Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow

You thought shoveling the sidewalk was a chore? Rick doesn't want the snow to pile up to much on the new roof. So, each time we get another inch (or six) he's up on the roof brushing the snow off. Needless to say, he's been up there a few times in the past week or two. While Rick is working away at snow removal, Tatum was busy making snow angels in the front yard. It was too cold for the snow to pack well enough to finish the snowman the kids started. Maybe it will warm up in the next few days so we can finish him properly.

Something Like Belly Buttons

Keeli claims that margarine has a belly button and her science is difficult to dispute. First, observe the margarine's belly button. Obviously a round, slightly off-center outie.

Then, compare it to a known Keeli belly button, obviously a pear-shaped innie. Note the visible similarities.

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Then, comes the touch test. (Oh, how Aunt Glenna would cringe at this photo!) Maybe this "tickles" the margarine.

Wine Trekking

It was a Winter Wonderland near Wenatchee.

I took a little trip last week to pick up some wine for a work-related event. The day started with a clear blue sky and lots of sunshine. Then I found myself driving into a huge snowstorm!

Wedge Mountain Winery, owned by my friends Charlie and Mary Ann McKee is located near a tiny, rural community in the middle of an apple orchard. We visited until the snow stopped falling and the sunshine returned.

The snow is 3-4 feet deep here. The rows of trees seem to sit on the snow. It is a bit intimidating to drive along the orchard roads in my little car, unable to see over the snow.

Once on the highway and half-way home, it had this great view of the Columbia River. It is usually just brown cliffs over the water, but the snow adds a new dimension.

I brought back a few cases of wine for a dinner. I would highly recommend their Roses and Rubies dessert wine for people looking for something a bit different, especially for a dinner party.

Frosted Berries

The snow fall this morning left some nice images in the backyard.

The berries on the Mountain Ash tree appeared to be topped with a generous dollop of whipped cream. I enjoyed the contrast of the orange/red of the berries and crisp white of the snow against the early morning sky.
No school for Rick and the kids today - it was a snow day. We'll give it another try tomorrow morning.

Through the white and drifted snow...

Over the river...

...and through the wood...
...to grandmother's house we go...
These were taken on a recent drive through the wilds of Idaho, off the paved roadways. Based on the tracks we saw near the creek, at least two moose were nearby. The scenery along the drive was beautiful. We miss the trees, hills, wildlife and snow at our current location.

Happy New Year

Our new year is off to a great start and we hope yours is also!

We attended a local family-friendly party to ring in the new year.

The kids learned to two-step.

Keeli turned into her friend Chris' lucky charm as they won a game of musical chairs.

Rikard gave his best shot at the donut on a string contest.

All the kids got into karaoke. Keeli was in a group who sang twinkle, twinkle little star about a dozen times. Tatum and Rikard belted out Ghostbusters.

Our holiday weekend ended with a trip to Costco. WOW! Prices are shooting through the roof. The regular quarterly shopping list to stock up on basics for quick meals, lunches and cleaning supplies is about $100 more than usual. At least we know it takes the truck to get it all home and not my little car.