Our 2011 New England Winter

For the 6 years we have lived here in New England, I don't remember the winters being this bad. I do believe we have ended up with a total of at least 50". That was just for almost all of January. And we are not done. More is due in tomorrow. Michael and Jacob have had 6 snow days. Steven thank goodness can work from home if necessary. But we are surviving. Thank goodness for seed and nursery catalogs to see bright beautiful flowers or lush gardens that soon in a couple of months, hopefully, we will be start seeing the snow piles start melting(and flooding) and green grass will start poking up through the edges of the sidewalks or walkways. So, with "Phil" not seeing shadow, we are supposedly supposed to have an early spring. We'll see.

Poor Steven found out the hard way to not leave the garage open overnight with an impending snow storm. He had gone to get a couple of grocery items the night before the storm started and being so tired, he forgot to close the garage door. To say the least, there was no use to have placed the van in the garage. Now, every night, storm or no storm, the garage door is checked many times to see if it has been closed before bed.

Along with the storms, we have endured strep, colds, and sinus infections. We have found out the TV, Wii, and other media become old hat after awhile. I had bought a panoramic puzzle of birds. I didn't think anyone would be interested to help putting it together. But this became a family project. We got it done on the 5th of February. Now I will glue it and place in a frame to hang in our livingroom. And we will get some other puzzles to help us get through the rest of the winter.




Jacob is loving this winter. He's definitely an outdoorsman. He has built a snow fort. He and the neighbor, Avery, have been busily digging into the tunnel as far as they can. Jacob has also been cutting my the pampas grass and so it will be trimmed back when the spring thaw comes and be ready to start showing new leaves. Michael and Jacob have been helping with shoveling the snow when it is fresh. Now the snow is so right for making tunnels, forts, and igloos. But yet, it sure isn't good for shoveling out the snowed-in mailboxes and icy patches. Thank goodness for snowpants, waterproof coats, and waterproof boots and gloves.