Yes, every time we get a few spits of snow, I start to pine for the normal winters we had back in the good ole days. When one would wake up to temperatures in the teens and a fresh blanket of snow that would cover every brown thing in the woods and fields. Every tree and every blade of grass would lie under at least 6 or 7 inches of snow and power would be out all over the countryside. Those were the good ole days of Washington County, Virginia. The last few years have been a mockery. A few spits here and a few spits there just making us think we were getting snow. But I found a news from an article out of the Pittsburg Post Gazette.

"There are several reasons for the poor start, including the notorious El Nino weather system in the tropical Pacific, said Bob Reed, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service.

El Nino conditions create higher-than-normal ocean temperatures and affect the flow of the jet stream. Instead of frigid air zeroing in on the region from the arctic and Canada via the Great Lakes, the weather in Pennsylvania and other mid-Atlantic (thats us) and New England states has been influenced by drier and warmer Southwest and Gulf Coast conditions.

Mr. Reed said it appears the El Nino conditions are weakening. If so, it could mean a return to a "normal" winter. "But there can be wild swings back and forth in the weather," he said."(Laurence Walsh, 2007)

I have hope now. My pining for normal winters may come to an end. I don't care what people think of El Nino.

Christmas

Our Christmas tree with its four ornaments. Maybe next year we will have room for a real tree. This year the room is taken up by tools.




We are still sleeping in the living room. But now that we have the woodstove going we are probably going to miss being in the living room once we move into the bedroom. So warm.



But the rate things are going we won't move into the bedroom until it starts warming up outside.

The Great Wall

Jeff and I built these retaining walls(terraces) for mom and dad back in November. I have 1000 tulip bulbs and 100 daffodil bulbs planted here.

Jeff and Nik Getting Ready for Church

Nik spent the night with us Saturday night. He and Jeff had a good time laying bricks in front of the wood stove Saturday afternoon and then we made cookies in the evening.

Jeff working on our bedroom.

Sunny and Rico

Sunny and Rico joined the ranks in the fight against rodents. Although they are to young right now to be chasing down any mice, we have them in training. They were pretty well wild when we got them last week(why they are in a cage) but they are taming down nicely now. They meow at me for food and play with Jeff's fingers. I have a sneaking suspicion they are male and female(we can't hold them to tell) so some "fixing" will have to be done..especially as close to the dump as we are. :) kittens galore