Another day of cold temps

Wow, winter is really having a tough time letting go this year.  Yesterday felt like spring; today, not so much!  We have snow, again, in the forecast!  REALLY???  For that reason I'm glad that my aspens have not leafed out yet, only to get bitten by freezing temps!

Here's a another little sign that flowers (phlox) are eventually going arrive on the scene in my yard.  It's nearly time to rake up all the protective debris around this plant...but I guess I'll wait till this cold front passes.

I attempted to take a photo this morning...and my smart camera says I need to replace the battery pack.  What?  I thought all I had to do was recharge it, and it was good forever.  Hmm.  Well, that's the way they make things these days; they're not built to last.  So, no new photos till this issue is resolved...

Stackin' and Knittin'

I've started stackin' wood. Is it going to be stacked in an artful design? No.  Is it going to be stacked tightly? Probably not!  But it will get stacked...and when it comes off the stack to be burned next fall, I will be so grateful to have it.

And I'm knittin'!  The accordion scarf is growing...and I'm nearing the halfway mark.   This has been a fun knit, and I'm anxious to see the end result.  So, I only have one other knitting project that I will be starting; I want to get both projects completed as soon as possible. 

Splittin' wood

Thank goodness I was able to borrow a wood-splitter from another good friend, which made the job for Mike and me so much easier.  Nevertheless, we spent 4 1/2 hours yesterday splitting.  Mike guessed we had close to 6 cords.  We didn't waste any time...and worked like a well-oiled machine!  I ran the lever on the splitter, and Mike did all the heavy work (putting the logs on the splitter, turning them, and throwing them), so he got most of the exercise!

 My exercise is ahead of me...stacking it all.  I'm quite sure I'll do it in installments...not 4 hours at a whack!! 

We saved some big pieces to serve as "ends" to hold the stack in place.  I'll be placing all of those real soon and start stacking. 

I have a bunny that had been hanging out under the wood pile, so I'm sure he's wondering about the renovation of his home.  "Don't worry, buddy, it will be an updated look!  You'll be able to move back soon."

Grab your gloves and boots...

Most of the snow has melted, and there's an outdoor task just waiting.  Here sits a stack of wood...maybe 4 cords, but it needs to be split.  A good friend, a handy-guy, is coming over to help me use a log-splitter to split it all up; then I'll be set for next season.   As you're reading this...I may be out throwing and splitting wood.  I think the stacking will be left to me for another day...or other days (more accurately).  I'll be catching up on blogging later...  and knitting...much later.

Oh, and the weather is supposed to be "spring-like."  Yea!  Maybe reach 60 degrees!  Take a look at these aspen catkins; they are nearly ready to drop. Yea, sunshine and blue skies! 

Homework...

A few years ago, I turned into a Dan Brown fan.  I like the way he writes: his novels are "page turners," for sure!!  He incorporates history and art into the very heart of several of his best novels.  I love that!  But the suspense...it's great. 

His latest novel will be released in May.  It focuses again on Robert Langdon; this time he's in Italy.  He's drawn into the literary world of Dante's Inferno.  Evidently this famous poem has clues he must use to solve the mysteries that will ensue. 

Unfortunately, I never did have to read Dante's works in college, so I've got to get familiar with it and will be reading about  Inferno before I receive the novel.  It's handy that much can be found on the internet as I've started to research.  So...I've got homework! 

I'm getting impatient...

Looking out the window yesterday morning, my gaze was glazed over with this:

Yes, we need the moisture!  I'm thankful. But spring has been teasing us for a month.  A day here.  A day there.  I'm trying to enjoy each day's gift, but I have to admit, I am hoping this is the last snow of the season!

So, what it all comes down to is that spring in Wyoming is unreliable.  Every day...a mystery. Sunday: 50 degrees and sun.   Monday: 30 degrees and snow.  And it will probably continue in this strain until... suddenly it's summer.  

Thank you, African Violet, for giving me weeks of beautiful anticipation as you slowly open your blooms and brighten my gaze.  Thank you for whispering, "Patience, patience..."

Be resourceful...

I discovered a great quote...found out the author is unknown.. and also discovered it's quite popular. 

Women are Angels.

And when someone breaks our wings,

we simply continue to fly...

on a broomstick.  

We are flexible like that.

Advice for the weekend

I saw this line as the subject of an email in my inbox today, and I thought it was a great one to share!

Live like someone left the gate open.

No Spa Day

My friend Julie and I planned a "mystery trip" on a day off from school for Brenda, who moved here last August from Montana.  Brenda's first reaction was that she hoped it wasn't to get our nails done or get a facial at a spa!!  Julie assured her she had nothing to worry about!  But as the date approached, we did nothing but tease her, telling her to be sure to bring her bathing suit, pack cucumbers for her eyes, and the like.

So, yesterday we were hoping for a beautiful, warm spring day, as we had planned a trip to Jackson Hole.  We had been getting nothing but cold and snow for the past few days...and I was regularly checking road conditions.  I discovered that roads going west were about the only ones open!  However, a little snow and slick roads on the pass over the continental divide were no big deal, so we decided we could go, despite the weather. 

The first stop, about 30 miles down the road, was to make a surprise visit to our friends and cohorts at Crowheart School.  The next stop was at the Red Rocks for a picture.  The camera was carefully balanced on the hood of the truck, and the self-timer on the camera worked perfectly. 

