Sunday, December 14, 2008

Our Winter Wonderland






So last night about 7pm it started raining, no big deal, it's been raining a lot since we got here. Don't care much if it rains overnight.  But this morning we woke up to THIS!  Holy crap, it's snowing and it's snowing a lot!  It's now almost noon and it's been snowing since we got up at 7:30.  Bruce can't remember the last time he saw snow, probably 20 years ago.  I grew up in Michigan, left when I was 25 for NYC and have been in  California for 17 years.  I think the last time I saw snow was maybe 10 years ago when I went home for Thanksgiving, not really sure.

We are not snow people, we don't ski, snowboard, ice skate or play hockey.  Our blood is very thin so we get cold very easily (sorry to be such a whiner).  When we decided to come to this region we saw pictures of snow on the website of our house.  I asked the owner does it snow in the winter and he said "no, it was a freak year back in 2005".  We were OK with that...but what do we get when we move here - first, the coldest early winter in like 15 years, the wettest November in like 10 years and snow, lots of snow.  It is pretty but I could do without it.

Today we'll go to our "club de musculation"...which is our local gym in Villefranche.  We joined it last month because of all the rain, we needed to do something.  If you saw it you'd crack up, it's like walking into a gym from the 1970's (perfect place for a Saturday night live skit).  But it's everything we need, a treadmill for me to run on and all the weights we need to lift.  And the price blew us away, 40.00 for 3 months.  So on days like today when we can't ride or don't feel like taking the dogs out for a walk (burrr), we'll go to the gym.

My chickens don't seem to mind the snow.  I went to the coop to let them out this morning and they hopped right out the door and are still out there scratching around.  

I found the lyrics to "Walking in a winter wonderland"  and added a few comments to some of the lines.  Just how I'm feeling today.  Hope you are having a warmer sunnier day.  OR if you like snow, enjoying today.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening, (can't hear them...got Miles Davis playing)
In the lane, snow is glistening (oh my, it's been snowing since last night)
A beautiful sight, (it is pretty...but)
We're happy tonight. (well, we are actually a bit cold)
Walking in a winter wonderland.

Gone away is the bluebird,
Here to stay is a new bird (hum...could that be my chickens?)
He sings a love song, (she doesn't sing but she gives me eggs)
As we go along,
Walking in a winter wonderland.

In the meadow we can build a snowman, (we seriously have a meadow in front)
Then pretend that he is Parson Brown (i never knew what that meant as a kid)

He'll say: Are you married?
We'll say: No man,
But you can do the job
When you're in town. (huh?)

Later on, we'll conspire, (to make it sunny and warm)
As we dream by the fire (we seriously have a fire going day/night or we'd freeze)
To face unafraid,
The plans that we've made, (we are a bit afraid here in france in the snow...what were we thinking?)
Walking in a winter wonderland.

In the meadow we can build a snowman, (might have to try it later)
And pretend that he's a circus clown
We'll have lots of fun with mister snowman,
Until the other kids knock him down. (will probably be dashell who knocks him down)

When it snows, ain't it thrilling, (i have to say, no, it's not thrilling)
Though your nose gets a chilling (my body is chilling, not just my nose)
We'll frolic and play, the Eskimo way, (no we won't, we'll stay inside)
Walking in a winter wonderland.

22 comments:

islandgirl4ever2 said...

WOW!! You might just have a white Christmas!!! I snowed here last week- last Tues... Freaky but it didn't stick to the ground... I'm from So. Cal, too.. So it's a novel thing for me!!! As long as I'm dressed warm enough and there's no wind, I don't mind much... Anyhow... we're going to Strasbourg next week so I imagine there COULD very well be snow for Christmas!!
Also, just FYI, this year has been very different for weather than last year... Last year... it rained ALL the time... and the summer was in the low 60s all the time and gloomy ... Like a winter in So. Cal... This year.. summer was pretty nice-- clear, sunny, warm and sometimes even HOT.. in the 80s... YEH!! I decided I wouldn't complain too much after that because I HATE clouds... but this year was MUCH better than last year.. in our region...
However, this year- from mid fall until now... it's been MUCH colder than last year at this time... less rain.. (I think) or maybe the same...
I think it's going to be a really COLD winter this year... I can just feel it in my bones...
Well, that's all from me.. The snow looks very nice.. I'm glad you guys have a place to work out that's indoors... Speaking of which... I gotta get going myself... to the gym... I'm finally NOT sick anymore and I've gotta go work out.. Take care, Leesa

Veronica said...

They told you it doesn't snow in the Aveyron in winter?? Sheesh ... you should sue them for misrepresentation :-) I hope you can get your house warmed up!

