The 'non-winter' in my part of the world...

The snowy Italian Alps as seen from our school's playground.   No snow has happened, yet, this winter in my part of northern Italy.   However, we've had a lot of rain which means a lot of snow happens on those mountains.   It's been a strange year of winter.   Super cold and many winter storms in the states and most of Europe is having a very warm winter.   Our temps haven't been to even freezing much less below freezing in several weeks.

I noticed some budding starting on the trees already.   Bulbs are pushing their green leaves up through the ground. 

The rains ended and the welcoming sunset was worth 4 days of solid rain...

For Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Holiday weekend... it rained for 4 days straight.  It rained on Friday before the holiday, all weekend, and during the holiday.   On Tuesday, when we went back to work it was still raining.  On Wednesday, the sun came out and it finally stopped raining. 

This was what I saw as I drove home on Wednesday.   Except the sun was so vivid right overhead-- and of course, that was almost gone by the time that I got to my house.  I did enjoy watching it change almost instantly as I drove home though.   This is looking out my backyard towards the mountains.   By the way, while we were getting rain-- the mountains were getting snow.   When it finally cleared up-- you could see the heavy snow.  

My camera is still broken and the photo is fuzzy... but, I thought it was still beautiful.  It's not often that the winter sunsets are vivid as this one was.   Our temperatures have been unusually warm- as in:  41 *F at 5:40AM this morning!   We've had sunny days.   I hope that the weather warms up for those in the states soon!

Making friends 'if only for a few minutes' with a local cat 'somewhere in Italy' and somewhere near Vicenza...

Two or three years ago, I visited northern Italy about this time of the year from Germany.  I went on a base trip to escape the bitter cold snowy winter of southern Germany.  The kitty wouldn't make eye contact or stay still enough for me to take a clear photo at first.

I kept calling her... 'gatto' (cat in Italian) and soon she came closer to me.

I found her at a residence that our group had stopped at for those 'interested' to purchase furniture.  While it would be nice to buy something that someone had created with their own hands, I knew that I had plenty of furniture- so, to prevent the temptation of 'wanting' something that I did NOT need... I opted to not even look at what the man had made in his shop that was attached to his house.   I went outside and I stuck up a short friendship with this family's cat.   She was a sweetie.   I soon had her purring and coming up to me.

Someone on the trip came outside and the cat got a little 'shy.'

She was nicely marked.

She's wondering if she should go with me to the snowy land of Germany.   She ponders this decision.

Once she found out that it was RARE for the sun to shine at all during the 6 month long winter.  She makes her decision because she knows that the milder winters with sunshine as this day in February in northern Italy shows... is far better than the long cold winters of Germany.  After all... kitties love to rest/sleep in the sunshine.

She lets the stone fence know that she'd never leave her favorite resting place outside where she surveys her kingdom in the winter sunshine.

I love this photo of her.   See, my old digital camera used to take nice photos.

She shuts her eyes and bids me a farewell. 

What's the weather like today?

Well, I do believe it looks a bit 'foggy!!'    About 3 weeks ago, we had 4 days/nights of fog that was so bad... that I was driving home on this road from physical therapy (at night) and in the opposite direction as to where I usually drive to go to/from work.  My driveway is even with the street-- just to the right of the fence that you see in the photo.  This is the view right outside my front door.   Anyway, it was SO FOGGY that I couldn't even SEE WHERE to turn into my driveway until I got right to my driveway-- and this is with a yellow flashing light at the top of the pole that 'flashes yellow' when the electronic gate is activated for entrance with the remote control!   You can usually see this 'flashing light' for a couple of blocks or so in the distance.   At least, it's not as foggy as it was during those 4 days/nights.  

America has been having horrible cold weather and Europe has been having unusually warm weather for the time of the year.   I had some friends visiting during winter break from where I used to live in Germany and did you know that there wasn't even ANY SNOW on the ground there and hadn't been?   It had only 'lightly snowed' a couple of times!  Winter snow can start in October... but, in this area... it did snow in November and the snows NEVER MELTED until April!!!   And, here it was the end of December and they hadn't had hardly ANY SNOWFALL and there was absolutely NO SNOWFALL on the ground!!  

To see the building/area that can't be seen in the photo-- scroll down to the 'sheep returning story' and you'll see what is missing in the photo- The last photo, with the bus, is of the view out the front door- the same as what is shown in the above photo. 

Winter sunsets... fleeting and beautiful...

