My hibernation is over and ... and yet ... I'm still ... nestled at home. There is a great hush just outside my front door. It quietly descended through the night.
Ring, ring went the phone at 5:49 AM ... I must have turned off my alarm by mistake ... but now the phone is ringing. Ann's boyfriend is calling to inform me that there is no school today due to snow. I ponder for a moment about whether or not I should get up. Yes, I must go shovel the snow off the top of our heat pump before the thermostat kicks on. On go my boots. I grab the snow shovel and trudge through the back patio to said pump. Scrape, scrape, scrape. Just in time. I'm not sure what would happen if it turned on with all the snow piled up ... but it would likely burn out the motor. I start raising the shades. It's still dark outside but the neighbor is already using his Bobcat to push snow here and there. First his driveway ... then our common gravel driveway. Next Ann informs me that he has shoveled and pushed all the snow off part of our driveway. Enough so I can get the cars out. The circle drive section will just have to wait until we have a thaw. Through most of the morning we had satellite tv and internet reception. Then by 1:00 PM both are out. Again ... on with boots, coat, gloves, hat and scarf ... along with a cobweb duster to clear the satellite dishes. The tv dish is on a 6 foot pole but getting to it I must trudge through knee deep drifts. The internet dish is on the back edge of our garage roof. For this one I need a ladder. Steady now ... there ... we now have a connection. It's a blessing to be warm and snug at home with my children. And I am very appreciative
of the neighbor that cleared the
ten inches off our driveway. The weather outlook for tonight is more snow ... possibly 3-4 more inches.With free time on my hands, I flipped through about 15 old photo albums searching for a childhood picture of each of my children. I then got out our wedding album and searched for a picture of Mr. Mac and me. Yesterday I purchased five frames: 4 shabby chic cream 5 x 7 frames and one shabby chic black 8 x 10. With supplies in hand I scanned, enlarged, enhanced, cropped, and tinted five pictures a beautiful sepia tone. The framed pictures are now hanging above my headboard and finish the wall behind our king size bed.
Today has been a productive stay at home day. If I get out tomorrow, I'm off to the sporting goods store to buy some snow shoes.
7 comments:
Those are beautiful pictures, and I love your idea for framing and arranging them. A very productive day, it sounds like to me.
Heat pump, eh? Is it geothermal? We're thinking about investing in a geothermal system.
Your framed prints are very elegant! You made beautiful use of your time for a snowy day. Glad to be back visiting you!
I LOVE that idea! Your snow, while requiring a lot of work, sounds so nice! Dave & I have decide to go to Yellowstone next January and have ourselves a winter vacation. I can hardly wait!
Connie
You framed your memories so well. The center one is you with Mr mac?
Iowa Mom ... When the builder first talked about a heat pump he did mention how it worked and it sounded geothermic ... but I'm not sure if that's what we have ... I'll have to ask him. We have three heat sources: The heat pump/AC unit, a forced air heater, and two gas units (one a free standing unit and one built in as a fireplace. Electricity is currently less expensive in our area than natural gas ... but I mix up the heating depending what I want heated.
Amrita ... yes, that is one of our engagement photos that is included with our wedding album. (Many moons ago ;)
I'm gonna guess that it's not geothermal because you'd know it if you had a bunch of wells dug in your lawn. :o) That's what we are considering: It has 4 wells sunk in the yard outside, with water pipes circulating water down in the ground, coming back up and into the heat exchanger. Part of the time you're pulling heat out of the ground, part of the time you're putting it back in. It's a closed loop system so we wouldn't be using a ton of water, just enough to prime it in the first place.
I find this sort of thing fascinating. I really hope we can afford it.
We have snow shoes, they're hanging on the wall at the cottage! Hal's used them a couple of times.
I love your pictures, they are so precious. That's the kind of thing that makes a house a home. I have the same white iron thingy you have hung over the pictures...we have great taste! :)
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