Iceee on the barbeeee.
Pleeeease. We promise to stay out of the mud behind the bushes.
(Paws crossed HA HA! Oop’s do you think she saw the paws crossed?)
Hey, I’ll distract them. You work the lever. I hear you’ve gotten really good at that…taking yourself out for walks…
The plastic bagged newspaper a stiff ice log.
Sleet. Snow. Ice. And freezing drizzle. All day.
Commuter buses stuck on overpasses.
Good day for picking up needed car parts along side of the roads.
Area tire treads designed for flood waters, not ice.
Weather holiday! Here in the coastal plains anyway.
It used to be called “winter”.
Now it’s a “weather event.” (Worthy of as much media attention as a Zombie attack)
Dallas sees ice differently: Just speed faster.
I know. “You call this icicles?” Still, pretty. Can afford to think that as it won’t last long here. Snow flurries again now, though.
So it’s a long stay-indoors-weekend.
Chunks of ice blown from the tall palms littering the ground
(Told you I wasn’t bad Molly. I told you I didn’t rip a plastic bag to shreds as you claimed. That was soooo yesterday. Clean slate each day, right? It’s written down somewhere.)
Effort with the yard laundry validated.
Despite the ridicule of installing it yesterday when 50 degrees – and 77 the day before.
(Hey, it was a really cheap plant not really suited to the area, but worth a risk at that price. It managed a couple of years….will come back from roots like it did last time…with luck.
The summer jungle will fill in any case.)
Ice shard blown from tall Mexican Fan Palm. Freezes on the frond stalks, then the tree shakes them off. If you look hard, you can see the ice mimicking the sharp-pointed thorns along the sides of the frond stems.
See we did need to go out! You can trust a German!
Great idea pressing against the door fidgeting with a little whimper.
Ah, the brisk winter winds. Sleet. Snow flurries. Just like my puppy home.
Cold? It is to laugh at.
Staff’s frantic efforts to halt our high spirits are pretty amusing, though.
Out! Race you, German.
Got the “open the door ruse down”. Party time!
They can’t catch us.
Just don’t go near the door.
Glad you’re a dog of leisure now and Person decided to let you spend the night.
Look. Squirrel! Kamikaze run through the bushes required. REQUIRED!
It’s written down somewhere.
No cutsie sweaters needed – enough laundry from the plants. There’s a palm under that big pot…and a lot of mud in the making. (Sorry about the fuzziness. Blaming the snow flurries/sleet/careening dogs)
It’s going to be a loooong day or maybe two.
Regular blogging will resume shortly.
But right now there are dog paws to wipe.
And furniture moving to discourage.
Watch it, Molly! They have towels. Nice warm out of the dryer towels.
German, it’s a lure, not a tennis ball. Don’t fall for it.
Wait until they offer Greenies!
Chilling thought: it all melts and turns to mud.
Meaning of Destruction Derby having much more relevance.
Phil, the Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge.
(and she really really did need to go out.)
It’s not the Elephant Man. Or even elephant ears. Palm hoping it’s a rhinestone embellished shawl, not a shroud.
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Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge 
Thanks for presenting the hounds. I enjoy seeing dogs having a good time despite the weather events.
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We’ll just clean after it’s all over. Fun is there to be enjoyed. (But they really need to stop moving the furniture…) Thanks for sledding over to chat
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The dogs are moving the furniture?
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They both are pretty big and muscled up…furniture is no match when they are playing chase or wrestling…then there’s the game of “imitate leaping alpine goats” using chairs and couches. Better they go outside and get muddy at that point. Yes, we are crazy.
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Sorry your weather has been such a challenge for you, the pups and your flora. It’s been a tough winter for all of us. Hang in there.
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To listen to the TV, you would think it’s an extended Ice Age starting. It’s good most places just close for the day (or everyone works from home). People aren’t used to driving in these conditions – and there’s a lot of overpasses/bridges that ice. Those new to the area don’t know many non-freeway routes. The moisture is moving off now. We often have bitter cold – or lots of moisture – but rarely at the same time. Snow is actually a treat here – lots of picture of kids making snowmen…well, snow lumps, you do what you can do.
