Yes, I have.  Every year before, it was Mike's job to do the shoveling.  Well this year, it has invigorated me.  i find I can do things i didn't even consider doing.  Several days in a row of shoveling and the last two days taking walks up the road.  Here are some scenes i saw just a few houses up from me where there were clear views down to the lake.  I have trees blocking my view from the house.  I have to go to the farthest corner of my upstairs deck to see even a little, but going up a little bit on the road I can see more.   

I am enjoying the snow - really enjoying it.  I come in after shoveling and put Chris Rea or Dylan  on the stereo and have a glass of wine.   Yes I'm one with the snow lolololol.

and yet...all the shoveling i've done over the past days may mean nothing tomorrow as a new storm is coming in ....damn the snow.   I'm so fickled.

 Another one coming in Friday or starting tomorrow.   If you live downwind from the next storm it's packing a lot of rain and snow from what I read.   These photos were after the table and car , porch and deck had already been shoveled the day before this storm came ...about the same amount. 

 a little windy also.  The temp was about 45, wind chill made it somewhat colder - but the wind wasn't bad, heavy breezes.  It felt refreshing after being inside for a couple of days.   

I have been busy doing things around the house and talking with Mike and my sister at different times.  Living alone gets boring but when i get too bored I find something to do.   

Our son is healing well and getting motion with his knee after knee reconstruction surgery,  but still isn't allowed to weightbear for several weeks.   Sounds like they are enjoying life as roommates (husband and son) and Mike is learning so many techniques from our chef son.  He should come home with new ways to cook dinners.    He also has been spending good time with our grandson, who is at his dad's part time and his mom's house the rest of the time.  They all have good conversations.  I'm actually happy they are having this time making memories that will last forever.    

I keep thinking I'll go down to take a turn at helping but there is always a reason to keep me home - weather related mostly.  I was thinking of going down in a few days but then the weather reports say the beginning of real winter weather starting this weekend with the first of many snow events lining up so I'm not going to drive on mountain roads here or going down the mountain.

Just a few from yesterday's walk.  I have collected so many from walks in the past month when I get out that I'll never get posted.  One can only take so many lake walk photos without constantly repeating the same areas - but at least in different seasons.  These are from the shortest of the shoreline trails - round trip is probably about 35 to 40 minutes at the most.   This is closest to the village and Staters where I go grocery shopping and makes for a quick walk before going into the store.  There were only a couple people on the trail.  

 A trip to Staters at Lake Arrowhead to buy cat food and organic fig bars.  Then over to MacKay Park (depending on how the road is going up to the park -( ice or no ice) and then a walk at a favorite trail, back home to figure out if i will have an egg sandwich for dinner or a Stouffers meal.   After all that i will sit and look out my window and wait on the snow to melt.  Big day for sure!

I liked this photo I took awhile back - i think it's the old red garage doors that really grab my attention.

This is taken on a road we travel all the time going over to  Blue Jay Village  for  the last seven years and i just recently noticed this garage with red doors.    

I hope if you have plans today they will  include a dinner that will be much more tasty than mine.   

 I was one of several people taking photos of this area.  One guy was climbing down by the rocks and I caught a quick photo of him.  We exchanged a few words (they were nice ones) as I walked above where he was when getting into my car.  We agreed that this particular angle has been photographed quite a bit by him  and others and myself during this time of year.  

At the part of the lake where he was - it still was sunnier than where I was when I took the photo.  It would only be a matter of about 30 minutes before the sun disappeared.

I wanted to go back out today for a trail walk but the winds came and the air is very chilly.  Maybe tomorrow, sigh...  one can hope.

 There weren't that many people and the air was crisp but not cold, just chilly and it was a gorgeous day.   I took my time and thoroughly enjoyed being away from the house.   These days are so short - and where i live because of the hills on all sides of the property I  can never see a sunset and it starts getting darker here like at 4:30 - not dark but you know it is coming - whereas at the lake where they get full sun I can look out my window towards the lake and still see the sun shining somewhat.  

Here are a few photos I took on my day out yesterday.  The people sitting on the docks have a membership  to the Lake Association which allows them to go through the gate and out on the docks where usually boats are anchored in the summer.   

There are six geese that are permanent residents at the lake - they are there every season , all season.   I figured it wouldn't be crowded as all the tourists for the most part it seems have gone home.  It was crazy in the mountains after the snow during the holidays - so many people coming up to enjoy the snow and leave all their trash when done.  That's a problem here just like it is at the beach or elsewhere, that draws a lot of crowds.  I can't figure out why people think its' okay to trash a place and leave.  

 We had snow back on 12-29 and yesterday was the first day I ventured out.

Mike has been away from home to help take care of a son who broke his knee and can't get around well.  So with our jeep we usually go out the next day after it snows because the jeep is 4 wheel drive and can get around easy.  But I've been home with the car  that I didn't want to get down our road when it had a lot of ice.     The last few days we have had a good melt and I could easily take the car out.  

All this to say I finally got  out yesterday and to  go down to the lake and get a walk in.  I could finally get off our road since the berms have shrunk and there isn't ice on the road now.

The first pics are the day it snowed. I had started trying to dig out somewhat especially the deck in front of the door and then working my way down to try and create a path past the car.  Luckily a few neighbors came over to help and they made enough of a path where when Mike did come home for over night  he was able to pull the jeep in.  He spent quite a bit of time the next day digging as much snow off the driveway so when I could I was able to back out and go to town.

The next photos are of the side of the lake that always gets the sun.  In some photos you would hardly know it ever snowed there.   Next time I move I will make sure I am not on a shady street even though in summer it's great.  The next photos are from  a walk I took around the lake.  The last photo is coming back up the road and to my driveway on the left .  There's still a lot of snow but nothing like it was seven days ago.

So that's what it looks like now but the sun is out and we are warming up more hurray!!