Iced In

These have been an interesting few days.  When the weather people said snow, I wasn't worried and didn't even make a run to the grocers, because any snow here last for a day at the most and is gone.  But this time they said ICE, and I should've taken heed.  We were totally iced in yesterday.  Ray spent 4 hours shoveling the snow and breaking up the ice in our long driveway to help the situation, but that doesn't really help the slick spot in front of our big oak tree or down by the entrance to the neighborhood, and especially not getting up the hill to get out of here.  Or going through the mostly frozen creek the other way. 

Today the sun came out for a little bit and helped some, so we made a quick run to the grocers before the temps start dropping again and the snow restarts this evening. 

Temperature tonight will get down to 5 with a windchill of MINUS 12!  The ice on the silvery tree limbs in the sunshine sparkles like diamonds--I cannot get my photos to show how truly gorgeous the trees are.  Here are pictures from the last few days:

View out kitchen window:

Our poor little willow tree we planted having trouble standing up straight--Ray created a crutch for him soon after this photo:

Can you see the cardinal?

 

Frozen pond near our house:

Driving home:

 

 

 

 

breaking up ice on the patio:

snow melted a bit this afternoon in the sunshine, but supposed to be brrrrr cold until Sunday: