The view is even better today!

Couple of Hunter's friends showed up with a Kubota w/ plow & plowed the driveway!!!! YAY!!!!! But seriously, how many other dweebs out there have a garage but don't put their car in it when we are going to get a foot of snow??? Really, don't comment, I'm doing a bang up job cursing myself out....



My neighbor's house across the street, I don't what it is about pine trees covered in snow, but I just think they are spectacular looking.



Think I'm going to have to help this shrub out....it used to be round....and can you see the solar balls out there??? They're going to look really cool tonight!



My other neighbor's barn, its always been a beautiful view, but alas, we put up a garage & I can no longer see it when chillaxing in the back garden. Oh the things I have to sacrifice......But on the upswing, my newly acquired neighbor owns a health store and is planting/farming the fields in between our houses which is welcome news to us. Now if the deer will just go eat his stuff instead of mine I would be very grateful....no seriously, I kinda don't really mean that...
I remember when we first moved here, the older couple that lived there then, came over, introduced themselves & apologized for the runned down condition of their barns & fences. Ron & I, on the other hand, couldn't believe they didn't have people lining up for permission to paint the beautiful scene it provides! We told them to come sit in our yard cause we are definitely not seeing the same place!!



Got to make some new trails with the quad for Manny & Tess to get around, the snow is up to their noses. I need to unbury my chiminea & swing in the back garden here...yeah I know, garden? what stinkin garden???? If I sit to the back side, I  still get the view of my neighbor's barn.



It's turning out to be an awesomely beautiful day! Think it's time to get on the quad & take a ride around for some more pictures. Time to go play....LATER!

Wordless Wednesday: View Outside My Windows

Copper tubing, a piece of silver = Cool Bracelet

YAY ME! Look what I made (& lost within 1 hour!!!) yesterday!!! I've been waiting to take this class at
Artful Beads for probably a year. They have so many cool classes, with my favs being the ones working with wire, metals & torches/soldering. Being unemployed isn't conducive to spending $$$$ on jewelry classes so thankfully I had gotten some Amex gift cards for Christmas and I was finally able to make this baby! I  came home, had some lunch then took my son to work. I showed it to him in the car.....I stopped & picked up some milk etc, then back home when I realized it was gone. Talk about wanting to just throw up, cry, and stamp my feet in a true hissy fit. But I didn't, I just knew God wasn't going to do that to me that day, so I called the store, they didn't find it. Well, I had another class for school on the other side of the county yet, so on the way I stopped at the store & looked where I parked & you betcha it was right there under some snowed tire marks, probably my own!

I am absolutely in love with this piece and can't wait to make some more on my own. The cuff is literally made from copper tubing. Added a piece of sterling silver for some pizazz.

Started school this week, so far, so good. This is going to be an awesome semester. I will be learning photshop, illustrator & flash. I'm so physched! Though I have to admit the first intro to new software I  do a frantic panic and not much gets through my stubborn Irish noggin, so after I'm done here, I am going to focus on some "step by step" tutorials to help put out the panic episodes. Gotta get to the studying...See Ya!

Who goes fishing in a snow storm?



Round Valley Reservoir, Hunterdon County, NJ on Jan 7, 2011 as the snowstorm begins





Yup, the dweebs fishing off this rock wall would be my son, Hunter & his friend Kyle. Have I ever told you my son is a fishaholic?



I decided to walk up the hill for some extra exercise, what the hell was I thinking, seriously, uphill in the snow & pitifully out of shape=guarantee of falling on either my arse or face at least once before doing some ungracious slide back down.



Someone made a little tree sculpture, seems to be typical to leave a mark here. I have found rock towers, big hearts made of rocks etc.

This is one of my favorite views, even during snow. Just wait till you see it on a nice day!!! Camped out on the point with friends several times when I was younger. I forgot how much time I used to spend here back then, and I'm very glad to be hanging out again, even if I have to bring a bunch of boys and fishing stuff.....soon I'll be tagging the manboy's boat I imagine...




Manny & I are at the top of the hill now, this just looked pretty at the moment.

Some ice fishermen on the "pond" side, further to the left is the swimming area.

The boys walking back, they had enough. The dots on the shore to the left are 3 guys who had just shown up to start fishing. Truth be told, I lost my phone here last week & we had to come to meet the guy who fishes here every weekend from 7 to 12.

I have been coming to Round Valley Reservoir  since I was kid  enjoying the swimming/recreation area, later on I hung out at the boat launch with friends and went hiking and camping. These days I am back fishing with my son and kayaking with my Mom. RV has some excellent fishing and only allows small motors, so all you "wake makers" don't even think about coming over! Another cool thing: RV has Bald Eagles! I haven't seen them yet but I'm still looking. Of course going on snowy days is NOT conducive to finding eagles with white heads...or seeing much of anything, DUH.  But actually, even on a good day, I'm going to have to walk a lot further cause RV is pretty big and there really isn't any "walking" access to the other side, which of course is most likely where they are. The past few weeks that I have been there I have seen: coots (flock in the first picture), Buffleheads, Hooded Mergansers, Common Loon (!!!!), Mallards, Black Ducks to name a few. One late afternoon THOUSANDS of Canadian Geese, I swear!!!, flew over. It was incredible!!! Not only the noise from the geese was wild, but the sound of all those wings was  eerie like some kind of spaceship was coming. I tried to film it but it was to dark and my battery was almost non existent by then.
If you like the outdoors,  I have no doubt you will absolutely love it here.

Oh yeah....guess where I'm going in the next hour or so????? Fishing at Round Valley with Hunter and guess whats coming again? My poor husband, he's already given us several lectures about the ice, and the cold and the.....LATER!