Cold Saturday

Today's snap is the view from my craft room window:

(Click on photo to enlarge)

Sorry about the blurriness -- the window isn't as clean as it might be. Tsk, tsk.

Bleak, isn't it? It's a view of our back patio/garden area, and it looks so sad with all the flowers and plants gone. And even though you can't really tell from this photo (there's a lot of evergreen out there), it's pretty icy this morning. Cold, cold, COLD.

I hate winter. Can you tell? January is typically our coldest month here in the Texas Hill Country, and every year I have a harder time getting through it. Of course, it's nothing compared to the winters we used to struggle through up in Northern Virginia. But I guess somehow when we moved back down here, I was expecting year-round summertime. Don't know why -- when we lived in Austin back in the late '60s/early '70s, we had some of the coldest, nastiest winters I've ever experienced, anywhere. So I should have been better prepared.

And there's more cold, damp weather predicted for the rest of the weekend and into next week. Oh, and I haven't even mentioned the red cedar and mold amping up my allergies and asthma. Bummer.

One question: Why am I not in Key West right now?

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SSS 137: Shadows of Christmas Past

I know Christmas is over, and everyone is probably sick of seeing Christmas-themed posts. But we still have our decorations up and since this might be our last Christmas in this apartment, I've been taking lots of photos of the place this holiday season. I'm always being surprised by the shadows that get thrown onto the vertical blinds over the door to our balcony - here we have the shadow of a Christmas stocking that's hanging on the balcony door. First a closeup:


And then another one that shows a teensy shadow of the Christmas lights around the door, and even a bit of balcony furniture:

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

OK, I'll try to make this the last of the Christmas posts. Must move on to 2011. Gee, I already miss 2010!

Shadow Shot Sunday is a weekly photo meme hosted by Hey Harriet.
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Blue Monday: Christmas Greetings

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Among the many (many, many) collections I've managed to amass, old postcards are some of my favorites. Here are a couple of Christmas postcards from the early 20th Century (actually before my time, so they must be pretty ancient, right?), with some nice blue touches. Happy Holidays, everyone!

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Shadow Shot Sunday #94: One Last Snow Shot

Shadow Shot Sunday is a weekly photo meme hosted by Hey Harriet. To see many, many more shadow shots or to contribute some yourself, head on over to her blog.

OK, this is cheating just a little bit, I suppose. This photo was actually taken last year around this same time. But the image isn't too different from what we've had around here the last week or so. However, we've had a few really nice, sunny, above-freezing days recently. And as of today, the snow has almost completely melted on the grass and sidewalks, and the roads are mostly clear. We still have huge mountains of black, fuzzy snow in many places, but that's also starting to melt now. All of which makes me very happy. Well, maybe not that part about the black fuzzy snow, but the melting bit is a great spirit-booster. And I'm really, really hoping that this will be my very last shot of snow shadows this year.

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Blue Monday: And the Winter Blues Continue

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Around here, we really do have the winter blues right now. And last week, even the atmosphere was blue. This is a shot my hubby took a few days back, right after the blizzard. It's a photo of the outdoor swimming pool area of our condo complex, and it was taken around twilight which is, I suppose, why everything looked so blue-ish (it's not retouched or anything - this is just what the camera captured). But this is really pretty much how the world looked for a few days there. Fortunately it's sunny right now, so the blues have lifted a bit for the moment. But we've got more snow coming later today, which means it's probably just a matter of hours until those blues come sneaking right back. (Click on image to enlarge.)

Blue Monday: More Winter Blues

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As I think I've said before, I don't have much blue around the house - I'm more of a green and beige person, I guess. But I do have a lot of dolls with blue outfits in my collection. So here, in honor of the opening of the Winter Olympics later this week, are two of them. (Click on photos to enlarge.)

All suited up and ready for the slopes. In a nice cozy pair of blue ski pants (they really are blue - see the last photo for a truer likeness).


