Catching my breath, Wed 03/25/20

That last snowstorm was a doozy ... that being March 14-15-16, when a foot-and-a-half of fluffy white stuff dumped on us, and we we lost electricity for a couple of days -- brrrr!  It may have been fluffy, but it was also very wet and very heavy.  We still have short piles in the yard and along the driveway that haven't melted.  Mostly they've turned to blocks of ice.  Nowadays, with the country basically shutdown, and all citizens asked to stay home, Jimmy and I have all kinds of time to be enjoying indoor activities and exploring the great outdoors.  I do wish our weather was kinder.  Cold and inclement, still.

Braving the elements, we have bundled up several times in the past ten days to tromp around our neighborhood, sticking to paved and plowed roads rather than a snow-packed trail.  You know we always appreciate our warm house when we return from a walk!  Being on the move is easier for me since I had a shot (ow-ow-ow) in my right hip for bursitis. Nearly pain-free now -- wish I'd taken care of this months ago!

On the last couple of neighborhood jaunts, I've taken phone photos of the damage wrought by that storm.  These pics were taken on nearby streets.  Giant black oaks or huge black oak limbs seem to have done the most damage, landing on roofs, taking down fences, covering roads, and, of course, knocking out our power.

Above and below, this big black oak created havoc for a homeowner and his neighbor.

You see the tree snapped off, its trunk and limbs already cut up.

The shock of old gold is Forsythia.

These were taken today; thin patches of snow linger.  

Uh-oh, looks bad.  Hopefully superficial.

Today, around Noon when the temp reached a respectable 45° (+/-) we decided to give the canal trail a try, figuring the snow would be pretty much gone.  Well, it was and it wasn't.  See picture below.  But once on the trail, what the heck, we kept on our usual 3-mile route.  We zigzagged from one side to the other, trying to avoid the muddiest sections and to stay off the snowiest places, but basically we walked on a muddy track.  Here we viewed more storm-related damage.  The Noonday sun played peek-a-boo with gray clouds, and every now and then, one of those clouds would release a handful of BB-sized, white pellets.  Not many ... but enough for us to keep a wary eye skyward. 

This one -- uprooted.

When we got to the Nevada City overlook, we paused to admire the scene -- beautiful sky, lush green hills, those tall trees -- all conspired to make us forget scary COVID-19 and the world's woes.  Ah, we came home refreshed, but with very muddy shoes!  It's good to get Out and About.

So be it. Monday, 03/16/20

Gosh, lately it seems like the world (as we know it) is falling apart!  Nothing is the same as it was a year ago or even three months ago.  I think we've entered the age of science fiction, with pandemics and shelter in place, rising seas and closed borders, coronavirus (aka COVID-19) and all its ensuing complications.  Foreign words or concepts to these two Americans.  How can we cope?  How will we respond?  Not with fear or panic, I hope.  My wish is that everyone will focus on being kinder and gentler. Throw in a dose of compassion, too, and throw out being judgmental.

For Jimmy and me, the past few days have been a challenge!  Older people -- and I guess we qualify at 75 years of age -- are supposed to stay home, not go out, not mingle, stay away from crowds.  The number doesn't lie, but I don't feel so much like an "older lady."  However, I'll abide by the edict and stay home.  No hardship for me.  We have plenty of food, good tap water to drink, lots of coffee, and books galore.  What we don't have now is electricity.  Nevada City was dumped on again after a dry February, with 18" of heavy, wet snow, which apparently knocked out power.  It's been 24 hours and we've heard nothing about possible power restoration.  We have a gas fireplace to keep us from freezing, and a gas stove to cook on, and candles to see by at night.  Layered clothing helps, but I wouldn't call it hot in here.

That big lump on the left of the picture is the Prius, parked at the top of the driveway; as usual, it was buried under a ton o' snow.  Jimmy and I managed, with two snow shovels, to dig a path to the car and unearth the poor thing.  Snow and cold, no power, and stay your butts at home.  Triple whammy!  What a deal!

