ICY

    I have never seen a winter quite like this one.  No matter where you are - upstate NY, New England, Mid Atlantic States - there seem to be icicles dripping from every roof.  Not mere dribbles of frozen water, but javelin sized, use as a murder weapon - type icicles.  When visiting Connecticut recently, the mounds of snow and drifts were three, four, five feet high in places, but what was stunning to see were the numbers and sizes of icicles on every roof.  Gorgeous to look at, but the pragmatist in me also see damaged gutters, water running into soffits (and thus, attics), and the real danger of getting hit by one of these behemoth water stalagtites.
   Today we looked in the sill of our upper floor windows and saw ice a half an inch thick between the windows and the screens (we have no storm windows - former owner never got them when they installed new windows). With a marlin spike and a meat mallet we broke the ice, then started leaning out the windows to break down some of the icicle curtain.  The following shots should give you an idea of their size and scope.

The ice curtain outside the window

She is about 5 foot 3 inches tall - the icicle was about 4 and a half feet long

Breaking the ice that had filled the sill

what else is a child to do with icicles???

    I keep looking at the snow and ice and thinking of the birds - the feeders are filled and I bought suet cakes yesterday.  On principal, I will not feed the deer after they destroyed my rhododendrons last year.
      The snow is falling gently - again - and the kids and hubby have just come in from sledding. The fire is burning, the house is warm. I guess there is nothing to do with a winter as solid as this one except enjoy it!

More massages

    I spent this last weekend in the Finger Lakes region of NY at an inn and spa.  It was a get away weekend with my husband to celebrate our anniversary (a bit belatedly, but it was the earliest we could work it into our schedules).  What a lovely place - Mirbeau Inn and Spa.
    We got massages the first night we were there,  during which my massage therapist asked me if it had been a while since I had a massage. (ha!) Afterwards, she told me, "You really could use a few more massages for those shoulders."  What a great thing to say - now I can say a professional said I need more massages! Surely that means I should take her advice!!
    I really enjoyed the room with its deep soaking tub, fireplace and comfy chairs, and a mattress I wanted to strap to the top of the car and drive off with. The Aqua Terrace with its outdoor whirlpool/hot tub with the waterfall was wonderful,  but the best part had to be the chaises in the relaxation room.  I met the challenge my husband put forth, and just lay still relaxing and not moving for at least an hour - it was bliss. The room looked like something out of Pompeii (sans ruins) with pillars and frescoed walls, a small pool with water dripping from the center stone, all in shades of terra cotta and gold. Very calming, very restful.  I want to turn my basement into a relaxation room now!
    Even the drive home through the lake region was lovely.  We had sunshine - yes, SUNSHINE - all weekend.  I think it had been about a month and a half since I saw the sun, so this was impressive.
   Now we are back and I have to get to work, but I must take the advice I was given and get more massages.  Surely even I can squeeze that into my schedule.