A great tree falls

This tree was unusual because it was really a "twin" tree, growing up beside another tree - Siamese twins that didn't split until after emerging from the ground.  I wonder what caused it to fall.  It didn't appear to be sick or diseased.  Perhaps lightning?  The tree(s) was larger than most of the surrounding trees.  I wonder if the remaining tree is now unbalanced.

 The branches that broke the fall almost look like knees.

 This is the remaining tree - the other half - left standing.

buds! 2013

It is still quite cold, dark and wintry, with snow and flurrying every day.  The swamp cabbages over at the park are not making much progress.  But I do notice that there are 3 plants now, instead of 2, popping through the ground.  That's all that is going on over at the park that I can see.

Meanwhile, back here at the apartment complex, there are all sorts of things shooting up.  These must be daffodils ...

And, when did the trees and bushes start all this budding??  It happened overnight.  Today is the first day that I noticed all this.

 Amazing!!  Spring really must be coming!

winter cold

 Even though the temperatures were in the high teens today, it felt like the coldest day of winter to me.   There is not a lot of snow, just enough to be a bit icy.  I bundled up with 2 sweaters under my coat, and I still had to hurry Jubilee along on our walk because I was anxious to get back to the warm car.  Then I went swimming over at the local YMCA and sat for awhile in the sauna and steam rooms.  That warmed me up!

more snow and cold

It was 7 degrees when Jubilee and I went out this morning.  It snows off and on, sometimes heavily, and then the sun comes out! 

 Sometimes I think that Jubilee is somewhat depressed up here.  She is an apartment dog now, and does not have her easy (and constant) access to outside and her own yard.  She also doesn't scratch all the time.  She sleeps a lot.  She is scared of the other dogs and hesitant to go for walks around the apartment complex.  Her eyesight, which is very poor anyway because of her cataracts, seems especially problematic for her in the bright snow.

 She's better at the park, but sometimes gets disoriented and lost.

Looks like there was some activity on the sledding hill yesterday.

snow

We woke up to about an inch of snow on the ground, and it has been snowing off and on - sometimes quite heavily - all day.  Checked on the swamp cabbage (if that's what it is) and it's still poking up from the snow, but it hasn't changed much since yesterday.  Somehow, it doesn't look too vibrant or healthy to me, like it could wither away with all the dead leaves surrounding it.

 Jubilee enjoyed her first snow of the year.  She seems almost ecstatic, knowing that it is something special.

 The morning ritual, now ...

 My "pony cap"!  If you have a ponytail, check out her website - http://www.ponycaps.com/ponycaps.html - She makes caps for chemo patients, and sent me this one without charge!  The world is filled with so much love ...

 Jubilee's icicle beard is back!

 Went to a wine/beer making place where John picked up some supplies ...

 I found some Presque Isle wine - Presque Isle is a place on Lake Erie.  We went up there one very rainy day last year.

 And lots of other interesting things ...

Swamp Cabbage?

Could these be the first swamp cabbages breaking through?  I'll check them again tomorrow if it isn't too icy down by the creek.

 Still no snow, but it's supposed to get colder this weekend (starting this afternoon).  I already think it's cold!

new sign

Brown

Other than some moss growing here and there, Western Pennsylvania is very brown this time of year.  No sign of growth or budding, this is still the dead of winter.  Even though it is above freezing during the day, it feels very cold to me.  There is a wind ...

Perhaps fitting for the day before Ash Wednesday.

Back in PA!

There were times when I doubted that we would ever make it back here, but here we are!

Before we left, Eric came over and cleared the driveway! :-)

Too bad Jubilee didn't make this photo ...

 Heading north ...

 Sebastian's place in St. Augustine (we always said he could have been a designer!) He has a way of making everything look good together ...

 Jubilee settled in the back seat behind the Tibetan prayer flags ...

 Both me and Sebastian looking rather pitiful ...

 Jon and John in Fernandina Beach ... They were discussing the finer details of beer-making.

 Heather making us a wonderful dinner ...

 West Virginia ...

 No snow anywhere! (well, maybe a few rare melting piles)

 Me (all wrapped up) and Jube taking our first walk at the Knob Hill park.

 Jubilee remembering how she likes to be cool and carry branches ...

 

No sign of spring, but it is a really nice day.