La Belette Rouge said...

I so miss snow. I'll trade you the rain in L.A. for some of that beautiful white stuff.

Non Je Ne Regrette Rien said...

I think you guys should try snowshoeing or cross country skiing, you get very warm very fast with the effort and it isn't fraught with falls into snow which gets you wet and cold.

GO FOR IT!

Betty Carlson said...

Honestly, that looks like a mere sprinkling compared to what we woke up to (around 6 inches everywhere...)

You are in the WARM part of Aveyron, you know!

franke said...

well...it's freakin' cold here, too! torrential downpours, mudslides, flooding, and ice ice cold! at least for southern california standards. should let up by the weekend;)

franke said...

and for the following part of the song:
In the meadow we can build a snowman, (we seriously have a meadow in front)
Then pretend that he is Parson Brown (i never knew what that meant as a kid)

He'll say: Are you married?
We'll say: No man,
But you can do the job
When you're in town. (huh?)

Parson Brown was the minister in Frosty the Snowman that married Frosty and Crystal. A Parson is short for Protestant Minister who performed wedding ceremonies. And now children, after the movie and song, think that Parson Brown is a person's name.

Mark said...

C'mon what could be better, a nice log fire, a glass of red wine, a good book and snow outside!
You do have a fire place don't you?

Le laquet said...

Brr! I'm arriving on Friday - I can so do without snow!

Bruce Anderson said...

Leesa - no, don't say it...we really don't want a white christmas, no need for snow for us. Give us cold, blue skies and sun and we'll be fine.

Veronica - yes, we were told - it doesn't snow here (in our part of the Aveyron...which Betty pointed out is the warm part). I saw pictures back in 2005 or something and asked and was told that it was a freak storm. I have been told that the weather this winter has been quite unusual. Great!

Bruce Anderson said...

LBR - come on over sister! We'll do a trade. You can be happy in the snow and I'll be happy being warm.

Bruce Anderson said...

JNRR - unfortunately there isn't enough snow to snowski or cross country ski - just enough to make it miserable! As you would say "le sigh"

Franke - you make it sound cold and it's what 60? argh!!!!! I always thought that Parson Brown was a person when I was a kid. Ah the married part - get it now, you must be a "walking in a winterwonderland" genuis to know all that.

Bruce Anderson said...

Betty - well thank god for that, if we got 6 inches I freak. We are higher than VilleFranche will barley got anything, hopefully it will melt soon.

Mark - what could be nicer - sun, blue skies, a glass of wine, a good book, the fire. But the fire has lost it's gleem for us, it's work...we keep it going day and night, i usually get up around 4am to put another log on so we don't wake up to no fire and cold.

Bruce Anderson said...

laquet - depending on where you are going you might not see snow and the forecast doesn't call for anymore in our area. Just south of us - maybe 1/2 hour they only got rain, no snow. We might have to take a trip way south soon to warm our bones. Here's hoping you bring good weather for us.

M said...

Ha, I am grizzling about the heat and you've got snow. The heat is not so bad today, I'm actually enjoying the garden. I feel like that kid who write the letter in that 'Camp Grenada' song.

I suspect I'd find the reality of living in cold, wet snow and being confined indoors to be less romantic than the fantasy I've constructed in my head.

Bruce Anderson said...

Michelle - ah I want to be outside in the garden! Depending on what you like - there are some people that love the cold and the snow and this would be so great for them. I love the warm and sun so this will just be an experience for me. I'm in france for a year, I need to remember that...

Le laquet said...

It's not me with the place in france (unfortunately) OJL, my parents live near Gramat on the Causse de Gramat. High up - so probably v cold!!

Jennifer said...

Has it melted yet?
I hope this winter mellows out for you two. If not, maybe we'll see you down here in the south. Our friends own a beautiful B&B down the street where you could come and be (kind of) warm for a while.
:)

Randal Graves said...

Let us know if you end up getting six inches. That would actually be a lot. Sort of. I can't be like LBR and trade, because it's about 28°F today. No snow, though :)

franke said...

no...at our house it has been a literally freezing 30 in the mornings when i leave. but then it warms up by the time i hit the westside to a toasty 57;)

Rowena said...

If you should ever write a pasta-making post where you use your own FRESH EGGS for the dough...I will be dancing in my chair with glee. It's weird because they actually have eggs specifically for pasta. The yolks are a deeper yellow and the egg carton states this fact. I'm just wondering if they feed the hens yellow-dyed foods...

1A said...

Yeah, we're on our second snow day. But that was kind of expected when we moved to Iowa from Florida. Hope it warms up soon! Pretty pictures. :)