Lovely Winter This Spring

Posted on April 6, 2018 by TJ

“What a lovely Winter we are having this Spring!” (Facebook)

After two days of heavy snow, yesterday was clear. However, today it’s back to snow again. EJ says it’s supposed to snow all weekend. Although this year I’m ready for Winter to leave and Spring take it’s place, I’m still awed by the beauty of a snow-covered landscape. It’s breathtakingly beautiful.

I had put away the birdfeeder so it wouldn’t attract hungry bears awakened by the warmer temperatures. However, with the snow’s return I got the birdfeeder back out again and filled it with seed. The birds are happy to be able to feast again. Among others, we had a couple mourning doves visit, and I also noticed that the finches are putting on their pretty summer finery.

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The deer are also returning to the birdfeeder. As I videoed this deer, she began stomping her foot in warning. EJ and I wondered what creature she was warning away, then we saw Miss Madeline Meadows, our sweet serial killer cat, and figured she must have been the culprit. Madeline didn’t seem at all concerned about the stomping deer.

Yesterday EJ stopped at the auto shop on his way home from work to pay for the repairs on the HHR. Thankfully it was not a huge amount. We were originally going to “sell” the HHR to JJ for the cost of repairs and we were going to buy new tires for it as a gift. But since we had to pay for the HHR when we picked it up, we told JJ we would pay for repairs and he was responsible for the tires.

We had planned to bring the HHR home, filled it with the remainder of JJ’s possessions, and then let him come and get it. However, we weren’t sure the HHR would be able to make it up the driveway with all the recent snow. So instead, after a quick supper, we drove to the repair shop, left the Suburban in the parking lot, and drove the HHR to JJ’s apartment. We gave JJ the HHR and took back the Xterra, which we drove back to the repair shop where EJ retrieved the Suburban. He drove the Suburban home while I drove the Xterra.

This is the first time since we’ve moved north that I’ve had a vehicle available for my use–we were letting JJ borrow the Xterra to drive to work and school and I had to fit in my errands during the few moments when he wasn’t driving it. JJ wasn’t good at maintaining the vehicle (he wasn’t interested in learning) so EJ has to do a little work on the Xterra, but I’m thrilled to have it back. I have a terrible, terrible sense of direction–I can get lost anywhere–so in celebration of the return of the Xterra, I bought myself a GPS from Amazon so we have one in both the Suburban and the Xterra. Directions such as “north” or “west” mean nothing to me, and the most helpful directions are those that give me landmarks such as “turn at the McDonald’s restaurant” so imagine my delight when I found a GPS that says that it “Guides like a friend, using recognizable landmarks, buildings and traffic lights.” Absolutely perfect for me! We named the GPS in the Suburban “Viki” after the computer in I, Robot. I will have to choose a friendly name for my GPS. Let me know if you have any suggestions.

The snowstorm on Tuesday/Wednesday whipped up the waves of the Bay and they coated and transformed the vegetation along the shore into beautiful ice sculptures. They were especially beautiful with the sun shining on them. When I saw them as we drove by on the way to JJ’s apartment, I exclaimed in wonder and reached for my camera. But I had forgotten it at home.

On the way home from JJ’s, we saw a bald eagle soaring near the bay, which is always very thrilling. Again, I had no camera. Most of the time I remember to take my camera. The few times I forget to take it are the times I see the most awesome things.

We were almost home when a deer ran out right in front of me. I slammed on the breaks and missed it. Whew. I would have felt bad if I had injured one of “our” deer, and it would not be good to finally have the Xterra to drive and then damage it in an accident.