Winter Has Come!

     

Just a few days ago, the Hibiscus in front of my sister’s house (left), and today after overnight temps in the mid-twenties (right).

    

Again, just a few days ago (left), and today (right).  It is so hard to see something so beautiful, turn out this way.  But it happens every year…it will be cut back in late February or early March, and by May it will have a few flowers, and then flower more and more until the next heavy frost.

    

Next door at mom and dad’s place, the Japanese Maples did finally turn red, and losing their leaves very quick.  Picture at the left was shared on this blog about 6 weeks ago, the one on the right was taken today.  It will be sad when the color is gone, and only sticks remain.

    

The backyard is looking much different too.  The “squirrel” tree, which also holds the hummingbird feeder and two bird feeders, has nearly lost all of its leaves.  On the left you can hardly see the towering Italian Cypress Trees, but with the picture taken today they are easily seen through the nearly leafless tree. Of course, without leafs, the dogs can see the squirrels even that much more.  And there are more squirrels around because as winter comes, they are fattening up.

And yes, for those eagle eyes out there, that is Skruffy in the bottom right corner of todays squirrel tree picture running around looking for a squirrel….didn’t even know she was in the shot until I was putting this posting together.

Arny has been busy getting the Christmas lights up…with Thanksgiving being so late, he is not use to having them go up so late.  Ran into a problem with one string of icicles, which he took down, and had to replace.  I have helped him out some earlier in the week…but the cold weather was a bit much for my old bones.  (Shhh, don’t tell anyone but Arny is 12 years older than I am, but in his heart, he is still just a kid.)  Once we get better weather, I will try and get a few night-time shots of the neighborhood (and we have to get mom and dad’s lights up first too!)

    

This is our morning ritual….as taken from the kitchen window of the motorhome (I don’t think Arny knows I got these….).  First, the dogs run out, quickly take care of business, and go to the sliding door, and one of them (we won’t mention names now will we Skruffy), barks and barks and they both stand eagerly awaiting Arny’s arrival.  He opens the door, they run in, all the while he is saying “Good morning, good morning, ….”  Of course, the dogs are more than excited to see him, because when they come out…..

he dutifully shuts the door, and ……

    

...it is morning treat time, and morning pats on the head, with morning doggie talk.  Sometimes this takes place, in the summer, as early as 5:30.  If we are lucky to be able to sleep in a bit, it may not take place until after 8.  Very rarely when they go out, the drapes are not open, and they do their business and come back in for an hour or so.  After the treat, Skruffy comes back into the motorhome, and Bubba stays with his good buddy Uncle Arny….and stays away from the yap yap yap of this little one.

Now I KNOW that this little bit of cold and rain that we are going through is NOTHING compared to the ice, snow, and cold that others are facing in other parts of this land.  Having lived through a number of ice storms in Arkansas, having lived in Utah for four years, I know what cold and snow and ice is like.  I hope all of you are safe and warm out there.