Meowy Christmas!

Meowy Christmas!

May your fur be thick enough, the fire warm enough, and the food dish always filled!
 
Purrs, snuggles, and furballs!

Writing Distractions

Blurry white buckets
Silently build pristine hills
Mystery mountains

~ Haiku, by Angie Quantrell 2015

This is what I am writing about now.

But I am distracted by this happening out my window.

Snow, lovely, snow!

Somehow snow and Phoenix do not mix.



First Snow for Kitties = New Napping Spot

Mabel showing her reluctance to get her paws wet. This stage did not last.

We finally had a decent (by decent, I mean visible) amount of snow. This was the first snow for the kitties. They were entranced. And later muddy.

Monet dove right in. Surely there is something wonderful beneath that cold white stuff. (Yes, Monet, there is. It's called mud.)

Both girls loved the snow. And the beautiful sunshine that warmed the patio area.

Cozy girls atop my hutch.

Exhaustion led them to discover a current favorite napping spot.

It's a good jump for the girls. Whoever arrives first commands leadership of the sleeping vessel.

No longer can I decorate the tops of hutches, cupboards, shelves, tables . . . Candles are definitely out. Alas, we are a home with cats.

Neighbors

We LOVE our neighbors! Especially those with snow blowers! Just kidding - we love them all!

Reminds me of a song:

It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood,
A beautiful day for a neighbor,
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?...

So let's make the most of this beautiful day,
Since we're together, we might as well say,
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?
Won't you be my neighbor?

Thank you, Mr. Rogers.

Thank you, neighbor! Literally feet and mountains of snow...Still snowing...



Here's to summer irrigation.
Awesome Dude!

Snow, Glorious, Snow

Probably not too popular saying that right now, but snow is glorious! I will never get tired of it falling gently from the sky. Driving and climbing through drifts, yes, that gets old, but watching it descend and build hills, slopes, and lumps where mysterious items are hidden - never.

It's snowing again! Third snow day in a row, unheard of for this girl. But joyful news none-the-less. As I was considering snow and things to do with kids...



About snow, what do I know? Six-sided crystal shapes, cold, clear ice when viewed close up, theoretically no two alike (although recent news suggests otherwise), heavy, dry, soft, powdered, wet, messy,...

Things to do in/about the snow with kids (other than the obvious of sledding, skiing, etc.):

1. Make glitter snowflakes: Use white school glue to draw trails and snowflake shapes on pieces of wax paper. Cover thickly with glitter. Let dry several days. Peel carefully off of wax paper. Display.

2. Dance like snowflakes. Give kids silk scarves, gloves/mittens, and hats. After they put on mittens and hats, let them hold a silk scarf or two and dance around the room like a snowflake. Sing (to the tune of "Are You Sleeping?"):
Dance like snowflakes, dance like snowflakes,
In the air, in the air.
Whirling, twirling snowflakes, whirling, twirling snowflakes,
Here and there. Here and there.

3. Build a snowman outside. Come inside and build a snowman with uncolored play dough. Give kids fabric and craft scraps to make accessories for the snowmen. Include glitter in the play dough to give sparkles. Let dry.

My favorite play dough recipe: 3 cups flour, 1 cup salt, 2 T. oil, 1 T. alum; Mix well. Add 3 cups boiling water (I include food coloring in water if I am using it). Add glitter to flour mix before adding water. Stir with a wooden spoon. As soon as possible, use spatula to scoop out onto counter. Knead as it cools, the sooner the better. Your hands will get hot, but the alum needs to be mixed in. Cool. Knead some more. When it is only slightly warm, put in a covered plastic tub (not zip bag). Leave vented lid until all the way cool. Keeps for a few weeks. - I love this stuff! Easy to accessorize to themes. :)

4. Make a snowman with two sizes of cheap paper plates - big and small. Punch holes and sew around the edges of both plates (for 2 plate snowmen). Tie together. Use markers, buttons, paper scraps, fabric scraps, and glue to make face and clothes. Dry and display somewhere fun. (If you have a child writer, let him or her write a story and name the snowmen.)

