Learning to live in a frozen world has been quite an adjustment from the sunny, toes in the sand beaches of San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico.  We have been engulfed in an ice storm for the past several days.  It's interesting how preparing for a winter blast has similar characteristics for preparing for a tropical storm:  fuel in the car,  groceries in the house, flashlights armed with fresh batteries, cash just in case.  For several days preceding the impending storm, the grocery stores, banks and gas stations were packed with customers preparing for the worst.

It's interesting to be caught up confined to the house, often without electricity, much less internet.  It makes you wonder how we ever survived without either of them.  But it also makes up stop and take stock of the beauty that is just outside the window that we take for granted daily.  The photo above is several days after the ice storm.  The ice that coated the limbs, branches and leaves has slowly slid to the ground,  creating a beautiful coating of crystals that glimmer in the sun.  Photos just don't do justice to the beauty contained in that glimmering.   

The dogs have had to step gingerly amidst the patches of ice that cover the patios and weave their way through the crystals that envelope the yard.  We have all had to step carefully.  I, for one, have not ventured outside for 4 days.  

There was not a bird in sight for several days while the neighborhood was blanketed in ice.  Slowly, they have returned, but only because of the lure of the full feeder in the yard.   One wonders where they hide in such weather!  

There's only so much one can do when stuck inside for days.  At any other time, I would have been doing some deep cleaning or at least scourging through the cupboards and closets in search of things that could be donated somewhere.

But, unfortunately, we are in the beginnings of a remodel.  Who would have that that a remodel would begin in the dead of winter?  

A huge crater has been dug in the back yard to accommodate the 8' expansion of the master bedroom and bathroom.  In any time of the year, this would have been a problem, but with the rain and ice, it has been  much worse. I pity the poor workers as they wallow through the mud and clay, not to mention braving the cold.  The dogs, as well, are inconvenienced as they now have a limited space to "do their business" that isn't a slosh in the mud.  Needless to say, this mud is tracked into the house no matter what efforts are taken to clean dog feet as then enter the back of the house.  I've given up cleaning the muddy prints leading from the door to all parts of the house until the concrete as poured and the muddy heap disappears.  

I anticipate that this year will truly be a year of Spring cleaning! (assuming this project is completed by then.)

For now, as I gaze through the window above my laptop, the weather has become a bit less fierce and we are experiencing only wind and rain.  It definitely helps with being  not confined to the house, but certainly not the mud.  It looks like we're back to  "normal" Oregon coast weather.  Thankfully I have a trip to sunny Hawaii in my near future to offset not only the current weather nut also the mess.