Sunday Salon...Jan. 22

Japanese Maple covered in ice

This willow was so covered with ice that is fell over, only the deck saved it from breaking.

The Weather: This week has been all about the weather and none of it was good. It snowed several times (Sunday through Wednesday) and then freezing rain fell on top of the snow and covered everything with about a half inch of ice (Wednesday and Thursday.) We went into a deep freeze.  We lost electric power for over a day. We were cold and had to hunker down in the dark.


Family doings: We did what we needed to do to stay warm and create light. The storm ended yesterday and it started to warm up but our power wasn't restored until last night. Today my husband went out to survey the storm damage.  Almost all of our trees sustained damage with limbs that fell off due to the heavy weight of the ice. Five of the trees lost the crown branch but will survive, one tree lost all of it's branches and we will have to replace it. It has been a day of mourning. We love our yard and our trees.
 
I'm listening to:  Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann


Book finished this week: 1. His Dark Endeavors by Kenneth Oppel; 2. The Future of Us by Asher and Mackler; 3. Fragile Beasts by Tawni O'Dell
 
I'm reading: 1. Dancing with Mr. Darcy: Stories Inspired by Jane Austen; 2. Death Comes to Pemberley by PD. James. (Guess it is winter since I am reading Austen retellings!)

One good thing about storms: I got lots of reading done. With no power, I was not tempted and couldn't watch TV or spend time on the computer. My husband and I also finished two jigsaw puzzles and we played lots of dominoes as a family. (We did get cabin fever, though.)


Scripture lesson in church: Matthew 2:13  ^"When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” 


I'm praying for: Myself. That I can have a more encouraging spirit.


Around the house: I cleaned out the pantry cupboard where I store candles today as I was putting them away. I threw away one garbage bag of old junk. That feels good.

From the kitchen: Anything that could be heated on the stove top by gas because our oven requires electricity.  I figured out how to steam the pesto fish I planned on baking.  It was OK that way.

On the Web: Clever Household Storage Ideas...you have got to take a look. This is so clever.  If you didn't look at it last week, look now!


A favorite quote this week: "Seattlites are snow wimps." Kim Murphy, LA Times. Oh, yeah, Ms. Murphy.  You try living in this ugly storm and see if you think we are such wimps!