So much easier to let happy dogs romp outside – will be bundling up and taking them for walks instead. Stay warm! And thanks for chilling out here for a bit
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Even though it is much colder here where I am, this post made me shiver. Good job, I think.
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The winter storm moved in over night. When I saw all the chunks of white all over the yard, I kept thinking “what has Molly torn up this time?” Talk about jumping to conclusions. The moisture is moving off…and it will all melt soon. (More towels!) Thanks for shivering along
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Snow and ice in central and south Texas is so fun! Glad to see the pups frolicking despite the nippy temps. I was feeling sorry for the poor cold squirrels, so I put pecans out for them. Hopefully that will mean the birds will have a chance to eat from the feeders while the squirrels are distracted.
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The novelty does mean we appreciate what little we get! We’ve put out sunflower seed – and the squirrels and cardinals have been by. A couple of doves spent the night on the porch sitting on the window ledge over the door. The window leaks warm air, but we haven’t had the heart to seal it. Dog nap time, whew. Better try and get up some of the muddy paw prints! Thanks for sledding over
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I’m kinda sad my dogeen hasn’t gotten any snow to play in yet this year! The canines do love a bit of chilliness, don’t they? My back garden is a swamp, grass floating on mud. Drying dog feet is a requirement! Did you ever notice they smell like Fritos?
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These pups seem to crave chill. Absolutely wild. No need to fight it. Funny, how they’ve learned to get dried and foot checked..Molly is even holding out her back paws in proper sequence. Fritios – that’s it for sure! Thanks for icing down a comment
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Jeepers, you could hurt someone with those ice shards. Is that your plan? Because that would be my plan. It is very cool how the palm design was imprinted on that one piece of ice, though.
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Just invite people to stand right under the palm and bam!It did occur to me…how would they prove intent? Kinda goes along with the “if you ever need a weapon, these long barbed palm frond stalks make pretty lethal swords” idea. But I didn’t say that…Thanks for chillin’ a byte.
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I thought about y’all this morning when I heard the national news and weather. We’ve had our share of frozen concoction this year… it’s only fair to spread it around, friend!! Keep safe… and wait for fairer days to get out and around.
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This is nothing compared to other places – but if you listen to local TV, you’d think otherwise. Actually snow/ice days end up being a big party. Kids need to play in snow.You just don’t want to get on the roads. People were sledding down the one big (fake) hill in the park in plastic laundry baskets….and hanging out at the movies/malls/Starbucks.
28 tonight, warmer for a few days, then another big freeze. Gut it up plants! Thanks for freezing a moment to write a comment!
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Plants in. Plants out. Plants in. Plants out. Plants in now, and probably staying so until after the next front on Tuesday – which is supposed to be even colder, but dry. There’s a poor blue heron over on the swim platform of a boat across from me. Actually, it may not be too bad. I’ve seen him there before, and he does get some protection from the wind, there.
I even bought bird seed – they fuss so here about the mess from people feeding (falls on balconies below), but I spent the money for waste free, which means no shells. The bluejays, some pigeons and now a few sparrows are out and about. I won’t even fuss at the pigeons through this cold. Everyone deserves a little help.
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Icicles on the plant blankets. Well, not unwrapping them for a bit either.
We put out sunflower seed for the squirrels and birds. Kept the dogs in so they could eat. There’s a big cardinal and his mate huddling in the bushes. A couple of doves apparently spent the night on the window ledge over the front porch door. The heat leaks out the window and they were dry. Pretty grim weather.There are 3 herons that tend to hand under the shoulder of the island low by the foot of the island’s bridge. They fold up and are in a wind block. We always try not to startle them. But no long walks today for us. We’ll see about tomorrow. Stay warm and thanks for warming up a comment
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Looks like most of us are under the deep freeze. Is the Ice Age returning? I hope it’s a rhinestone embellished shawl, too. You never know with plants.
