Living on the Edge

Winter...I mean Spring...in Spokane

Yes, I'm a bit obsessed about the weather this year.  It's not my fault.  It's global warming...it's taken hold of this part of the country and won't let go!

This is what we woke up to this morning:

It looks like February or maybe like the first snowfall in late November.

Just when my Daffodils were beginning to bloom too!

I hope they bounce back!

current weather forecast

Yeah, I know I'm obsessed with this subject.  But this year has been crazy!  It's April for heavens sake! We don't live at 7,000 feet.  Yes, we are north of California, which does mean that it's not going to be sunny and warm.  Only California can be that way in April.  Now let me tell you about August....

Later.....but for now the weather window popped open on my screen.  And for the heck of it I clicked on the icon for the 10 day forecast...just for fun.  I would love to see another 70 degree day like we just had this past weekend.  But instead, this is what I saw:

The R/S for those of you too far south to have R/S, means rain/snow.  We don't like seeing one, let alone three R/S days on our 10 day forecast.  Then look at the weekend....SNOW on Sunday?  What is up with that. 

Have you seen this movie?

THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW

Plot Outline:

A climatologist tries to figure out a way to save the world from abrupt global warming. He must get to his young son in New York, which is being taken over by a new ice age.

Hold on...Now maybe we need to re-think this whole Global Warming thing. Maybe Gore is right, but maybe he simply left out the part where Global Warming leads to the next ice age! 

Maybe I shouldn't be putting away our snow gear and trying to start my garden.  Maybe I should be stocking up on handwarmers and earmuffs and propane rather than sunscreen, bug repellant and small plants for my garden.

This is what fell early this morning:

Looks alot like someone's snow globe broke on our roof last night!  At least I do see blue sky outside right now.  Hopefully it will warm up to the predicted high of 45!  Maybe I won't be packing up the winter stuff quite yet.

It's Spring In Spokane!

So my calendar hanging in the kitchen said SPRING on March 20th.  It is one of the many days we celebrate in March in our house.  It's the beginning of the warmer weather and a time when I can begin to plan my garden and get my hands dirty again.

The girls are doing the happy dance on the trampoline--which finally doesn't have snow on it!  Once their homework was finished they played on it for hours.  (Mom, we bought the trampoline because I was deprived as a child and never could have one...LOL!  We bought Q a skateboard too!  I believe that was also on the "sure to send you to the ER" and "guaranteed to give mom gray hair" lists!!)

Plus we have Aflac now!  So although I've spent hours in the ER with one or the other of my girls (mostly one of them) it is a relief to know I have the feathered white bird on my side!!

So back to spring....

My bulbs are coming up (please ignore all the leaves that need cleaning out. Thanks!)

The Easter dresses were purchased.  Yes!  Those are our girls wearing dresses...with stockings none the less!  Of course there isn't a bit of pink showing.

And the eggs are colored.  Notice the glitter.  That was our new thing this year.  It was so much fun, I think we will do it again during Spring Break just for fun!  Plus the egg salad has been very yummy!

So....the next step would be to start working in the yard...right?  Well, according to Phil the groundhog we were going to have six more weeks of winter....

THE RODENT WAS RIGHT! We've had snow every day since Spring showed up on the calendar!  2 inches yesterday morning and at least that much tonight!  They have even forecast more for tomorrow!

If the Budster could talk, he'd be saying:  "What the @%#! Not again"

I'm sure Global Warming will find us.  Maybe in July or August...or do they just call that Summer?

Lunar Eclipse

Well we saw the most amazing Lunar Eclipse tonight.  I took some pictures....a couple of them turned out pretty cool for my basic digital.  We used CC's telescope to view it. That made it really amazing. I hope some of you got the treat of seeing it.  I heard we won't have another one of equal caliber until 2010.

These two are my favorites:

Puxsatawney Phil is NOT My Friend!

I don't usually put much weight on a rodent forecasting weather, but he's historically more reliable than the weather people we have locally!  In case you haven't already heard, the rotund rodent Phil says we are going to have 6 more weeks of winter.  If that means 6 more weeks of snow...I'm going to have awesome arms by summer with all the shoveling!  And I will probably lose the battle of "no honey, we don't have enough snow here to warrant purchasing a snowblower."

I wonder what Phil knows about Global Warming?  Do you think Phil was one of the many sources that Al Gore ignored when he came up with his prophesy of global warming.  Phil just obviously doesn't own a copy of Al's book, An Inconvenient Truth.  And although he appears to have a pretty posh spread that he lives in, I'm sure he doesn't have a tv to watch the Gore Documentary either.

Here is Phil's official website:  www.groundhog.org

Inland Northwest is Ski Heaven!

With all the snow we've been receiving, the ski resorts are like heaven on earth!  Powder every day!  Can you believe that some of the resorts have already received over 250" of snow!? For those of you with a season pass somewhere--enjoy it!

