Looking downstream from the bridge

 The Grassy Lane Falls!

Spring IS COMING: these are daffodil shoots in the plowed part of the barn driveway!
Bob and Dave K. checked things out on Sunday afternoon. They had a nice walk up the Grassy Lane to the falls. The only slippery/icy part was the hill up from the bridge to the house. Bert, the SUV made it up fine, walking was slippery. Inside the house all was fine. The ice on the brook was amazing, they said.
The oil man evidently came at some point, the tanks are 3/4 full! YAY...

Bob checked out Thicut this afternoon. He says:
"The road was evidently plowed after the 'big' snow storm, but not the most recent one. There were about 2 inches of wet snow on the road. (He parked at the grassy lane.) It looked like the snow was plowed up against the barn door. There were LOTS of deer prints on the lawn. They've had a feast of Rhododendrons and Holly.
The inside of the house is in good shape, except it looks like water damage on the wall in the corner just inside the door where the cane/umbrella can is. The roof over the dining room is iced but thawing, probably the source of the water. The rest of the house looks good.
The brook is high with ice melt."

Oh, and after questioning, he walked up slushy/icy road (2" deep) and the through knee deep snow to the house. We're so ready for this snow to give up!

Eric and Bob stopped by Sunday afternoon. A couple of inches of snow on the ground, no evidence of plowing or cars driving up to the house, but there were footprints up the drive and to the door (Connie?). Eric and Bob went inside and walked around outside, inspected the bridge and discussed options. They said they had a good time and all was fine.
The weekend in Glastonbury consisted of very nice visits with Eric, George and then Conor on Sunday.
Keep warm!

Bob, Anna, and Ethan went on Sunday to cut up and clean up the nut tree (at the hole in the stone wall) that Eric (?) cut down before ARM left for Bethesda back in October! Anna took Ethan down to the slide/dam/satinet factory.
I talked to Connie this morning and she said the oil had been delivered and she and Angie are keeping a good eye on the house. Happy 2014!

Betsy and Mom went down to check on power for ARM (she said her electric bill seemed big): There is nothing drawing power except the few lights on timers. The water heater and fridge and freezer are off. The latest bill must include part of October when everything was still on.
However, I discovered that the power had been out at some point recently. The stove clock was blinking. I reset the clock and checked the light timers which seem fine, so the power must not have been out long. Everything else seems fine. The oil tank is down a bit to 9/16ths: it's been COLD the past few days!
The pond is frozen, the brook is VERY low and has ice on it! Rain (LOTS) is expected tonight so the ice should melt for now... But winter is coming! Happy Thanksgiving and Hanukkah!

Bob and Betsy mowed the lawn and leaves. A balmy fall day, nice to be outside! House was fine. J. Deere full of treated gas, small lawn mower empty. Cleaned up the barn garden a bit for the winter. Thank you to Connie for watching Thicut this winter!

The water heater is ON, the refrigerator is ON (still noisy).
The Phoebe has built her nest AGAIN (on the window frame this time) next to the door. There may be babies there, she kept trying to get me to go away.
There are beautiful dogwoods blooming, some late daffodils still blooming.
A strange message about Verizon and some charges on the phone answering machine. It's still there to listen to.
There was NO mail in the mailbox.
The lawn needs to be mowed: I left the J.Deere instructions on the seat of the machine just in case! Not sure of gas status.
WELCOME to THICUT and Summer!