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Since we don’t have to get out, it’s not that bad (except for the muddy feet). People from real cold country always laugh at the way things shut quickly here if ice is even mentioned.We’re celebrating, people. Realistically, there’s lots of 3-4 level interchanges, all those overpasses, and the bridges. Might as well, fix the fireplace, find a book, and wait it out. We’re supposed to get hit again Monday night. That wrapped palm is probably OK, but the tall Queen Palm next to it, and the medium size pygmy date palm, not too sure. The date palm grew from the roots of one that crashed in the last cold winter 3-4 years ago.
Do hope the warm up in the midwest is slow so there isn’t massive flooding in the spring. If it’s not one thing…good chance the bluebonnets and wild flowers will be brilliant here – they need a cold winter. Stay warm! Thanks for tossing a snowy comment this way
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What is it about dogs, kids and mud? And they never seem to get cold. Chase those squirrels, pups, chase ’em. Hope y’all get warm soon.
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It may be sleeting, but there’s steam coming off their coats…maybe that’s the energy solution? 28 tonight then warm-up a bit before the next frigid front. Can’t wait to see what happens with Super Bowl and the open stadium…warm fire and TV screen is looking really good ( like I could afford tickets and the trip!) Thanks for rolling a snowy comment this way
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I saw on the news that the freeze was moving your way. It’s most definitely winter in much of the country this year. I can’t complain too much about our teens single digits, though. I talked with my mom yesterday, and the wind chill was -35 back in Illinois. Best to just play it safe with the roads and hunker down until things improve. Ah, to be young again, though, and frolic in the cold like Molly and the German!
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People always laugh at how we close everything if a hint of ice is whispered. Actually, the real things is we just want to have fun – and the roads are scary with all the overpasses and bridges. Bad roads – yep, go back to sleep. Life is good. Sigh, dogs have limited sleep needs – but once the sun goes down, the crash out. If I could get caught up, maybe time to write….Stay warm up there – Cherry blossoms will be there before you know it! Thanks for skating across with a comment
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Brrrr…..
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And sunny 50 degrees today with 65 for tomorrow…before another arctic front arrives Monday night. Crazy. Thanks for chillin’ along
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Good dogs – they need the exercise and thank goodness you don’t have to force them to go outside. My pup, Sally, is quite the prissy little thing. Every morning I have to carry her out back to make her do her business. But Stella grew up in Minnesota, so the cold just doesn’t seem to bother her.
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Fortunately it really warmed up today – the dogs raced around like crazy in the sun bludgeoning bushes and everything in their path. Not unwrapping the plants even though close to 70 expected tomorrow – another front and iffy weather coming in Monday night. But today was lovely….just wipe the feet, please. Thanks for Shivering along
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I would never have imagined ice in Houston. It just doesn’t go with the hot, humid memory I have of my one trip to that area.
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Houston often gets a bit of snow flurries around Valentines Day and January can be wet and bitter cold. It’s rare there’s both cold and moisture at the same time for ice storms. A few years ago we actually had snow on Christmas here. One Christmas holiday, Palacious (south on the coast near Corpus) had a foot of snow. It’s just so unusual, everyone runs the kids outdoors to play in whatever bit of snow there is…and the adults generally follow. Here the lines are all underground so we don’t worry so much about losing power as iced trees crash the lines – most of Houston and northern/western subdivisions have to worry about those tall (weak) pine trees. most appreciate a bit of cold here – we know summer’s going to be hot. Thanks for skating in with a comment ( and stay warm!…you get the “pretty snow”. Unfair)
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Now I know who the German is! A dog with muddy paws! Stay warm and safe.
