Spring has Finally Sprung

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Winter was long and hard. It was nice to see things finally come back to life. We were met with many surprises by things we had done a year ago and forgotten.
Aside from Spring cleanup and some gardening, projects around the house have slowed. We had to re-do all the pumbing for the pool bathroon and we're planning to install the master bath this spring. More on that and other projects in later posts. We did remember to raise the Earth Day flag for the month of April.

The goldfinches that we have been trying so hard to attract filled the niger feeder this spring. Other birds that we saw but could not caputre with the camera included rose breasted grosbeak, blue birds, house finches, downey woodpeckers along with the regulars, chickadees, tufted titmice, song sparrows, robins,
cardinals and others.

The daffodils and forsythia brightened up the front of the house for early spring. We planted some more tree saplings for future years around the property and hung a half dozen various birdhoused for our feathered friends.

After cleaning this area out last year and providing a thorough weeding, the phlox in the driveway sprang back to life.

The bleeding hearts we planted by the chimney last year brighten up a shady area .

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

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We Certainly got belted by winter this year.
Lee carved a path up to the back of the property where we've cleared some land and he enjoys practicing his Chi Gung meditation. Two back to back snowstorms dumped well over two feet of snow.
Snow clung to the pine trees weighing them down a bit but also providing a scent of pine. Aside from just being beautiful
Lee managed to clear the driveway. The snow blower makes easy work of clearing the driveway and paths, even when there is two feet of snow.
Icicles formed as snow melted from the roof especially outside the sunroom. The pergula we are planning might eliminate this problem in the future

Even under the canopy of pines the firewood was buried.
Relying on our two woodstoves, we have not yet had to use the furnace to heat the house. The chimney for the fireplaces are snow free while the furnace chimney is covered with snow.
Snow doesn't do much to slow us down, in fact we almost enjoy shovelling out and getting out. Winter is just another season to enjoy and part of our Holmes experience.

And it just keeps on coming! According to local weather records, we have been out with our shovels digging out of a major storm every five days since the first big storm hit us on Dec 26.

A foot of snow is one thing, but when a foot covers another foot that covers another foot it starts getting useless to clear it. We are running out of places to put it.

Though we have not hit the records set in the winter of 1995-96, we are on track. As of the end of January, we've gotten more snow than the end of January that year.

The sheer beauty is breathtaking. We have a four foot fence around the pool, Where did it go? The stone barbeque under the maple tree is just a mound under the snow.