February 2010 Archives

Our son made us a pot of tea after supper, and my husband made scones. (It was all I could do to save some of this one to draw, and you'll notice the tea is nowhere in sight - it disappeared quickly.)

The found doll, nicknamed Snow Baby, sits on the living room mantelpiece, still unclothed, still bald. I hope the lack of clothing is not connected to the continuing record snow levels in Pittsburgh.

Not the most polished-looking member of the citrus family, but what sweetness.

Sometimes this is all you need.

Youngest child is making an apron from an old sheet.

Colorful food seems even brighter when the weather is gray.

Fish and asparagus with salad for supper. We're imagining spring.

Youngest child bought candy this past Monday, and has been making the pieces last.

A quiet Friday night on the other end of the sofa.

Work on the puzzle continues.

Not too sweet - just right.

Propped up on the table. I don't realize how many angles are visible along the edge of a foot in a black sock, until I try to draw one.

Sky with some of the tree. One of fifteen hundred. (Is this the one you're looking for?)

All our valentines today were home-made.

On the telephone wire to the house next door. Earlier this evening, lit by a street light, it looked like a crystal chandelier, or ice jellyfish, or cartoon cloud with rain falling from it.

A day of meetings. I took some notes, but mostly listened and spoke with others.

Just at the edge of things tonight. One day of work tomorrow, after four unscheduled holidays, and then we'll have a holiday weekend.

Empty water glass, as if rising.

Wednesday will be the third snow holiday this week - our streets are not yet clear. After 21 inches of snow on Friday and Saturday, more snow and sleet began falling late this afternoon, to continue overnight and through the day tomorrow. Forecasts vary from 3 to 12 inches, depending on how much falls as freezing rain, and how much falls as snow, and how two storm / low pressure systems react to one another as they meet. Tomorrow, the wind is also supposed to pick up and create drifts. Hmm. I don't know that travel on our unplowed or semi-plowed streets will be any safer by Thursday, once you add the new layers of ice and snowdrifts. But we live in the heart of the city, so we can walk to the store for milk, and we haven't lost electrical power (so far). We're warm, well-fed, and fortunate.

And the landscape is beautiful.

The doll we are calling "Snow Baby" had a quiet day. After some time drying on the heating vent, he or she was moved to the coffee table. Tomorrow is another snow holiday - our street has yet to be plowed - and more snow is expected during the day.

We were walking home from the grocery store, and in the snow beside the storage warehouse I saw a small baby doll. No children visible, no one to ask. The doll had no clothes on, and somehow I couldn't bring myself to leave it there in the snowbank. So I brought it home. No name yet, and no clothing, but tomorrow is a snow holiday...

We got 21 inches of snow in Pittsburgh - snow fell right through the night and then all morning. Drank coffee in pyjamas and browsed reactions to the storm on Twitter. Mid-afternoon, my husband and I ran an errand to another part of town - on foot, as we hadn't dug out the car (in a parking lot five blocks away, but that's another story). Three hours of walking. I think we went about six-and-a-half miles. Most streets unplowed. Some sidewalks shoveled - some not. Few cars moving. Plenty of snowmen and people with shovels and sleds. Cross-country skiers on city streets. Blue sky, beautiful trees, and bright light from sun reflected off clean snow.

Feet up, warm socks, snow coming down outside. So far, looking at the table and chairs in the back yard, we have eight or nine inches - and snow is still falling steadily. This will slow the weekend down considerably. Not a bad thing at all.

My favorite dried fruit - the best of them have a deep complex sweetness which makes me think of port wine and winter fireplaces. Try cutting them up and cooking them with your steel-cut oatmeal and see what I mean.

One blossom from the bunch gotten over two weeks ago... We have flurries and slush in the forecast for the next few days, and I want to imagine spring.

Containing tea.

I imagine making a cup of tea for Michael Nobbs, with thanks for his links and kind words today.