Engaging in a little light therapy in the old greenhouse, 4:00 on Sat. afternoon; 85*F and sunny. (Light and wine therapy, I suppose, for me.) The 5 gal. bucket holds melted snow, the cat is searching for voles, the dog is watching the cat and the child is happily watering the lettuces.
We had a bit of a thaw this weekend. It got to be a record-setting 55*F on Saturday. Though this is a nice change, it tends to make us all a bit stir-crazy and spring-willing.
I had not quite realized how much snow we had gotten until some of it melted. There are now tufts of grass down at the bottoms of the paths that Tom had snowblown about the property: the geese and turkeys have flown their pen in search of this greenery, and cannot be tempted to return until the sun goes down. This is understandable. But here’s a funny thing I hadn’t quite realized was happening until, well, until some of the snow had melted.
Have you ever miscalculated how many steps there were on a run of stairs and you stomped, searching for that last step that isn’t there? It spooks you, doesn’t it, and your heart skips a beat. Well. The snow was so deep that, even in the areas we’d plowed, I was literally stepping down into every outbuilding, pen, garden, and greenhouse, and I had gotten used to it. It’s kind of like a step had slowly grown at the entry into one’s living room, say, or one’s kitchen. Well, I stepped out of the greenhouse, stomped, and nearly twisted an ankle. Yipes! No snow!
(And I can’t blame the wine because it was 8:00 a.m. at the time.)
Glad you came to visit!
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fast grow the weeds 
While I acknowledge the safety issues of the Imaginary Last Step, my reaction has always been the opposite of yours – I have always gotten this little thrill when it happens. I don’t know why misbehaving muscle memory should give me so much pleasure, but it was always a semi-magical occurence to me growing up (too many fantasy novels perhaps?) and I still love it!
Also, kindly accept this prettily wrapped parcel of envy from me. We haven’t had a single (enjoyable) thaw yet this winter, and I’m getting desperate! That you had a bubble of warm to enjoy it in makes it that much more enviable. 🙂
Usually photos of your tiny farm helper make me think of my gardening girl’s younger days, but today my thoughts went to my get-this-nature-away-from-me son. When he was little he was certain that he did all of the hard work around here (this was during the time when he emptied the dishwasher), while I sat around thinking up new jobs for him. The photo of you with the glass of wine while the assistant watered had me thinking of his complaints all day. Thank you for the giggles.
He has his own children now; I can’t wait until they are old enough for chores.
85 and sunny! I’d be in there too 🙂 Is your greenhouse in full sun all day?
I’m looking forward to the warmer weather tomorrow too. It’ll be a muddy mess out there, but I can’t wait to get outside.
Warm weather and wine- what more could you ask for…
Sarah! Wish I could send you some warmth! Our thaw continues, grumblegrumble. But huh: you must like living life on the edge, girl. My immediate reaction is to wonder if anyone saw me doing whatever klutzy move. (Maybe I need to work on my blase attitude?) Warm days are coming, though…
Pamela I did the same thing to my mother. What IS funny about this photo is I am really not one to sit down much, and frankly the choice of a hearty red wine was not the best for a hot greenhouse! But yeah, the kid loves garden chores and just this weekend said she hates princesses (her female classmates’ fixation) because they can’t get dirty.
Lindsay, yep, full sun for about 90% of the day. And I am with you: mud season is not my favorite either!
Ah Judy it’s such a tease, that little bit of heat and sun. It really does feel good though after this cloudy winter.
Wow, your greenhouse pics made my winter doldrums worse….just got thru an ice storm and can finally get the door of our greenhouse open! Bad weather with great possibilty of tornados possible tonite,arrgh. Last year straight line winds carried our greenhouse 60′ across the yard!!! What next??? Well, hope is eternal and going out to scratch in a patch of spinach now that I can see the dirt in the garden. DEE
Hey, I drink wine at 8 a.m. too! (kidding!)
That photo is so good. Thanks for the Where’s Waldo tutorial, or I’d have missed a couple of cute details. You got it all.
Great pic 🙂 Yes, this warm spell has me soaking up as much of it as I can, mentally and physically, to keep going until spring is *really* here to stay. The stair thing – I did that just last night, and it gives me such a fright, I always end up shaking for long after. But I’m just naturally clumsy with things like that, no excuse of sleep etc…
Dee, geez, those were some awful winds for you! And yuck. Fortunately I guess we’re on the north side of all that ice stuff, we usually just get dumped on with snow, and hey, you would agree with me that snow beats ice, right? Well I am glad to hear you planted some spinach. That’s what the girl and I had just done in the pic before she started watering everything.
Yeah CC I figured I needed to list it all…it’s always a cluttered world despite my best attempts.
MC, see I am glad to learn I am not the only one who gets spooked by that kind of thing. In my old house on the landing going upstairs there was one step that was 1″ shorter and people made that stomp ALL THE TIME. (I’m so glad this house’s stairs are all equal.) But yeah absorb all that warmth while you can: I am sure spring is still a long way off…