5. Explore ice. Freeze cardboard milk cartons filled with water. Peel off paper, put ice chunks in a plastic tub, and give kids plastic pipettes and a cup of water (I sometimes used colored water for more fun). Let them squirt away until they riddle the ice with holes. Lots of fun time here, which equals free time for mom or teacher!

6. Paint or draw snow scenes. Use black or dark blue construction paper and white colored pencils, crayons, or chalk. Look out windows and then create snow and winter scenes with the white writing tools. OR do the reverse and let your child draw with white on white colored paper and paint over the top with blue watercolor paint.

7. Experiment. Make a few snowballs. Put them in different places in and around the house (or school). Predict which one will melt first, which will last longest. Collect data on a clipboard with paper and pencil. Predict first, check real results, then compare what happened in reality. Be sure to use a timer to see how long the melting takes!

8. Snow painting. Fill spray bottles with colored water. Spray away and make rainbow designs in the snow.

9. Build a snowcastle! Use those beach sandcastle toys and empty plastic containers to build snowcastles. Help pack the snow in and unmold the shapes to create the buildings. Water in a spray bottle may help powder snow to stick.

10. Photo hunt. Use digital cameras to scout the neighborhood for unusual, tricky, weird, cool, or beautiful snowy sights. Load them up onto the computer and have a winter slide show! Vote to see which is the favorite scene. Add music to make a fun winter video.

11. Hit the library, either the real one or the virtual one. Check out books about winter - snow, seasons, weather, animals, sports, activities...Great to curl up and get warm reading after playing out in the cold stuff. A few favorite: The Mitten, A Snowy Day, and The Biggest, Best, Snowman.

12. If the white stuff is falling, put on those dark, solid colored winter clothes and go outside for a snowflake catch. Have photographer ready to capture close-ups of snowflake crystals. Or use black construction paper to catch (and not melt) snowflakes. Amazing!

13. Have an indoor snowball fight! Crumple pieces of scrap paper into snowballs. Let 'er fly! (A caution to those rooms who host breakables...)

14. Favorite winter movie? Grab some popcorn, hot cocoa, and pop in the movie. Watch to your hearts' delight.

15. Chronicle your snow escapades with digital photos. Visit an online site (like Costco.com) and create a winter snow book featuring your kids and you. It will be a hit!

Gotta love snow!

Ice Day!

Ice Day! And then Snow Day! And then maybe Ice Night...






Winter Sandwich

Stacking white layers
Slick frozen water heaps next
Joy - winter sandwich



Seriously,multiple inches of snow yesterday, followed by freezing rain this morning, now followed by heavy, heavy snow. Soon to be followed by more freezing rain tonight! It's a weather forecasters' dream!

Day 2 of No School.

Flat Tire

(Trust me, it looks bigger in real life...)

Good thing it snowed a little tonight.

For a rare treat, we went to see the new Sherlock Holmes movie - a date if you will, complete with popcorn for lunch. I really enjoyed the movie. Everyone kept saying it was hard to follow, so we did our homework before we went. We watched the first movie to get our brains in order to follow minute details and slow mo action. Then we watched the movie. Pretty good. Actually some very funny parts! I HATE torture, though, of any kind. All in all, a good movie.

We headed out of the theater to head home and grab the truck for a quick trip to the hardware store. I was thinking that the car was unnaturally short. Kind of funny for me to say that, since I always have a hard time seeing the top of the car. It felt like I had been riding in a big truck.

We took off, to a weird sound and feel. "What's that?"

Flat tire! Kevin backed up and returned to the parking lot so we could change the tire. I hopped out and looked at the driver side front tire, which has a slow leak and needs at least weekly fill.

It was low. But not as low as the driver side BACK tire, which was completely flat. What??? No wonder my side of the car seemed so short.

"Four minutes," said Kevin, racing to the trunk for the donut tire. (Ha, ha, ode to A Christmas Story).