Me, Julie, and Brenda on a no-spa day.

After getting back in the truck, I had no more than stated that we should be keeping an eye out for some Big Horn Sheep, when we spotted a nice little herd (not just one or two!!) right on the side of the road!  They were young ones, and they let us get close enough for some photos!  What a treat!  The day was starting out great!

Isn't that a fine pose?

We made it to Dubois, where we stopped for a drink at a coffee/java shop and we also stretched our legs a bit, walking a couple blocks to show Brenda some of our favorite stores and do a little shopping.  

Then it was time to head over Togwotee Pass.  We got into a little snow and some slick roads, but we took it easy.  There was relatively no traffic, and we were enjoying the scenery. 

We soon got out of the snow and got our first glimpse of the Tetons.  Spectacular.  Suddenly, I spotted a fox right by the side of the road.  Eeeeeeechhh.  Stopping the truck and backing up a bit, we watched him and hurriedly snapped  photos.  We couldn't believe that once he saw us, he wasn't running away at lightening speed. What was up with that?

As we were coming down the pass, I saw 8 moose on the side of the road.  I brought the truck to a stop again, backed up, and we watched them for a few minutes and took some snapshots.

As we got closer to Jackson, we saw quite a few deer, and in the distance we also saw 4 buffalo! 

The next stop was a photo-shoot in front of the Grand Tetons.

Even with all the stops, we made it to Jackson in time for lunch, some shopping around the Square, and then we surprised Brenda (our elementary art teacher) with a visit to the National Museum of Wildlife Art.  What a fine collection!

There were no elk in the Elk Refuge in Jackson, but on the way home, we saw a big herd of elk right off the side of the road.  We couldn't believe it!!

And, we probably saw a hundred deer on the way home too.  We were pointing them out to each other as we passed them by.

Back up on Togwotee Pass, it was snowing, and the road was slick, but the bad conditions didn't last too long.  Once we got to Dubois, it was time for dinner at the Cowboy Cafe. 

It took another hour to get home, but a great time to recall all that we had seen and done!  We loved our no-spa day!

Accordion Scarf, p.3

Here's an update on the progress of the Accordion Scarf.  I've completed several repeats, and I have about 20 more to go. This scarf, after blocking, is supposed to be about 60 inches long.  So, there's a lot of knitting ahead on little needles!  The beads are working out OK, and I'm getting faster and less awkward at getting those beads threaded on, using my big ol' fingers. Ha. 

I thought the beads would be more visible in this close-up.

Apples in the crock pot...

First, thanks to the gals who got poetic and finished yesterday's poem!   I got some good giggles.

A couple weeks ago I split a 40 lb. box of apples with a friend.  It seemed like a really good idea at the time.  So, I've been eating apples ... you know, "an apple a day..." and all that.  BUT, I still have a lot left and I don't want them to rot before I get to them.  Obviously, I have to make something that uses up quite a few apples at a whack.  Apple crisp is one of my favorites, and it's in the queue, but decided to try something new: Baked apples.  Yeah, all you gals have probably made them countless times.  But I haven't.  My mom didn't even make them, so I'm really green at this.

I was given a recipe for baked apples in a crock pot!  I'm giving it a try! They'll be in the pot on "high" for about 3 hours.  Might have to make an extra trip into town for vanilla ice cream.... hmmm.

Finish the poem...

Since April is National Poetry Month, how about having a little poetry fun? 

Here's the start of a poem...add a line for the finish... 

Feel free to modify line three to your liking.

There once was a gal we've all seen

Who started knitting as a teen.

Her collection of needles and skeins of yarn,

 . . . 

 

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Curb your enthusiam...

All the excitement about the warm spring temps has to be sent to the curb.  WY got hit with a dandy snow storm and lots of wind at my house.  I guess we got close to a foot of snow...but all mine was sculpted into drifts.  I can't get my car out of the garage, but I've got a pickup, so I could bust through the drifts and at least have a way out of here if necessary.

April is National Poetry Month.  The sculpted snow structures remind me of lines from "The Snowstorm" by Ralph Waldo Emerson.  The second stanza creates great imagery:

"Come see the north wind's masonry.
Out of an unseen quarry evermore
Furnished with tile, the fierce artificer
Curves his white bastions with projected roof
Round every windward stake, or tree, or door.
Speeding, the myriad-handed, his wild work
So fanciful, so savage, nought cares he
For number or proportion.  Mockingly,
On coop or kennel he hangs Parian wreaths:           
A swan-like form invests the hidden thorn:                
Fills up the farmer's land from wall to wall."

(Parian: referring to a fine, white marble of the Greek city of Paros.)

Accordian Scarf p.2

The bottom border of the scarf is completed, I've picked up stitches to start knitting the length, and I've started adding beads.  Whoo-hoo!  My friend Julie let me borrow her teeny-weeny crochet hook so that I could start adding the beads.  This beats threading all the beads you need on the ball of yarn from the beginning!  I've been down that road a couple of times.  Adding the beads with the aid of a crochet hook is the ticket! 

Do you see the beads?  They have a hint of blue in them.  Once this is blocked, I think the bead will really pop.

And I shall wear purple...

The African Violets are blooming again, and they are loving that they can wear purple! It sure takes a LONG time for those little buds to emerge and finally open, but it's worth the wait.  I've never had so many blooms on the light purple plant.  It's a treat!!