Mail, Garbage, and Newspaper

This morning we finally did not receive a news paper.  So I ventured out with the snowshoes to a local convenience store to get a paper.  The mail was delivered, although I thought the truck might get stuck as the mail woman was turning around.  And for a second Monday in a row, no garbage service.  Enjoy the pictures!  

This is me all suited up with snowshoes headed out to find a newspaper.  You will notice that even with snowshoes, I am sinking 4-6 inches into the powder.  It was an enjoyable walk; calm, quiet, and snowy.  It felt like I was up in the Cascades snowshoeing with my friends with all the deep powdery snow.

Mail truck turning around with chained wheels spinning.

Mail woman fording the snow.

More Snow and Leo

Here are some pictures of Leo this morning in the snow, with over 14 inches it is up to his chest in places!  Thankfully there is still a layer of ice from yesterday so he doesn't sink all the way to the ground.

Leo and the Deep Snow

This week has been our first experience with Leo in the snow.  The first few snows he did okay as he was able to plow through the powder with his doggie four wheel drive.  We sanded the steps for him with kitty litter like the faithful road crews.  

Once the big snow started yesterday everything changed.  He did okay in the morning, but by last night the snow was up to his knees and he had to hop/jump to walk in it when going outside.  

We realized that maybe he needed his booties to keep the snow out of his paws.  This morning I booted him up and he took one look at the snow and reluctantly went down the steps which was a big mistake as he could barely navigate them in the deep snow now covered with an inch of crusty ice from the freezing rain.   Once down the stairs he could barely stand up on the ice in his booties, then awkwardly stumbles as he crashes through it into the powder.  I went out, retrieved the booties, and broke up a path for him to a space under a tree where the snow is not as deep.  He still is reluctant to go outside when he needs the bathroom.   Kelli wonders how people manage in the Midwest and east coast where deep snow is a regular occurrence.  

Leo bravely standing on the crust of ice sans booties.

Here is Leo sniffing the snow this morning.  Here he is still on top of the inch thick crust of ice.

Leo's water bucket outside long since frozen over, covered and almost buried in the deep snow.

  

Frozen Landscape

This is a picture looking from  our backyard towards a neighbors yard, every tree, bush, and shrub is frosted in snow and ice this morning.  Here are the latest pictures I have taken this morning of our yard.  We also had frosted front windows from the freezing rain which has since melted once our house warmed up.

This is our wreath on the front porch now flocked with snow and ice.

Looking from our front porch towards the street, a dogwood covered in ice.  Also, notice next to the parked cars that you cannot tell where the curb and sidewalk begin or end due to the deep snow.

Looking at our front yard from the porch, most  of the landscape rocks are covered in the deep snow.

This is the tree next to our front porch covered in ice.

A closer view of the maple tree in the backyard.  The wind blowing through this tree makes a crackling sound as the icy limbs knock against each other.

Here is a picture of the garden completely covered and the fence around it almost covered.

This is the hot tub with the first step covered in snow.

This is a picture of our maple tree in our backyard.  The patio steps and smaller landscape rocks are buried in snow.

O' Christmas Tree

Here is a picture of our Christmas tree glowing warmly inside.  We have spent the first official day of winter break enjoying the snow from the windows.  Janet and Robert ventured out in the 4Runner with the dogs.  Stella, Arnie, and Leo enjoyed a brief romp in the snow, then they played inside.  We played Portlandopoly in which I managed to be the big winner.  I had not played Monopoly in years, and seriously could not recall the last time I had ever won.  Kelli baked a bunch of holiday treats last night, so in her words it is, "Get Fat 2008" not the 'Arctic Blast' as the news crews are calling it!

A Winter Wonderland

It has snowed all day and continues to snow here, getting heavier by the hour.  Our house has 4-6 inches of powdery white snow depending where one measures.  The wind is blowing almost side ways here creating even deeper drifts of snow.  In my short lifetime, I have not seen snow like this in the Portland area.  On Mt. Hood when snowshoeing or sledding, but not here in my own backyard.  The pictures are of Leo watching snow from the window this morning, or 'Snow TV' as we call it.  He will sit for the longest time and just stare out the window at the snow.  Once outside, he is a total nut case romping and zooming about the backyard.    The other pictures are of our house this evening and front yard.  The one with the snowflakes was taken with the flash on, the second was taken without flash.  If you look closely you can see Frosty glowing brightly right at home in snow and wind.  Hope everyone is staying safe and warms with their families during this holiday season!

Snow Day!

This is part one of the snow day entries.  I will post more later when I get outside to take more pictures.  When I first woke up at 5 AM to check for snow it was still cold and wet with no snow, needless to say I went back to bed a sad boy.  At 7:30 when Kelli and I both got up for the day, the inside of the house was glowing white with the reflection of snow.  Only a dusting, but snow had fallen! I let Leo out and he looked at the dusting of white kind of confused.  Henry spent the morning trying to catch the snow flakes from the window. Now it is 1:30 and it is still snowing and blowing.   Leo is enjoying a romp in the snow for the first time in the video.