If you don't have a season pass, this would be the perfect winter to hop around the five different ski resorts we have around here and give them a try.  Here's a recap of the five closest to those of us who live in Spokane or Coeur d'Alene:

Schweitzer Mountain Resort is in North Idaho.  It's 86 miles from Spokane.  To get there take I-90 to exit 12 near Coeur d'Alene.  Head North on Highway 95.  Drive to Sandpoint, ID.  The resort is 11 miles after Sandpoint.  Open 7 days a week.

Lookout Pass Ski Area is along I-90 at the Idaho/Montana stateline, Exit 0.  The exit is just east of Wallace, Idaho.  Lookout is 90 miles from Spokane and 56 miles from Coeur d'Alene. The ski area is open Thurs through Mondays each week through March.  They just began a FREE children's ski school on Saturdays.  Check their website for details.

Silver Mountain Resort is easy to access. It's in Kellogg, Idaho at Exit 49 on I-90.  Silver Mt. is 75 miles from Spokane and 45 miles from Coeur d'Alene.  The resort is open 7 days a week through April 6th.

Mt. Spokane Ski Area is located in Mt. Spokane State Park.  There are new runs, beautiful views and affordable lift tickets.  For those of you who live near Spokane, this ski area is in your backyard!  They are open 7 days a week through February if weather permits.  In March they return to their Wednesday-Sunday schedule.

49 North is open 7 days a week now through February.  It's located 10 miles East of Chewellah, WA.  From I-90, head north on Highway 395.  When you reach Chewellah, turn right at the stoplight at Main Street(it's the only one right now).  Continue on Flowery Trail Rd for 10 miles to the ski area.

Here's an overview of the prices of a Weekend/Holiday, All-Day lift ticket:

(prices vary midweek and half days.  Check each website for special prices)

Ski area         Adults           Youth             6 & under

Silver Mt          $46                $31                 FREE

Lookout           $30                $19                 FREE

Schweitzer       $55                $40                 FREE

49 North          $43                $35                  $5

Mt Spokane      $39                $31                 FREE

Two Different Ways to Enjoy the Sun!

Sunrise along the Little Spokane River in January.

The sun shining on the floor in the dining room!  FULL SUN!  I was ready to lay on the floor and soak it in myself.  I tried to get the dogs to do it...but they wouldn't!

Snow, Snow and Yes, More Snow

This is a 4 foot picket fence in the background! CC says:  Look mom, I can lay in the snow and I'm still warm!!

Global warming has struck again.  It started snowing on Saturday (yesterday) just before noon, and by 4:00 pm this afternoon (Sunday) we had close to 18" of snow!  I know because I kept shoveling it off the deck every few hours, 3-4 inches at a time!

The ongoing battle of trying to keep the shop gate clear!

Supposedly this area hasn't seen snow like this since 1993!  Of course the added insanity of it all...and also the added beauty of it, is that it is all sitting on top of another 12-16 inches of snow!  It's getting to the point that when I shovel the deck, the pile of snow I've thrown off the deck is almost to the level of the deck! We're running out of places to put the snow!

CC is being my snow model...look at the level of the snow compared to our porch.  It's three steps up to that porch! And look how far up the railing it is now!

Now, those of you that live in the Rocky Mountains, or the Great Lake states are sure to be saying...suck it up woman! That's not much snow!! I'm really not complaining.  I love snow!  I'm calculating just how long the snow will be able to stay!  I wish that when there's snow on the ground that work should come second!  Being outside and playing in it is what I love.  I love the silence that comes with a blanket of snow on everything.  I love it almost as much as the sounds of birds returning in the spring.

But this is A LOT of snow for this area. Spokane usually gets 2-3 inches in a storm!  So far this is our second big dumping storm this month...with additional storms in between delivering 4-6 inches per storm!  The county's plowing budget will be going through the roof this year!

Saturday in Pictures

This is what the 18 inches of snow made our place look like this weekend!

The backyard...the snow is just about up to the deck.

The front walkway...Where am I going to put more snow?  Can you see our candy canes just barely sticking out of the snow bank?

My vegetable garden is here somewhere!

View of the mountain from our house...so pretty!

I love the bright blue sky behind this snow covered tree.

This is the best my camera could do for a close-up.  Oh I miss my old SLR...and my macro lense.  The snow crystals were so cool!

And finally my artsy shot of our red maple.  I love the sun making it glow from behind and then the shadow on the snow!  Hey I'm easily entertained.

Winter is Here!

Thanksgiving ends as we put up our Christmas Lights.  This year, just as we finished hanging the outdoor decorations (in 20 degree weather mind you! Now I know why some people hang them and leave them up!  My fingers were FROZEN!) it began to snow.  I still have a few things to finish outdoors, but that will have to wait till the weekend.

Here are a few pictures from the first snowstorm...this is for those of you still living in 70 degree weather, wearing shorts and flip flops, and trying to feel like it's Christmas.

The girls helped with the last of the lights...ON THE ROOF!  Not my favorite place to find them.

Our back yard...

This is the road leading to our house.  It's one of my favorite views in the winter.  It makes you feel like we live in the middle of nowhere....or at least that we Live On The Edge!

What a cold, lonely little house right now!  I like my warm, toasty home for the winter!