A SNOW DAY

Got a surprise call at 5:30 this morning saying school was closed for the day. I looked around for hubbie who is usually leaving for work about this time and he was coming back to bed,deciding the roads looked to bad to chance it until about 10:00.
We both needed an extra snooze today anyway.
There wasn't but a dusting around but at 24 degrees every flake that fell is still here.

D-in-love doesn't get out on the slick roads either so she waited until #1 son who works this area in his DOT sand and salt truck got to our road.
Another friend of d-in-love's from church needed a sitter for g-son's friend so I kept him also today. They both arrived about 9:00 and set right into a hard days playtime.

They played very well together without needing a referee's interference much at all. But by the end of N's stay they are, after all "boys" !!!

I enjoyed having a playmate for g-son on this cold,snowy day.
N's mom brought me this beautiful pot of tulips to show her appreciation when she came to pick him up.

Which was totally unnecessary but you all know how I love flowers and plants so thanks C, I love them and you and your kids !
While the boys played I had some time to watch the hungry little birds around the feeders.

Each year a sure sign of spring is the return of the Red Winged Blackbird to my feeders. Today as I watched the flurry of activity they appeared.

Out in the horse pasture I saw a flock of what I thought was the dreaded Starling return but a closer look and the definite red hue when they took off let me know all these were Red Winged Blackbirds also.

If you click on the picture you will see all the red flashes on each bird's wing.
They finally got brave enough to come into the back yard.

I love to listen to them talk to one another from the tree tops around our farm. I know these guys will surely be glad for the warmer weather that we are promised for the weekend after a day of below freezing temps for much of today. The temperature finally got up to 34 degrees late this afternoon just before another snow shower moved into our area.

As I went outside to do the evening chores I could see the snow coming across the mountains as they each disappeared in a white out against the snowy sky. It didn't last long and the sunshine melted each tiny flake away as soon as it fell. The wind is whipping making being outside long at all  very unpleasant. The tree tops are sure bending and whipping around,we are hoping none of them fall onto our power lines.
After #1 son and g-son left and hubby came in from work we hurried through all our outside duties and got inside to hunker down in the warm house. Sadly each cold night like this I think of all the homeless folks out in the cold fighting for their life to stay warm. One of the news reporters from the local TV station said today as they did their newscast they had ran across a homeless man who had wrapped himself in plastic and rolled up behind a rock pile to get out of the wind.
Hubbie and I watched a UNC/Maryland ball game tonight which UNC won and I did the weekly paperwork and payed bills between the game and Survivor.
I can still hear the wind blowing but not as hard as it was earlier,the temperature at 10:30 is 30 degrees.
Thanking God tonight for the blessing of a loving family and friends and a warm home.
Good Night and God Bless.