Too hot for you?

I have pictures I want to post, on a variety of topics. I am going to start with my gargoyle. First of all, he needs a name. I hope I can find an unobstructed picture of him. If not, we will have to name him in the summer.

This morning, I crawled out of bed, then dragged the beagles outside. This is something I do 7 days a week, no matter how I feel, how they feel, or what Mother Nature has felt like doing to us. The dogs have to go - so we hit the outdoors while I am still a bit sleepy and wobbly. Today it seemed really cold, so I came in and checked the temperature. It was 14 degrees, but with the windchill it was zero.

I said some magic words, dug out my snow pants that I somehow never bother to wear, grabbed my camera, and took some pictures from my front yard that strongly resemble a war zone if the lighting is just right.

This is the drainpipe that I hit my left arm on over the weekend when I slid in the ice next to it. Above this area, the roof drips water onto the snow - and it freezes over. The dogs dragged me in a hurry, and suddenly I was sitting in the snow with my left arm on the drainpipe. Just a bruise arm and nothing hurt other than my pride. After that, I put some traction things on my shoes. They work. I wish I had put them on sooner.

This is my view from my front porch. See the pole with the greenery thing on it? Under that you can see the gargoyles wings - just the tops of them. Poor guy.

Do you see the red stick? The snow removal company puts those in so they can see where the edge of the driveway is and they don't dig up half our lawns. Obviously they leave a good margin of error. This is about 6 inches of snow, partly melted, added on to just a couple of inches that were already there.

This is the view down mystreet towards the pond and the woods. You can just barely see a portion of the red stick on the lower left. It's amazing that the street looks fairly clear, but by the end of today, it will be perfectly clear and dry. If nothing else, we know how to clear streets fast!

The gargoyle just isn't able to get himself free today. I should be able to find an earlier picture of him. See the pot to the right and behind him? I use that for my garden hose. I forgot to put it away for the winter. What are the chances that I do not need to buy a new hose?

I think the poor guy is buried for the duration. It looks like he is trying to fly out.

The snow removal company considers this to be cleared and safe to walk on. Under the snow is ice. That is the first place I walk in the morning - it's amazing I haven't broken anything yet, with two beagles sporting full bladders in a hurry to get outside!

Here he is a month ago after a smaller storm.

...and a better view of my winter basket a month ago.

Molly, last month, freezing her behind off while I try to get both of them in a picture. Fruitlessly.

More pictures to come later on - I don't want to totally overwhelm anyone on dial up!