Tornado in Wisconsin

After the storm.





The awesome skies before the mess.













So sad! She lost her barn, now she's checking out her house.



There is a house behind that, and under some more.

dreary

I can't control the weather, but I hope I can be like this plant, sturdy and strong, holding on against the odds.

~ You can see the explanation behind this project by going here or see the all posts in this category by going here.

Rainy days

I am one of those people who does not like rain. I find it depressing, and well. . .wet. I want to become one of those people who sees rain outside their window, ditches their shoes, and runs out to dance in it.  Meet you there?

~ You can see the explanation behind this project by going here or see the all posts in this category by going here. ~

Snow in May

And it's accumulating!

The bush in our front yard is now flat. Haden's car now has branches on it, the snow is just too heavy! We have a branch blocking our driveway too! We've had snow here (Wisconsin) in May before but it never accumulated - well since we've lived here, about 7 years now. These flakes started very fat - like big blobs, falling fast, like they were heavy. It's still falling, wonder what sort of damage it's doing.

In a fog

It looks rather lonely and bleak, I don't think anyone is home.

It's unusual for us to have fog that lasts all day. But we spent at least 4 days in a fog, every minute of every day, and I assume night, was spent being able to see only a short distance.

The good news is that when the fog lifted we had sunshine and less snow. :0)

Do I have to come in?

Snow + Kids = Fun!

Kids and snow go hand in hand.  We had to take Tristan out to play in the snow, he was thoroughly bundled and I was pretty impressed that when he came in over an hour later the only thing cold on him was his cheeks and his hands - they just don't make good toddler gloves - or we haven't found them.

I bundled Adrianna in a too little snow suit thing, one that had been her brothers and I couldn't get it all zipped up, so she and I only stayed out about 10 minuted before we left Twister to his PaPaw.  Since my arms were full of Addy I just brought the little point and shoot with me to snap a few shots.

I leaned down with Addy and asked Tristan for a pose, well guys, the snow was calling, with one eye on me, as soon as he could tell I had snapped he was off.

Nearly an hour later I leaned out the back door and snapped a few more.  His cheeks have pinked up.

"Tristan are you cold?"

BIG head shake, no.

"Do you want to come in?"

BIG head shake, NO!

He absolutely enjoyed eating snow off his coat.

"Tristan are you cold?"

BIG head shake, no.

"Do you want to come in?"

BIG head shake, NO!

I stepped a couple of steps closer to him and he noticed his baby sister standing at the back door.

She was watching her PaPaw and Uncle Haden working on a fort.

I tried to get a better shot of her through the glass but the reflections still interfered.  She noticed her brother and smiled.

Tristan ran back to help with the fort and I went back in the house.   A short time later. . .

"Tristan are you cold?"

BIG head shake, no.

"Do you want to come in?"

BIG head shake, NO!

"I think you should come in. "

It appeared that the boy would never be ready to come in so Uncle Haden scooped him up and carried him.  I was able to shoot this through the window, from the warmth of the kitchen.

His eyes seem to be pleading for more time in the snow.

He quickly forgot about playing outside when he started helping PaPaw with the gingerbread house.

Weather Thoughts

If you could add one month to the calendar year, inserting it between two existing months, where would you put the extra 30 days? (You can assume that the weather for this month will be a mix of the weather typical of the month preceding it and following it.)

I took this photo back in November, during the first snowfall. I have this fascination with snow that demands we get out in it every time it starts falling. Luckily, my husband acquiesces to my urges. What struck me, and made me snap, was the bright clear sky shown in the mirror, as opposed to the grey, snowing sky right above us. I just hadn’t figured out a post to share it in, until now.

So, where would I put those extra 30 days? I am really torn, a part of me truly loves the snow. But I think my favorite time of year in Wisconsin is May and June, so I would stick it right between them. The temps are gentle, warm enough to enjoy the outdoors, yet not stifling hot (like it’s ever stifling up here). And after our long winter I enjoy being able to get back out.

I got this question from Chat Pack: Fun Questions to Spark Conversations :)

Snowy Wisconsin

A few days into October we had a really heavy frost and I snapped a couple of macros.

And although we had some flurries, we didn't get our first real snow – the kind that covers the ground in white and will last until spring thaw – until two months later, December 3rd.

In fact, this is the first year I can remember, since living in Wisconsin, that there wasn't snow covering the ground or falling all around when we went to get our Christmas tree.

Can you tell Brodi is very happy to see the snow?

And Mr Downy doesn't seem to mind the snow either.

Sunday morning, with temperatures warming up to -4 F (yes, negative four degrees!) we bundled ourselves, threw the cameras into the car and set off for the Eau Claire Dells Marathon County Park.

I'm sure you're not surprised to learn that we were the only people at the park.

We walked down the path to the water's edge.

Crossed the bridge.

And Dennis was brave enough to go out on the rocks.

I waited by this bench, I was not brave enough to walk the snow covered rocks.

See Dennis down there? Towards the center. Not sure if he's brave or foolish.

I'm standing up on the path that leads to the rocks. In the summer the place is packed with people and people dive into the water from the rocks. (Dennis is still there)

We walked a portion of the path by water's edge. I was glad for the railing along the stairs. There's lots of leaves under the snow and leaves on top of rock makes for slippery footing.

Believe it or not, I really wasn't cold. I had on a tank top, a long sleeved shirt, a fleece jacket and a lightweight wind breaker. Two pair of the stretchy $1 knit gloves that look like they're for a baby but actually stretch to huge. And pair of thermal bottoms and sweat pants. If I tuck the thermals into my socks and boots then the sweats on the outside of my boots, my feet stay warm and dry. If you think about it that's really not much for a negative temperature day. The only thing that ever got cold at all was my nose and I would breathe into my hand for a bit to warm back up then all was well.

Monday we got close to a foot of new snow. :) It is beautiful!