Ready to ski, too - but we've only got the one set of skis! So she's going to do a little sledding while waiting her turn at the lifts. And, if you look closely, you'll notice the blue in the flowers trimming her outfit. But I'm not sure those shoes are going to hold up so well in the snow.


Both of these are Ginny dolls, 8 inches tall, and made by the Vogue Doll Company back in the 1950s. The Ginny dolls were my favorite playthings when I was a tiny tot - and although neither of these girls is actually one of my own childhood toys, I still love to play with them.

The Great Blizzard of 2010, Day 2

Well, at least I think it's Day 2. I'm having trouble remembering when we didn't have snow all over the place.

So. It snowed today. They said it would be "tapering off" by this afternoon, but they lied. The afternoon is heading on towards evening now and it's still snowing and I really don't see any tapering going on. Well, the flakes are smaller - I guess that counts.

We didn't try to get out - just stayed in all day. The hubby did some reading, some guitar playing, and (surprise!) some vacuuming (thanks, Sweetie). I did some laundry, some dusting, and baked pumpkin bread. And since there was snow on the ground and spice in the air, it felt like Christmas all over again. So we listened to some Christmas music and created our own little time warp.

Also snapped a few more photos of the historic storm. Some of our neighbors ventured out (hardy souls):


When we took the outside wreath down last month, I just left it on our balcony table, and it was dusted with snow and ice today. Another little Christmas-y touch.


A closeup of one of the pine cones on the wreath. Looks very pretty, doesn't it? Sort of like a Christmas card. This is about as close to snow as I care to get, I'm afraid.


And - the pumpkin bread. Trust me, it tastes better than it looks. And I know that because it's from a mix - not one of my "from scratch" monstrosities. What would I do without Trader Joe's?

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

Random Photo Friday: Snowed Under

I've been seriously neglecting my Joysweb blog. Well, I've been in a sort of general funk, with all this winter around me. And the last week or so, I've been coping with some amazingly painful dental procedures - don't want to bore or gross anyone out, and I'm not anxious to relive it. Suffice to say - I haven't really been in a blogging mood or condition. And the little time I've had for blogging has been devoted to my book blog, so Joysweb has gotten short shrift.

But today I seem to be coming back from the edge, and thought I'd post a couple of photos. I used to do a Random Photo post every Monday, but haven't kept that up lately. So today I'm introducing Random Photo Friday, which may or may not become a regular thing. Anyway, this first photo is a shot that was actually taken by my hubby, just this past Wednesday, right after our last big snowfall (I was zonked on pain killers at the time). He took it right after sunrise, and if you look closely you can just see the lights of the city shining through the trees. It's really a very pretty scene - if you're not going to have go out and slog your way through it anytime soon.

(Click on images to enlarge.)

This second shot is one I took later that day (in one of my brief spasms of consciousness), a closeup of snow on branches. I loved the white-on-white look of the branches against the snow. The view out our front window was a totally black and white world. And since it's snowing again right now, it looks like we're headed that way once again. Don't know about you, but I'm ready for some spring color right now!

Random Christmas Musings, Part Two

So I guess the holidays are really over now. M was on vacation the last couple of weeks - taking advantage of all that "use it or lose it" leave that federal workers sometimes end up with at the end of the year. And I've gotten very used to having him around all day. But today, it's business as usual, and he's back at work. I've got lots to do to keep me busy (thank you cards to write, new books to read, mountains of laundry to do, mountains of dust to vacuum away, a small mountain of Christmas cards to do something about), so I won't have time to sit around and brood, but it's definitely quieter around here this morning.

I typically get rather melancholy during the holidays, but this year I really didn't have time for that. For some reason, this Christmas season seemed more than usually frenzied; and it also felt as though it ended almost as soon as it began. One minute we were straightening out all the Christmas tree lights and putting out all the decorations, and the next thing I knew we were toasting the New Year - and I have no idea what happened to all that time in between!

