Returning to Normal........

Today we will be just above freezing in temperatures so maybe things will start to thaw.  It is a slow process where the air is cool enough to keep the ice from just thawing.  The state of Iowa was shut down yesterday and it is understandable as to why.  I have seen worse ice storms than this in Iowa but thins one did shut the roads down completely.

Our neighbors pine forest was pretty saggy-looking but branches never broke off like some more sever storms would have done. It is strange not to have snow on the ground during this but we have none.

The coating of ice came from a continuous slow drizzle making it ideal for an even coating. This is the burning bush that has its own ice covering.

I have a shot of the birch tree looking more like a weeping willow. As the ice melts, we will have standing water as the ground is frozen and it has no place to be absorbed.  The grass was all crunchy again yesterday as I walked Barney.  The sidewalks were smooth ice so I had to take for the grass side areas to stay standing.  Barney would venture out on the ice once in a while but knew he would slide to his seat quickly if he did try it.

As our moving processes continue, we make decisions about what furniture we will take with us. The antique pieces are all keepers and will be incorporated with new furniture.  The past owners had antique pieces in about every room. This encouraged us to see that our old good pieces will fit into the new house. We have some furniture that functioned well but will not be moving out with us. Both of us like the historic pieces but a new piece of furniture here and there would be fun to have. Barney definitely will want some familiar things to move with him as he settles in to new territory.  He is bothered by loosing the sofa and love seat to the dump.  He wants to lay in front of the place where the sofa was.  He calculates by smell where the spot should be. I think now he is enjoying the big open spaces.

We live is a boxed filled world now and I am about to start the repair and restoration part of the art gallery.  It is all very overwhelming and yet will happen in time.  There are too many things that we could focus on so we really do have to pace ourselves.  The new home has a walkout basement to a large yard with shrubs already planted and a large blue spruce tree. The two vegetable gardens are not necessary so one will be come a nursery for the plants that I bring along from here.  The previous owners are headed to Boston.  The are a few years older than us and were gardeners.  In the spring you will see many photos of blooms from a stranger's garden but it will be our new garden.  I will be digging many samples of my garden to take to the new land.

Thank you for stopping by today.