Valentine Series: Hearts All Around - Part 1

In honor of Valentine's Day rapidly approaching, I thought I'd share some of the 'hearts' I've been discovering around me lately. I see them in the most unexpected places!
First installment:

Today a strong line of storms came through town. In addition to damaging winds, monsoon-like rains, and a gorgeous rainbow, the storm brought this:
A heart-shaped raindrop on the bathroom window.... lovely!

Lost my glove

On January 13, we drove up to Newfound Gap in the Smoky Mtn Nat'l Park and parked at the Clingman's Dome Road gate. They close that 7.5 mile stretch of winding, two lane road from Dec.1 to March 31 each year due to ice and snow. We hiked 2.7 miles up the closed road to reach the Spruce Fir Nature Trail, a 0.4 mile easy loop - but one of our favorite little spots. At an elevation of about 5600 ft, it has a magical forest feel about it (and sometimes the wonderful scent of Christmas trees) and we've walked it quite a few times.

Anyway, that day it began snowing pretty hard while we were on the trail and we started to hightail it back to the Jeep before they closed Newfound Gap Road and trapped us on the North Carolina side of the mountains. I realized after we'd walked about 3/4 mile back that I had dropped my right glove. Crud! Not too far to go back, but definitely snowing too hard and racing against road closing time - no can do! We made it back in time, and were the last ones driving down the mountain.

The glove is nothing spectacular, just part of a very comfortable winter pair that has put in a lot of cold, snowy mountain time with me and I've grown rather attached to them.

Yesterday, the weather was warm and we decided to head back up there and see if we could track down the glove, a mini Mission: Impossible. We figured it was probably warm enough to have melted all of last week's substantial snow accumulation. As we started walking at the gate of Clingman's Dome Road, there was no snow on the pavement. But after nearly 1/2 mile, we encountered up to several inches still in some places, though it was working on melting down with the sun breaking through the clouds as we walked. There'd been some foot traffic and skiers previously and their tracks had become icy and made walking more difficult than anticipated, not to mention we hadn't worn our snow boots! I managed to keep my feet dry, but the other one got his damp and minor whining ensued.

We kept our eyes peeled, doubtfully, the whole way for my glove, and by the time we got to the trailhead we figured chances were pretty slim that it would be in one of the few snow-free places. But I found it! Within the last 200 feet of the loop and sitting right in the middle of the trail with just a little bit of snow around it. Happy dance!
I love that my glove spent 26 days undisturbed up in the mountains. Wish I could do that :-)

Oh no, not already....seriously?

After 5 days under snow and 4 days of below freezing temps, we've thawed out and today the temp hit 63 degrees. I went to the convenience center to recycle and do garbage, where I discovered a hellacious swarm of yellow jackets around the aluminum and steel cans. Nooooooooooo!!!! Are you kidding me?? Arrrgh.
*hurls cans at dumpster while running evasive zig-zag maneuvers*

I made a snowman!

I built it in the backyard, which still gets muddy when wet because the lawn hasn't yet grown in fully. So, it got a bit dirty.
It is my first snowman built at home (only my second one ever that I can recall) and I decided to go for something a little more sculptural, a little more realistic.
It was supposed to be me, with The Peeper sitting on my shoulder.
Instead, I believe I channeled the spirit of Sitting Bull.











And Peeper, well, he looks more like a pear balancing a grape.
But whatevah, I had fun!

Ok, that was a new one for me

Freezing fog! It was the weirdest thing, I looked out the window last night and wondered why the power was off 500 ft away but not at our place. It was THE FOG. After the snow yesterday, the temps dropped and the fog moved in. I wanted really bad to go out and wander around in it, but everything had iced over and the last thing I need is to bust my butt on some concrete. I'll upload more pictures when I get a chance.

Snow!

This was completely unexpected.
We woke up planning to go to the mountains with hopes of seeing a few flurries there. Instead we found it snowing right at home, yay! It started around 9am, and at [update, 3pm] it finally stopped

The accumulation is a little slushy, no good for tobogganing, but I'm still having so much fun! I've taken a ton of videos, check my Youtube to see some of them, I'll get them uploaded as soon as I can.

This is one of the ceramic birdfeeders I threw on the pottery wheel in college.

Superbowl Sunday snack sidelined

For me, Superbowl Sunday is not about the game. It's about going bat-shit crazy on a giant bowl of Velveeta & Rotel cheese dip and a bag of tortilla chips. It's tradition. But today was different.
We found ourselves at the Indian buffet at lunchtime and I practically ate my weight in pakoras and gulab jamun. Ok not really, but I'm quite sure weight figures into the equation somehow. Ohh it was good.
I figure there's no way I could possibly justify the further consumption of mass quantities (ie: my glorious, lovely, much-awaited processed cheez food snack)
Fear not, my velvety little brick. For tomorrow is another day.
-burp-
Or maybe the day after that....