It's Snowing!

Scenes from the back deck after

the Big Snow of 2008!  Below, looking out the window of my favorite room

 

Last year we had 3 feet of snow at Christmas and couldn't leave the house for days!  This year, I didn't want a repeat with memories of instant Fondue and fruit for Christmas dinner still fresh in my mind. When we finally did get to the grocery store, all the produce, meat and dairy sections were cleaned out!  Not to mention that church services were cancelled, work was missed and presents weren't delivered.  Still, when we had brilliant blue skies on this Christmas Day, I was reminded of my California childhood when I longed for real seasons, instead of the 70 degrees that we uually had during holiday time.

Today, I found myself running errands across town when the snowflakes stared falling.  Just an hour earlier the weatherman said to ignore the snow since it would quickly change to rain.  Fat Chance!  Those of us who have lived to the Pacific Northwest for a while know that the weather up here can turn on a dime. Luckily, I dashed home and soon those flurries turned into 4 inches of snow.  Rush hour traffic was tied up for hours. Still, if you are home, it's hard to beat the beauty and quiet of a snowday.  Everything slows down, and it's not a bad thing that you have to too!

A view across the creek.

Couldn't resist a shot from outside into our familyroom.  It still feels like Christmas.

Happy New Year Everyone!  I'm definitely looking forward to a new year and a new decade.

Happy Birthday

Happy 20th Birthday to our wonderful daughter, Katie, shown here on her

first birthday!  This was taken downtown last year, when it snowed so hard, she had to spend the day with your parents!  Aww...we had a great time!

Yum, Creme Brulee, and a beautiful birthday girl

Seasonal Moments

Well, it's time to round up the Snow People!  They will eventually end up on the mantle, but I snapped this photo as I was unpacking them.  I like putting up the Snow People since they can stay up through February after all the Christmas decorations have been put away.  After Christmas and New Year, everything looks so bare and spring still looms long on the horizon before the bulbs pop up.  In winter, you have to find visual cheerfulness wherever you can!

 

The temperature has been between between 14 and 20 degrees in Portland all week.  We've crammed so many activities into one week, since my Mom is having hip surgery next Thursday and will have a long recovery.  It will be a bit of a juggling act over the holidays with kids coming into town, and Rick and Bryan heading to Pasadina for the big Rose Bowl Game between the U of O Ducks and the Ohio State Buckeyes. But, we did catch a fun performance of the Portland Christmas Revels, a couple of great parties, and more music events.

I also came across some of the Christmas books that I used to read to the kids when they were little.  So many favorites, but the ones that stand out are: The Polar Express, The Mitten, and the timeless, Night Before Christmas.  Our sweet Kannie Cat (named by Aunt Barb), likes to be wherever I am-she was named for the Neahkahnie Beach, on the Oregon Coast.  She was a stray and living off the land in our beach home's yard before we could catch her and bring her to her new home about 6 years ago.  She now lives a life of steady meals and comfy chairs.