I retraced our steps, looking for nails, tools, large knives...Nothing. There is definitely a hole, a rather large, jagged edged hole, which was not there BEFORE the movie. We were parked in an easy access outside edge slot...Did not see anyone else with a flat tire. Suspicious. Absolutely suspicious.



Good thing it started snowing, since Kevin had to change the tires anyway. Now the snow tires are on (not really needed for our little dusting, but at least they don't have holes).

Thank you, if it was in fact a purposeful endeavor to stab our tire. We needed to replace that tire anyway. If it was normal wear and tear and nail in the road somewhere on the freeway, my apologies.

C'mon and snow, baby. We're ready.

December 27

December 27th. Winter. Cold and dry. Or damp and foggy. But still, winter.

Just completed a chilly, face numbing walk through the neighborhood. And what did I see? And hear? Two silly, out of season robins!

Now, seriously. We did not have a white Christmas. Not even a foggy Christmas. Not perfectly clear, but not wintry weather either. Mild would be a good word. For the northwest, that is not good. We definitely need piles of snow and ice, wind and rain. Especially in the mountains. Summer irrigation depends on it.

But robins? They seemed wonderfully ignorant of the season, and blissfully happy to be bouncing from branch to branch.

I hope this does not forecast a clear, dry winter season for us. I dread to think of the hot weather water woes to follow if that is the case.

Or maybe, just maybe, the robins are a bit touched in the head. Blown off course on their fall departure route. Let's hope so.

Come on robins, head to your winter roosting spots. Come on snow, we need mountains of the pretty white stuff. It's winter! Snow, baby, snow.

Recess in Winter

Recess in winter is not as much fun for teachers as it is for students. Especially in kindergarten.

Our stash of winter clothing items has moved out into the hallway, as the cubbies do not support the growth of slick nylon coats, hats, snow pants, snow suits, and snow boots. Avoiding the mountain of weather proofing nylon, the kindergartners make a pile under their name tag in the hall. Backpacks and lunches get choice resting spots in cubbies.

But come recess...hats, gloves, zippers, pants, boots, scarves, bathroom break...times ten...

The pause that is supposed to refresh and rejuvenate all involved parties becomes a dance in exertion and finesse to match clothing parts with appropriate hands, feet, heads, and bodies. This teacher does not need winter clothing after helping attire 5 and 6 year-olds for the snowy outdoors.

She needs a blast of AC and a short nap.

Tree Catching

tree catching: definition - hunting in the woods for the perfect sweet smelling evergreen for the completion of decking the halls in anticipation of Christmas Day (Note: after purchasing the appropriate tags and paying correct fees)

required equipment: tree tags, hand saw, rope, 4x4 vehicle, winter clothing, ceiling measurements

outcome: We won! Bagged our trees with only slightly soaked clothing and boots (melting snow inside your boots definitely makes you appreciate indoor heat and dry socks). We avoided slipping off the edge of the steep road, did not hit other vehicles, found beautiful trees amidst the snow covered hills, and the male assistants offered minimal complaining. ;0 That in itself was pretty awesome.

benefits: pine scent filling the house, plenty of extra drinking water for the cat (note to self - refill often), beautiful addition to our decor that sets off the special ornament collection displayed on its branches, another Christmas adventure for the memory files

The ceiling is somewhat shorter than my estimated measurements. Even after making my guys stand beside the trees for a guess-ti-mate. Worth it anyway.

Merry Christmas!

Surprise! It would have been funnier yesterday, April Fool's Day. But today is the white sky date. It is more of a surprise if one doesn't watch the news, and is therefore shocked when an early spring snow shower occurs. Studs are gone from the tires, trees are budded, some seeds are deposited in the ground, flowers are abundant and beautiful. It's Good Friday. Easter is Sunday.

Welcome snow!

Despite the wintry appearance, the temp is mild, and the ladybug wellies are plenty warm enough to slosh through the mush.


But even now, the snow turns to rain, and sky is brightening, and water pours down the gutters and sidewalks.
Grateful irrigation of the lawn, but sad loss of my beloved snow.

Spring will return.