Jimmy, working hard!  Our young neighbor, Chuck, came over and helped remove some of the cement-like packed stuff the snow plow leaves, which we very much appreciated.

My little 12" red ruler is buried under that snow mass on the table.  Hard to believe so much snow can pile atop the table and the grill.  This stuff was so deep that it was hard to walk in.

I had to drag out the yardstick.

First time Kwan Yin has been 100% shrouded in snow.

A white birch, in every sense of the word!

Jimmy is smiling in the doorway.

Incredible accumulation blocking the way.

The Redbud tree, with it's budding pink flowers, bent in half.

Nope, not today.

This beautiful Pacific Dogwood is outside our dining room window.  Beautiful in bloom, as well as with its branches decorated by snow.  With icy cold hands, I took more pictures, some with my camera and others on my phone, but this'll give you an idea.

We're good here, safe, well-fed, kinda warm, and looking forward to tomorrow, whatever it will bring.  Please let tomorrow bring "the juice!"  Power to the people.  Electricity.  I know we'll be "powerfully" grateful when our power is restored.

In isolated solidarity, as my young friend, Will Santino, says:  Stay well, people.

An update ... Saturday 3/14/20

"Coronavirus brings the world to a standstill!"

The news is not good, or as I say, "what a mess."  Receiving news these days often isn't good.  In our case, our back-to-back Road Scholar trips, "Walking Madeira" and "The Best of Marrakech," were cancelled by RS (along with hundreds of others).  We were scheduled to depart April 6th.  No more.

We like traveling with Road Scholar ... their programs are full of adventure, learning and fun.  Plus, you meet some really neat people.  Jimmy and I met Bernice and "Ibby" on our first RS jaunt to the Himalayas; we became fast friends and have enjoyed other RS trips with them.  Bernice and I put in a lot of time and toil planning this upcoming April journey, including a Norwegian fjord cruise with Hurtigruten after Madeira and Marrakech ... the entire trip would last one month.  She and I worked diligently on making the trip awesome, super-great and terrific, and now we're trying to undo and recoup.  It ain't easy.  Thousands of others are doing the same thing.

The domino effect is in full force.  Cancel one facet of one trip and watch the rest fall apart.  I shudder to think of how many of the world's people will suffer, not from the virus itself, but from the fallout of shutting down, closing doors, cancelling excursions, games suspended, attractions shuttered, restaurants empty, barren and bleak, bringing the world to a standstill.  Scary.  For me and Jimmy, we'll lose money on NOT going on a trip because of the word "nonrefundable," but we'll be okay. Disappointed and probably at loose ends during April, we won't go hungry and if sleep is elusive tonight, I will no doubt sleep well the next night.  We hope the coronavirus won't strike hard in the US, tho it has in other countries, and will end soon everywhere.  Who knows when our world will know relief and normalcy again.

Meanwhile, adding joy to our otherwise calm lives is our pretty little granddaughter, "Evie," who will be three years old tomorrow, March 15th.  We bought this swing set (and spent two days this week putting it together) for her birthday present.  She spent the night with us Thurs/Fri, and when she saw it, her eyes lit up, her mouth formed a perfect O, and then she cried, "What is that?"  Meaning, where did that come from; it wasn't here before!  She played on it or with it (the teeter-totter became a horsie), and even giving swing rides to her friends, Elsa and Nemo and Owlie.  This sweet three-year-old has a wonderful imagination!

Exploring everything, Elsa (from the movie Frozen) in tow.

We have a couple more tweaks on the swing set to make it more three-year-old friendly.  I took these pictures on Thursday afternoon (3/12) when the temp was 71 warm and sunny degrees.  But the forecast for the weekend was rain and snow, so the indoor-outdoor carpeting will be rolled up and put in Jimmy's shop to be brought out again whenever she's here.  Sitting at the dining table on a chilly Saturday afternoon, I'm watching big wet snowflakes falling, coating tree branches, bending flower stalks to the ground, and blanketing everything else. 

