herbiehancock

The Grinch arrived in the form of another ice storm for us today. My brother and his family were scheduled to come to my house this morning for a Christmas brunch family get-together. They had traveled about half the way here from their home in Dayton when we got a phone call. The roads were very treacherous, and they had decided to turn around and return to their home rather than risk driving on the ice and continuing to make the trip here. Unfortunately, by the time we got the call, the breakfast casserole was already in baking. The fruit was already prepared and chilling in the refrigerator. The cinnamon rolls had been baked and iced. Nuts and sweets had been set out. The Santa and Elf hats were at the ready for whoever wanted to wear them. Gifts had been bought and wrapped and placed under the tree. So we were all prepared for a party with no guests. Not to fear. My sons called some friends to come over and help us consume some of the extra food. (Teenage boys like to eat!! H...

Yesterday was the first "official" day of winter, but it has felt like winter here for quite some time. This little bird sought refuge from the cold air and brisk wind on top of the post that supports the awning over our back stoop. Even there, it didn't seem like a very warm spot for him to be. There is a bird house over here in my neighbor's yard. It doesn't look very warm over there either. It doesn't look like it is very well insulated and it is coated in ice. There are some rolls of wire fencing on top of their compost bin. Ice is covering it too, of course. I liked the way the sun shines through the fencing making the ice on it sparkle from this angle looking down through the middle of it. The weight of the ice that formed over the helicopter maple seeds still in the trees is making them fall to the ground. There are little clumps of these ice-covered seeds all over the top of the snow in our yard as a result. Landscape rocks out front are covered w...