On the Inside Looking Out

It is one of those days when we just sit by the fire, do a bit a crocheting, blog, relax--and, oh yeah, grade papers should one happen to be a teacher.


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We are in the grips of a winter storm. Storm and blizzard warning all over the state. Finally. For February we have  normal amounts of moisture for the month; now that does  not mean that the state in any way is out of the drought. In fact our county was declared a disaster area this week due to the drought and the peril that it is placing the farmers in. None the less we welcome the snow. We do know that Spring will soon come dancing in, hopefully with raindrops on her fingers to moisten the hard ground and with warm toes to heat the soil as she makes her entrance.








The bird feeders need constant refilling. We feed regular bird seed mix in the  flat feeder, but here close to the house we have a thistle feeder for the gold finches, a wood pecker suet feeder, and a peanut feeder for the wood peckers, but the house finches and chickadees along with blue jays and sparrows feast in the peanuts. Our feathered friends are fat and healthy.

So far about an inch of snow has fallen. It is supposed to continue snowing through the day and night. Glad that I don't have to in to school tomorrow.  (My free day-- I am not ditching school). 

Funny, though, attendance was pretty poor Wednesday when we had a bit of snow. The college kids think that a bit snow indicates that classes are canceled. I have come to think that as the public schools probably cancel school more often because of the huge task to get the buses on the road, these 21st century kiddos seem to think that when it snows life stops or at least school. 

"Not so," I told them. The university cancels classes only in very rare circumstances: 6 feet of snowfall, power outages, and massive falling trees due to heavy snow. So as long as I can get out of my garage I will there and if I can't get out of the garage, my husband will bring me. Hope attendance is better Tuesday.

We added a small ground feeder on the patio of the juncos which are ground feeders. We also have a heated bird bath that keeps water year round.

                           
                                While the weather rages outside, these lovely super market daffodils lighten our spirit. I splurged Friday and just had to add two bunches to the grocery cart. Hubby made nice comment, making me feel even better for splurging on what is my favorite spring flower. What spot of joy the bright yellow has added to the dining room table.

Spring also abounds in the kitchen with a really beautiful bouquet. Yesterday we had my mother in law's memorial. After all the details had been finalized, I remembered on Thursday that we had forgotten the flowers. Hubby called DJ's Flowers in Eaton and she said, "No problem," then created 3 beautiful bouquets in Violet's favorite colors lavender and purple. While the hues were more pinkish, the arrangements were gorgeous. Instead of flowers we had requested donation to High Plains Hospice. While Violet did not succumb to cancer, she was in the Alzheimer's unit in the nursing home where hospice volunteers tend to the patients, giving them more attention and medications than the regular nursing home care provides. She was well cared for and the volunteers called regularly to update us on her well-being.

As February comes to a close, we are surely feeling cabin fever. We probably ought to be ordering from our favorite catalogs soon because it seems that they sell out the best things early. This year I am looking for a variety of zinnias, especially the green variety since I didn't get to save any seeds last year. I want a larger variety of sunflowers too, and more cosmos. And the list goes on and on.

If you are in the path of this latest storm, I hope that you have dug out from the last one and are prepared for this next one. The one that hit Kansas so hard last week pretty much missed us. It seems that we are always on the outer edge of the storms and get just gratuitous amounts. 

Well, enough about the weather. 

Hope everyone has a fabulous week.