First swing ride.

A cake and three candles were on the ticket, too.

She was very proud of blowing out the candle flames by herself.  My camera isn't working well anymore -- the lag time between say "cheese" and the actual image taken is one second too long for the most adorable pictures.  It also hates light/dark divisions.  But, these pics aren't too bad.

Matt and Jen are having a family birthday party for Evie tomorrow.  Earlier today, Jimmy parked the Prius at the top of the driveway, so if the snowplows do their work, we should be able to get out.  Fingers crossed. 

Early Spring? 03/07/20

I'm a flower freak.  Trees and shrubs, their branches heavy with millions of blossoms, are decorating our fair city now, albeit a bit early in the year.  I think so, anyway.  The wall calendar hasn't proclaimed the vernal equinox yet, but the air has a soft spring-like quality to it.  Spring is the season of changeable weather ... March sneaking in like a lamb and roaring out like a lion ... warm and sunny and spreading Vitamin D one day; the next you're shivering in your socks watching rain drops soak into the parched soil.  This describes our past week exactly.  

Our February was dry-dry-dry, all 29 days, and dry into March ... till today when clouds rolled in and slowly dripped, ever so gently ... perfect for thirsty plants and roots.  Forecasters say we'll have a rain possibility every day for the upcoming week.  Great.  And those rain drops may knock flower petals from the shrubs and trees.  So be it.  I've enjoyed what I've seen so far.  I'm sure there'll be more.  After all, April showers bring May flowers.

Above is one of two forsythias we planted in large pots last year.  Forsythias are an early bloomer, adding color to blah winter landscapes.  Both of ours are in full bloom, with daffy-dills behind.  Love the brilliant yellow!

I moved daffodil bulbs last year,

and this year I'm rewarded by their cheerful morning greeting. 

We took a drive yesterday while the sun shone, on a street known for its beauty.  I spotted this white, fragrant flowering vine climbing a fence, but I don't know what it is.  If I did, I'd plant some myself!  The deer ate the green, thin and floppy leaves of my grape hyacinths, so the next day I sprayed Deer-be-gone, which means this year I get to enjoy their tiny cobalt-blue grape-like clusters, top right.  (big smile)  Forsythia on lower right.

Not long ago, a friend gave me a couple of tangy Meyer lemons, which called out for Jimmy's favorite lemon icebox pie!  I made it this morning.  When I tried to turn on the mixer to whip up meringue, I had trouble flipping the switch to "high."  Showing it to Jimmy, he said, "No wonder, it's broken."  The black handle below (Bakelite?) had cracked near the top where the switch is.  Well, I said, it's not that old, it shouldn't break.  He laughed.

Below, I "bought" the mixer when I lived in SoCal many years ago using Blue Chip Stamps, which were given out by various supermarkets at the time.  Do NOT ask me why I saved:  a) the box, or b) the stamp receipt dated 1969!  As many times as I've moved around the country since 1969, I think I kept the box because it was easier to transport the mixer without it getting lost.  I dunno.  That's my story; I'm stickin' to it.  Jimmy glued the handle together with black Gorilla tape and made it look as good as new!  It should last another 51 years.  Hope so.  😄 

Oh, the glorious Bradford Pear trees with tons o' white snowball-like clumps!

Imagine rows of 20-ft trees aglow like this.

Not my yard.  Not yet.  But oh-so-pretty.

And seeing streets lined with flowering Plum trees massed with their peachy-pink flowers, makes your heart sing.  Eyeballs a-poppin' -- wonderful spring fashion!

On a different note:  Jimmy and I, along with our traveling buddies, Bernice and Ibby, have a stellar, ambitious month-long jaunt planned for April/May in Portugal, Morocco and Norway.  These last couple of weeks we've been hoping, fingers and toes crossed, that the novel Coronavirus wouldn't impact our trip, but today we received a cancellation (a lodge in Norway).  I'm not sure what we'll do, or if other cancellations will follow.  tbc  Stay well, fellow travelers.