we've come a long way baby

Believe it or not my friends, this is post #200. Wow, I talk a lot. My oldest, Stephanie, asked me the other day why I blog. I told her that I do it for a number of reasons. I have become friends with some really cool people with the same hobbies and views as I do that I otherwise would never have met. I have found out that people as far away as Russia and China have viewed my blog for whatever reason. I have a really really cool friend now who lives in the highlands of Scotland. You couldn't do that in the 80's, I'll tell you that lol. Every time I visit my friend's blogs and read of what is happening in their lives, I am transported out of my wet little home in Michigan to Nevada for a parade, or Scotland to take care of lambs, or Taos to learn lampworking. I get to view the unbelieveable art work of a gentleman in San Diego, and taste the different stylings of homeschooling of my own friends right next door. That is why I do it. Good reasons all, I think.

Here are some pics that I have taken as of late. The first one is from Monday and the incredible moon I told you about. This is from *inside* my house through the bow window:


This pic was taken around 6 a.m., give or take a minute or two. Lovely, isn't it?

The next ones were from yesterday. Sierra and Savannah outside in shorts, playing on the swingset and with a dog that, like us, has been suffering from cabin fever. The temp at this time was around 44-46 degrees.




What I didn't take pics of are the huge muddy footprints allllll over my backroom carpet. The snow is disappearing right now, but underneath is mud...yucky mud. Mud that attaches itself to shoes and, even better, the underbelly of a dog. You could see the exact path Misty had taken after she came back inside. She got a bath and although I know that this is an exercise in futility, I had to do it. Oh Lordy, I had to...

Last but not least, pics from today. It is pouring. Not raining. Not sprinkling. *Pouring*. Is rain better than snow? Heck yeah, any day. The spring-like temps are so wonderful, but have a way to lulling you into a false sense of thinking that winter is finally over. You know that old addage that "April showers bring May flowers"? Well, here, it is also "February thaws bring March freezes". What is rain today will be an icestorm next week. I am holding on to these 50 degree temps right now because next week, well, I ain't gonna say it...

What used to be a big ice rink is now a lake, soon to be reconstituted as an ice rink in the weeks to come...

The girls and I got all the Christmas decorations and lights taken down and "put away" in the garage. I said "put away" because all the blow-up decorations are draped here and there, and the lights and extention cords are kinda plopped down where we could put them. We did the manual labor, Don gets to do the untangling. Good luck with that honey lol.

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Okay, I'm off now to do some schooling and general cleaning. Maybe I will go out and get last minute Valentine's gifties for my girls and hubby. Maybe something for myself, who knows. Brave the wet, which I like braving more than ice.

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Stay dry friends,

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*200* posts...crikey...

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