Herbal Snow Art

Oregano Snow

Most of the Things I get to do today are indoor tasks.

Rosemary Snow

Two involved going out in the snow, and I nearly missed the first one of those.

Thyme Snow

When the snow has melted, there's no bringing it back to sit pretty and still for a long moment while I stroll admiringly by with the camera.

Greek Green Tea Snow

The chickens don't melt and will certainly be there after the snow is gone.  They can wait.

No Foolin'

We had snow and wind, then blue ski, then a few gusts and more snow.
Then after the drama, it settled in a real snow--no foolin'.

Gone skiing.

Had to.

It was the only task on the Things I get to do today list.  Well, not exactly. Also ate at a wonderful brew-pub in Hood River--wood-fired oven pizza.  And joined my neighbors at a monthly gathering to visit and share the best of our enthusiasm.  And finally I'm going to relax with a brilliantly fun movie with my husband:  How to Steal a Million (Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn).    Hope your April gets off to a magnificent start as good as the one I've enjoyed!

A Dribble of White

We define objects by contrast.  We know hot from cold, light from dark, smooth from rough.  If everything were smooth, tan, and monotone, there would be little meaning.

Dribbled with white

My mother-in-law loved contrast:  black and white was her favorite color combination for clothing.  Brilliant flowers in the garden made her coo with pleasure. Planning which blooms accented best the ones snuggled next was a delight for her spring.  One principle she followed in plotting out the plantings was to mix in "a dribble of white."  The contrast made all the flowers look smarter.

Moms love pink

All philosophical wanderings aside, remembering the importance of contrast at this time of year while one moment I'm bundled up for winter and then next working in shirt sleeves helps define the Things I get to do today.








So Mom Nature's been talking to my mother-in-law and this morning decided to accent the first flowers of spring by dusting them all with "a dribble of white." The delicate crystals kissed all the garden, but only the flowers remembered it long enough to sit for their portraits. Sweetly stunning, indeed. Both these moms know what they're doing.

Nature Plays Her Hand

I found the answer this morning.  The question is: why have we not had more snow until now?  As I tugged the string of lights from a shrub by the driveway on my way back into the house, I knew I held the answer in my hands.

Snow block!

My town never (almost never) has a white Christmas.   The falling or not falling of snow, then, obviously is related to Christmas and things that look like Christmas.  People are just slow at taking down the lights off their houses. Why, on my street alone there are at least three houses that still flip the switch and burn the brights every night! The gods of snow know to stay away until enough of the tinsel comes down and it really looks like the dark of winter. Then it can snow.



I've found additional documentation for the reasoning in this new "fact."  Ground Hogs' Day!  Here we are nearly at February 2nd, and Nature is looking for clues on how to play her hand.  Shadows and Christmas lights tell her what to put in the weather queue--simple as that.

Creating modern-day, crazy folklore keeps me entertained and brightens all the Things I get to do today.  And while the skiers are happy with the recent snow on the mountain, unless you want to be the receiver of their frustration over poor ski conditions,  get your Christmas lights down now!  At least consider making it one of the Things you get to do today.