Biggest wasp nest ever

That is the wasp nest found in the "attic" portion of our old back porch during demolition. There's not a great size reference in the photo, so I'll tell you it's about as big as a yoga ball. And we thought the one we found last year in the rhododendron was huge. Come to think of it, so did the exterminator who removed it for us.

Our New Retaining Wall

Michal built it about two weeks ago to help level the front yard. It looks fabulous!

Blueberry Crop

The first blueberry crop from the new birthday blueberry bushes.

Strawberry Crop

My strawberry plants have really taken off this year, yielding a whole bunch of strawberries! The photo is from about a week ago and since then I've had at least a pint more.

Somebody Hates Me

If they had a voodoo doll with my name on it, they'd be sprinkling sugar or flour over it on a regular basis. As you can probably tell, it snowed. Again. For the zillionth time this winter. I am so over snow it's not even funny. Once again, these three or four inches surprised me in the morning. That's good because it meant I got a decent night's sleep, rather than worrying about getting to work while tossing and turning. It's bad because I had to get to work in it, and to do that, I had to uncover my car. To give you an idea, unlike last time, I couldn't see the hood or the trunk of my car, and both windows had a thick layer (about like the chairs in this photo) as well. I dumped several puddles into my seat just opening the door, and the back windshield, even after the ride to work, was still completely covered in snow.

Most of the snow melted by the end of the day, and nothing got canceled, but that's more because we've gotten so jaded about snow that everyone ignores it. As every good Southerner knows, when it snows, you stay home, unless you run to the store for extra bread and milk to outlast the white stuff.

It's practically March. No more snow allowed.

Soda on Demand

We made an impulse purchase (at the RV store no less) last weekend, and came home with a Soda Stream. We don't drink a lot of soda - until now. The machine carbonates water, then you add the flavor of your choosing. I happen to really like bubbly water, so even without the soda flavor it seemed like a good choice.

We've had it for a week now and I've had at least a half liter of soda or bubbly water every day. It's fantastic. It's really fun to make. We got the sample pack of flavors pictured here, but after sampling only one each on Sunday night, we ordered a vat of flavors online. They arrived on Tuesday, despite the fact that Monday was a holiday.

Now we have oodles of flavors to choose from, and the only problem is picking which one I want each day. The best part is that Soda Stream products don't use high fructose corn syrup, which is the part of regular soda I dislike. Their diet versions have about 12 calories per liter, and even the regular drinks have much fewer calories and chemicals than the average store brand. They do get flat after about a day, but so far a bottle hasn't lasted either of us more than 24 hours anyway. Luckily, the starter set came with two bottles, so we can each have one.

I'm off to pick my flavor of the day.

Not a Happy Snow Camper

To Whom It May Concern:
When I opened the door to leave for work last Monday, this sight greeted me: 3-4 inches of unpredicted (at least to me) snow. I was not happy. The good news is that I start work later on Mondays, so some people had already driven through the snow and left tracks to follow. I could also see the scary patches easier because it was daylight, and I arrived at work in one piece with no incidents. It snowed more Monday evening, and through most of the late morning on Tuesday. In places like the northern slopes of Beacon Hill, some patches stuck around as late as Thursday and Friday. It's February. I've had enough. If I wanted snow in the winter, I would move to Michigan. Or Minnesota. Or another snowy state. But instead I live in Seattle. Please stop the snow.

Snow More!

Did you see those pictures from the weekend? HA! That's nothing. I stepped out my front door this morning, one hour and fifteen minutes after my Boston-trained driver came to fetch me from five miles away. My boot sank until the snow went over the toes and I couldn't see my foot anymore. It took us another hour and a half to make the return five-mile trip.

After that, it snowed for another four or five hours, enough to erase most footprints left undisturbed. The steps to our yard from the sidewalk? Well, they're really more of a ramp, with a few slight bumps. And my car? It might be a Beetle, but it's certainly not blue.

Assuming the airport and airline aren't lying about the thirty minute delays, I leave tonight for sunny 72-degree weather. I can't take snow more.

There's no business like snow business

It snowed. A lot. I had to work, and it sucked. Beacon Hill, as usual, got hit with an extra inch or so on Saturday night (virtue of the "hill" portion of the name), starting around 6 p.m. By midnight, when I was driving, several inches had accumulated. I'd guess our total was around 4 inches, but I tend to over-estimate when talking about snow in my vicinity.

In better news, Michal has had our house decorated in holiday lights since Thanksgiving weekend, and I am just now getting around to taking pictures and posting them. The snow does add a certainly holiday element, I'll give it that. And it takes care of two things at once: snow pictures and holiday light pictures.

Although the snow came Saturday night, as of Monday evening it's still here in force. We haven't had any more, but the temperature, even with one full day of sunshine, has been low enough to prevent the snow from melting. The car doors have frozen shut more times than I care to count, and everything that did unfreeze a bit is now ice. Luckily, since I have to work, the roads remain clear, at least until Wednesday, when there's more possible snow in the forecast.