moving on the 3rd and 4th. If Bob (my cat who has been with her) condescends to allow Karl and I back in the house we’ll move in after.

Sara and I have “shared the property” before. She was in the house and I was in the Winnebago for 3 weeks before I flew to Florida to meet Bill for the first time. Bill and I had been talking and emailing for 5 months and were optomistic and hopeful about a long term relationship – so when I found Sara – we just did it!

And as far as hope – now – particularly in the last several days, there is renewed hope.

“Absence is to love what wind is to fire; it extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great.”
Comte de Bussy-Rabutin

Time will tell if ours is small or great…

Work Day Evening

Just photos…a long work day ending with an evening walk…thinking, wishing, watching…

Barn

The barn I like in Iowa…

Barn

again…

Clouds

another favorite “subject” – sun rays through clouds…

Karl

after the walk…

Karl

My Good Dog.

Work Day

I am working today… just taking a little break from dealing with frustrating code to play with photos…

I’ll spare everyone yet another barn photo, but I could not resist a few sunrise photos from this morning. This part of Iowa has rolling contours and right now the fields are mostly dirt. There were no clouds this morning – I’m fairly sure that yesterday’s wind blew them all away…and it is not done as it is supposed to be even windier today.

Back to this morning, I was walking Karl – there was light but the sun had not crested the top of the field to the east.

Iowa Sunrise

Iowa Sunrise

And then….once the sun was high in the sky…

Crocuses

so much fun to see these guys bloomin’!

Well, time to get back to work…

Karl

not everyone on this “ship” is working…

a Country mile

So, just after I posted about how cold it was here in Ohio, we had the most beautiful “spring-like” weekend with temps in the 60’s and sunshine and I was back in shorts!

Overnight, the grass looks a little greener, there are buds on some of the bushes and LOOK!

Daffodil Buds

Daffodil Buds

Daffodils poking their heads up! And the air feels soft with that hint of warm that feels like spring morning.

Too nice to be inside and considering the amount of food and wine consumed – between friends of many years duration (I am not supposed to say “old” friends…) – anyway, we decided long walks were in order. We have been walking around the “block”.

Country

…I’d like to say a country mile – except it is a country “square mile”. Not that exactly either as part of the “block” winds around and would be more like 5 miles so we cut short the 3rd mile leg and walk back along the railroad tracks.

Country

There is something that feels adventurous about walking on the railroad tracks – like we are being a bit “bad” – breaking some rule…

On the road, we walk in the middle as there is very little traffic – not that many houses and the fields are too wet for the farmers to be working so it is mostly just the two of us.

Barn and Tractor

From the Winnebago

My “parking spot” at my friends’ home is in front of the shop-garage that is separate from the main house and garage. On previous trips I’ve been on the grass between the house and shop but the ground is too soft this time. The Winnebago just fits without getting in the way of the garage. Sitting directly North-South and between the buildings – I have the advantage of sunrise and sunset from this spot.

My friends’ home has both a beautiful front porch, an open back deck and screened-in gazebo. The gazebo and back deck look out over the back yard which includes a pond. A woodsy band of trees buffer the yard from the neighboring fields and railroad tracks.

Ohio Front Porch

Ohio Gazebo

Ohio Gazebo

Ohio Gazebo

But my “musing”, “From the Front Porch” writing and posts – since leaving Florida, they have been coming “From the Winnebago”….

morning

The recliner chair with a little side table and warm task light make a cozy spot to be still, to think, to listen, to write. And a bonus is that in the morning I have the sunrise out the east facing window opposite my chair.

morning

morning