But I think that was a good thing. The other thing that's helping me stave off the doldrums this year is the fact that we've still got the tree and all the outside lights up. We usually take them down around Twelfth Night, and this year they may even stay a little longer than that. They definitely cheer me up, but I will try to get them put away before the spring thaw hits. Although if our condo association would allow it, I'd probably leave the outside lights up all year. And the Christmas tree, too. I think I must take after my grandmother - it was not at all unusual for her to leave her tree up until Easter, some years. I think one year they hid eggs in it for me and my cousins to find!

However, now it's time to start thinking about what lies ahead in 2010. And though I always like to think that after Christmas, spring is just around the corner, I realize that winter has really just gotten started. But this year, I'm determined not to let that get me down. I know winter has its charms, and if I just stay positive and upbeat, I'm sure I'll be able to find some. Maybe. A few anyway. Someday. Right?

And speaking of winter, this is the last photo I'll be posting of our infamous snow piles. Last one. I promise. For today, anyway.

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

This photo was taken by my husband, with his cell phone camera. Pretty good, huh?

Shopping Blues

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We've had a few very nice, sunny days. Still much too cold for my taste, but at least we've been able to get out and about, and the snow is mostly gone. Well, except for those huge sooty piles of icy mess here and there. I'm trying to ignore them, although when we're out shopping that gets a little difficult. But sometimes, even though weather conditions may not be ideal, they do provide a few giggles. Like this shopping cart - the poor thing looks exhausted, doesn't it? Well, hey, I feel the same way after fighting for a space in those snow-filled parking lots! (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Shadow Shot Sunday is a weekly photo meme hosted by Hey Harriet. To see many, many more shadow shots or to contribute some yourself, head on over to her blog.

Wordless Wednesday: After the Shopping, 23 December 2009

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Blue Monday: Winter Blues and Pinks

Blue Monday is hosted weekly by Smiling Sally.
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After the snow storm a couple of weeks ago, we had some really beautiful skies - not the clear blue I love, but still interesting in short doses. Here are a few shots for Blue Monday. (I'm also wearing my new blue robe that I got for Christmas, but I'll spare you that sight!)

Shadow Shot Sunday: Cold, Cold Shadows

After the big snow storm all across the eastern part of the country last week, I suppose it's pretty inevitable that we'll be seeing lots of snow shadows today. Here are mine.

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

Shadow Shot Sunday is a weekly photo meme hosted by Hey Harriet. To see many, many more shadow shots or to contribute some yourself, head on over to her blog.

The Storm of the Century, Day 2

Digging out.

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The Storm of the Century, Day 1

So today it's snowing. And snowing. And snowing. I can't tell you how disappointed I am.

Sorry. I know a lot of people really enjoy the snow, and I'm happy for them. But in all the years I've lived up here in the frozen north, I've never learned to love the white stuff. I like looking at it in photos and movies and TV shows, and on Christmas cards, and postcards, and jigsaw puzzles. But I find the real stuff depressing and a little scary. Guess that's the result of growing up in a place where the winters were usually mild, short and un-snowy.

Even so, I have tried to get a few photos today - but it's been snowing so hard all morning and afternoon that it's very difficult to get a good shot. These are a couple I took from the balcony this morning - a few of our neighbors playing in the snow and a postman at the building across the way, digging out his truck while wearing what appears to be a sun hat. While I was taking these, the kids were yelling "Let's play in the SNOW!" the whole time. So I guess the snow is making some folks happy (but probably not that postman).

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

Outdoor Wednesday: Winter Rainbow

Outdoor Wednesday is hosted by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer. To see many, many more outdoor photos or to post some of your own, please visit her blog.

Almost decided not to post an Outdoor Wednesday photo today. I've had a cold for the last week or so, and really haven't spent any time outdoors. But I found a couple of shots from last winter, so I thought I'd just use those. (Click on photos to enlarge.)


One of the nice things about living in a high-rise is the great view we get of the sky - especially in winter when the leaves have all fallen and left the trees bare and easy to see through. Our balcony faces almost due east, so that means the end of this rainbow probably lies somewhere in the Potomac - George Washington would be pleased.