Random Pictures

Click pictures to enlarge...much better details.
Hubby and his 14 y/o Gordon Setter, McKay, back from a mailbox run.
All the mailboxes are buried in snow and have fallen backwards...


















What happens when too much snow falls...
Poor old woodshed.

















Cabinet mountains in the background. Picture taken from our neighbors
property, again...about 2 weeks ago.



















Mt. St. Helens, California. Picture taken in airplane from San Jose
to Seattle.

The Little Things I Do...

Almost every day I check out the Sicily Scene blog, Orto Botanico live video and my email.

The Sicily Scene blog just takes me away and keeps me from having second thoughts about not visiting Sicily this year.

Orto Botanico has quite a calming effect, trees gently sway, birds and rodents looking for food and nesting materials and an occasional bicycler in the back ground. Not once have I seen a person walk in the round-about.

Of course I can't show you my email but what I look forward to are some of the "property for sale" adds in Sicily, near Cefalu and Trabia. Wow, has real estate soared in the last year. I can remember seeing some pretty dumpy properties going for a song and now they seem to have quadrupled in price.

I've always dreamed of being one of those people, like in the movie "Under the Tuscan Sun", who buys a house and fixes it all up with a little elbow grease and a whole lotta money. Humm, well I'm doing that in Idaho but with a bit more elbow grease and less money. Hopefully, this summer I'll be able to do a before and after on our place. It's actually tarnished my thoughts on buying one of those dilapidated county homes, especially when I ask the sales agents questions. They skirt around the questions like, is there a well,electricity, dirt or paved road, sewer..you know the real necessity stuff. I did receive a video from and agent on places for sale in Caccamo that included some pictures of the beach in Trabia. I guess I'll just have to go and look for myself.

Here's a picture of Cocolalla Lake and that little red circle is just about where I live...of course it's covered in a blanket of snow right now.

















Hubby and I are all set for the snow. Just ordered these snowshoes for hubby today, hopefully, they'll come before the snow melt...with that and if I can make it up in two weeks I'll be happy as a clam. Got a big 30% off from an eBay store. Tubbs must be coming out with a whole new look after being bought out by Atlas...or maybe Tubbs bought Atlas? Oh heck, we need poles.....

Last I heard there was a foot of snow the last 24 hours, which cracks me up cuz everyone thought it was the beginning of the melt off (aka: MUD SEASON). I'd rather fall on my arse in the icy snow than slip in the clay mud. One is a harder landing but the mud gets is nasty and sticks on everything.

Local Delights...

Well, good grief, thought I'd never make it back to Idaho. I just missed the big snow but on my second day here we got about three to four inches of the white stuff. Much to my surprise I even saw a Northern Lights display in the sky. I didn't know what it was and kept telling the hubby "look, those mountains have a pink cast shining on them". After talking with my astronomy buff friend, Vonne, she said I was seeing the Northern Lights. She also mentioned the lunar eclipse is coming on Wednesday.
Here's the Northern Lights













While up at the ranch my neighbor left me her Atlas snow shoes to try out, they're also a pair I debated on getting this year but waited to long to find anything available in the stores...But, I'm in luck, eBay has them for only $105.00.
Here I am modeling Anne's snowshoes,lol.

















And for my last local delight are the ice fishers on Cocolalla Lake below us. This picture was taken on my way into town a few days back. Ice fishing scares the beegeebers outta me, I would never do that...ever.

Geraniums and Crappy Chickens

Ok, it's Wednesday, 11:15 am and I hear this rooster. We don't have chickens but our new neighbors do. Guess who likes our place better? We've had chickens in the past, but steppin in poop is no fun, plus when you have to clean it off cement and patio furniture it's a real drag. So how do you tell your neighbors to get their poopin chickens back in their own yard...pfft. My poor old Dad has asked them and they did come once to chase them back, yes, chase... because these are wild chickens. They are ugly, too. See....













As I walked out in the back amongst all the trees to find where the noise was coming from, low and behold, no rooster. A rattle in the trees startled me and when I looked up here's this rooster 20 feet up in the tree. Of course, me as always, the rowdy one, picks up rocks and old walnuts to coax this rooster out and back home. No dice. This bird was staying and as defeated as I was I trotted back home. Next time it's the good ole sling shot!















On the brighter side, I've got flowers in February!!! My faithful old Geraniums that grow like hair on a dogs back have started blooming. Each year I take cuttings to Idaho only to have them die from the frost. Even taking them in the garage and shed has proven fatal, just too dang cold. When I take them inside hubby kills them with a lack of or too much watering (when I'm not up there). Can't win for losing sometimes.

Crochet Project

I finally crocheted a baby hat! It turned out OK, I was cracking myself up cuz it looked very similar to a TP cover. The real sad thing was it was too small for my Grand baby. So next time I guess a little planning is in store. It was actually pretty simple once I was shown how to read the directions. I worked on it in California and finished it in Idaho before Christmas.

Crocheting directions are usually a bunch of abbreviations for stitches with an occasional comment about gauge, which I ignored obviously. Most of the girls at work have been knitting or crocheting so I jumped on the bandwagon.

All in all, I'll save it for her, even knowing it was on her head for a total of three seconds before she ripped it off. I can only imagine she thought it was like a vice being on her head. BTW, she actually has some hair these days, not like the few wisps in the frame.

Rainbows and Rain

Just saw this out the window and had to take a picture. It was such a pretty double rainbow but had those ominous black clouds behind it. Within five minutes it started to sprinkle and the upper rainbow disappeared...

New Toy and Rant

Ya know when your bored and have nothing horribly exciting to say but eventually come up with something? Even if it's on the lame side? Well, today is that day...

Almost a month ago I upgraded to a new cell phone, after two years with Verizon, to a Palm Treo 700p. After being harassed at work for being obsolete with my communication choices I was talked into this unit. I can download nursing programs, math formulas and the like. Well...it was bulky and heavy, had an outside antenna, but it did have some pluses. So I bring it to work and show the girls I'm finally "with it" only to hear," why did you get that model, it's the old one?" Ok, so I can't win, BUT I have 30 days to exchange it and was told this over and over until it sunk it.

At 28 days into the service, yes, I'm stubborn (or lazy, I dunno) I finally trek down to the Verizon store in Gilroy. It's located in a new huge shopping area, much like the outlets.(btw, I hate the outlets). Take my box it came in only to find I was missing some cords, so back home I go. Grab the cords I left in my suitcase and head back to Gilroy, this is on a Friday night mind you. (Yes, I have no life)

Finally the sales lady shows me the new 755 Palm Treo, ah very nice, lighter in weight, slimmer and fits the ear better. SOLD ! I even got a 75 dollar refund, don't ask cuz I don't know. I think it had to do with my original online purchase. Now I must have a cover and my choices are...anyway you can see my choice above, I now call it my Red Phone.

I am also advised to upgrade to the full time internet connection for only ....tadaaa $49.99/month! This is on top of my National Calling, three other lines with text/picture and 1400 minutes! Plus, I have two other land lines, one here and in Idaho!!! I love to, or is it live to communicate???? All I know is if my youngest son downloads another song I'm gonna fry his hide.

I guess I'd better sign up for some overtime at work.....