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Large muddy paws, that German. Actually Molly, the smaller shepherd/malamute mix, has wide paws that seem to soak up and carry in much more mud – it’s got to be a sled dog adaptation? It was sunny and warmer today, so they raced around quite a bit…and got paws wiped before nap time. Thanks for sloshing over to chat
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That frond ice is so cool. Can’t believe how much of an impression it gets from the thorns. Mud–fun for dogs, but not so much for their parents. 🙂
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Those ice chunks were so intriguing. It was like little rectangles littering all over the yard…at first I couldn’t figure out what the dogs had managed to chew up and spread everywhere. When the wind blew the fronds would move and then there would be a crack – and ice chunks would fall. So odd. Sometimes it would be great to have some real photography skills. Paw waves, and thanks for sledding in to chat
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chilly post. Phil mouse…at least with the helpful dogs : p everyone gets in some entertainment and exercise for the day. ha-ha. love the blurry photo. 🙂 fun in the wintertime!!
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Not sure it they intend to be clowns, daredevils or acrobats – but they are entertaining. Impossible to get them to pose for pictures.Paw waves! Thanks for sledding a comment over!
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What a wonderful “snow” day for us! Sam slid down her ramp then decided the ground was just a bit too weird and trotted back inside to discuss what had happened to her outside – all crunchy and strange. A picture I saw of someone’s backyard where the ice looked sparse was captioned with something like “Austin Winterpocalypse! Pray for us!”
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Crunchy and strange is a perfect description.People actually had to dig out warm clothes (See – that cute ski jacket was necessary, Mom…). We are just not set up for extended icing on hills, bridges, overpasses, and 3-4 level interchanges. A nice warm blanket sounds just about right….they say Part II will arrive here Monday night. Stay warm and slide cautiously (but you have to go out and play, right?) Thanks for chilling down a comment
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Nights around zero, days around 20. And then there is the wind (chill)…there used to be something called a January thaw. I do believe that has been rescheduled for February. The new annoyance is these little clipper systems that come through and drop just enough snow you have to go clear it away …before it becomes the substance formerly known as snow. Stay warm everybody!
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That thaw arrive yesterday here: currently 67. But not unwrapping the plants. They say Arctic Blast, Part II will arrive Monday night. We often get cold or chilling moisture but rarely at the same time….hibernating not such a bad idea this winter? And now the contingency plans for Super Bowl? That would certainly cause a huge travel mess. Hang on during that winter wind! Thanks for sliding a comment over
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I see Molly is back to blaming the German for everything again, eh?
Nancy
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Obviously, the larger dog has the larger feet, right? (The German’s feet are like sleek platform shoes. Molly’s are like furry sponges – a sled dog adaptation?) Getting ready to bundle up for tomorrow’s return of the arctic. Thanks for running along
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Looks like they had fun play time, even with the chill! The icy weather seems to missing Arizona at the moment. Now that I mentioned that we’re going to be in for it, I suppose 🙂
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Temps dropping again, but this time it looks like the moisture coming in tomorrow will be south of us and go across the east coast…besides the county has announced closing for Tues, and some school districts, so you know it will be sunny and clear! Just in case walked Molly a lot today. With luck it will mss both of us! Thanks for sledding over with a comment
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Water + Canines + Your brilliance = Another WordPress masterpiece.
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This icy weather is going to do us all in…temps dropping again tonight, but bet the moisture goes south of us…Unfortunately that might send it up your way…but you expect it to be cold! Thanks for chillin’
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Alpine goats. Snowy says he wants to be one too. But his feet are like the German’s, he doesn’t carry anything in on them, even though I still wipe them. He doesn’t even seem to get wet in the rain. Pippa on the other hand, with his cross huskyness manages to get every part of him wet, that isn’t covered with a coat. Gentle showers last night, but dry so far this morning for dog walks although a puppy who asked to go out and then did nada is out of favour. Sending you some Mediterranean sun.
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What is it about plush fuzzy sled dog coats and feet? The German goes out and returns with a quick wipe of paw pads. Molly? Full body towel down…multiple towels.
We’ve been out for a quick walk early…quick…very quick. Ice still around. The sun you sent is arriving now! Thanks
You won’t believe the Super Bowl ad with the Budweiser clydesdales and the golden puppy. (“Puppy love” it was just on the Today show…winner, Budweiser!)
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