Snow. My. God.

Another week, another snowstorm. 4-7 inches predicted in Central Ohio, with many inches still on the ground from the past two snowstorms. I'm snug at home this afternoon, though I'm also trying to make sure the balconies don't ice up anymore than they have so we won't get the water dripping down our front room and back room walls that we've had off and on lately. While I was popping open the balcony windows and sweeping off the snow, I took these pictures of the near-whiteout conditions: above is from the front, facing the street,; below is from the back, facing the parking lot and the rest of the complex.

Icy rainbow

Our backyard rainbow wind-twirler has been encased in ice for a week now; with another snowstorm on its way and the temperature not forecast to get above freezing until at least Friday, it'll stay in ice for a while. I'm tired of winter.

Another snow day

Today, February 9th, we got hit by another snowstorm. As I write, it's been going in for a few hours, but snow is supposed to continue to fall through the day into the night, with 5-8 inches forecast. Luckily, I had already scheduled a comp day off today (for Martin Luther King Day) so I can once again enjoy the snow as a spectator. After I came back from a grocery run, I went back out and snapped a few pictures. Above, the mailbox at 2042 with snow piling up. Below, a wall of snow piled up from the parking lot plowing of a few days ago. It's iced up and gotten dirty, but I imagine there will be more snow added to that soon.

Below, a view of snow on low-hanging branches that looked so pretty in "real life," but didn't translate that well from the camera.

Patterns in trees:

A row of townhouse back yards:

Around a corner:

Finally, my steps in the semi-virgin snow as I head back home:

February snow day

Yesterday, February 5th, we got a good-sized snowstorm, dumping between 6-10 inches in the Central Ohio area. At 7 a.m. as I headed into work, the streets were dry and the air was clear and it was 35 degrees. The snow started to fall mid-morning and fell big and thick for the rest of the day. Though the library didn't close early, I took a couple of comp hours, skipped lunch, and left around 2:00. The following pix were taken from the snug comfort of my home. First, the view outside our front door:

Those clear tire paths in the snow did not remain that way for too much longer. Next, the view outside our back door:

From our bedroom balcony window, looking down at the base of the tree in the corner of our "yard" (small fenced-in patch of land):

The heavy snow-covered tree branches feet away from the balcony sliding-glass door:

Finally, opening the balcony door and craning out a bit to the east, for a view of the parking lot (which eventually got plowed--kinda):

I'd be nice to think I'll get ambitious and stroll about the neighborhood taking pictures--the bare trees do look nice with snow draped on them--but the reality is that, after a little shoveling, I'll probably spend the rest of the day inside!

Last Airbender trailer

I'm posting a link to the Last Airbender movie just for my sweetie, who loves the animated TV show (which is actually called Avatar: The Last Airbender, but I guess they think the masses will get this confused with the James Cameron movie, so they've dropped the Avatar name). It's M. Night Shamalama-Ding-Dong, which doesn't bode well.

New desk!

In preparation for becoming Head of Cataloging (that is, Head of Myself) in April, I now have a new cubicle/desk area, twice as big as my old one. It only took me a couple of hours to trash the place up with all my cluttery stuff, which I'm sure you're dying to see. First, a view of my area as you enter from the Tech Services front door:

A closer view:

One of the things I'm happiest about: room for a DVD movie-rating sticker dispenser, so I don't have to keep the sticker rolls in a messy drawer anymore. Also note the 4-Way nasal spray (at bottom left), to which I am addicted. Luckily, it is my only current substance abuse problem:

Pictures of friends, family, our late kitty Dodger, my new flourescent light, and a window view for a change:

Top shelf: what I cataloged this morning; bottom shelf: what I'll catalog this afternoon:

Finally, my computer screen, with Harpo Bear peeking around at upper left:

Snow day

Here in Central Ohio, we've had a yucky but not especially bad winter so far. There's been measurable snow every day from Dec 27th to Jan 11th, and the highs didn't break freezing from Jan 1st to the 13th. This past week has been cloudy but more seasonally temperate with temps in the 30's (around 40 the last few days). No "official" snow days (no work due to snow) have been called yet, but I had a personal snow day on Thursday, Jan 7th; I took the day off in order to take the Christmas tree down--yes, I leave the tree up until Epiphany in honor of the Magi--and that happened to be the day when we got over 3 inches of snow, which began falling around noon and snarled afternoon and rush hour traffic. Luckily, my only errand for the day, once the tree was down, was to walk to Kroger's to get supper fixings. Here's the front of the Yarman-Ritchie residence about an hour after the snow started falling:

Next, the road in front of our place, with tire tracks, and the view of the other side of the street:

The huge tree that stands in our back yard (that is, the little fenced-in"cubicle" of nature outside of our sliding-glass doors); it was lovely with snow draped on it, but in the picture, it looks more like it's been toilet-papered. It was really snow, I assure you:

Finally, the Moonshadow Mikemobile (my Toyota Corolloa, factory color: Moonshadow) under a light blanket of snow:

10 days later, most of the snow is gone, and it would be nice to think that winter's had its say for the year, but I suspect that's wishful thinking.