Usually, winter sunsets tend to be much paler compared to the summer sunsets... however, here is a recent 'vivid' winter sunset.  This is on the backside of my house- and the view that my balcony looks out onto.  I drove home recently with this in my view as I drove along the road towards my house-- ALL the time hoping that I could get home before this beautiful sunset ended.  *Please do excuse the 'fuzzy photos'... my poor digital camera just can't take photos anymore.   Bless its heart.

You can barely see some fog starting up towards the ground.   Also, do you see the lights in the far bottom left?  That's actually the local Austrada (Interstate).  

This is the empty pasture and trees in the far distance that borders the fence (that you can see in the front) of my back yard.

Glad to leave the 6 month long 'snow season' behind... Photos of where I used to live

I was looking through some photos... and came across some photos of my house in Germany that I never posted (because the Internet was so slow/bad that it was almost impossible to download photos to post to my blog and of course... I had pneumonia for months at a time due to the horrible cold, damp, long, winters... but, that's another story.)   This is my backyard and the balcony that leads out a door from my living room.   My backyard was small and triangle in shape.   They used 'tree or shrubbery' lines to divide the property.   You can see that at least 5 houses (there are 2 you can't see) that all have yards that meet in the center.  The 'yard' space is actually a big circle and the back yards are like parts of a pie shape-- my slice of the pie was small and I didn't mind-- less leaves to rake up. 

I was doing a 'science/snow experiment' in this corner but my landlord made me remove the snow.  I was just going to see HOW DEEP the snow would really get in this one place!   The table top is open mesh so it took many inches of snow falling before it even starting sticking to the top surface of the table.  

This is early in the experiment.  The rest of the snow- I would shovel -- I just left the far corner of the table and one chair.  I had a theory about the painted houses in Germany.   The houses were painted in very bright colors- orange, lime green, purple, (the house in my photo is a light purple), greens, blues, etc.   My theory?  It snows so much-- that they needed the bright colors to be able to find their houses in the snow!??

House down the street-- they all end up looking like this... tiny front yards... with huge mountains of snow 'taken' only from the short sidewalk in front of the house.

This is my house in Germany- you can see that my 'front yard snow mountain' is in the early stages-- but, it is almost as tall as my Jeep parked in the driveway.   This photo was taken on a RARE SUNNY DAY.   I think that was what I had the most difficult time with... no sunshine for 7 months a year.  I'd drive to work in the dark and drive home in the dark.  (It did get dark by 4:15 in the winter.)   The snow from the driveway... I had to haul by snow shovel full to the empty lot across the street.

Front of my house in the early part of winter.  The snow mountain got taller and my shoveled sidewalk area got more narrow- eventually it became the 'width' of the snow shovel. 

As I drove away from my street (that only had 3 houses on it) and onto the main road and just after I turned onto the last street that would lead me to the highway... one of the locals always put this Santa on a real sleigh on their property.  I finally had my camera with me and took his photo. 

His face is made out of hay!   There is a barn that you can see in the other Santa/Sleigh photo.   I'm not sure what the zoning laws were... but, you often saw barns right in little towns... Animals are kept in barns not on the grassy fields/lots/pastures like I was used to in the states.

This is what happens if you park and THEN THE SNOWPLOW comes down the street.  Note the color of the fire hydrant.  I always notice the different colors of them when I travel.   They are red in the states.

This is what happens when you don't move your car for a few days... Less than a week results in this type of 'car trapped' situation.  I was glad that I had a driveway to park my car in and that I did not have to park on the streets.

My old sled that I found (bought of course) and brought home.

This is the tree that I was able to put up in my living room in the rental house in Germany- I was glad to finally have enough space to put a tree up.  See the wooden arch in the window?  Movers broke it when I moved to Italy.   See the glass snowman in the window?  Movers broke his head off.  : (

I enjoyed my time living in Germany- but, I really didn't like the lack of sunshine during the long winters combined with the 6 months of snow.  All of the above photos were taken on a couple of rare sunshine days.   Here in Italy?  Sunny most of the time, cold; but bearable... if it gets down in the upper 20's it is very cold for here.  So far, the temps have been in the 30's - 40's.  

Sometimes, they do get snow in this area-- but, it is only a few inches and it leaves quickly.   I am always excited when it first snows.   Always hoping that school will be cancelled... just like the kids.  "Teachers" hope for snow days too!!

The best thing about winter...

Home-made crepes with nutella (hazelnut chocolate sauce) and bananas.   YUMMMY!!   The photo was taken just before the crepe is folded together.   This was my special treat that I'd buy at the outdoor winter markets in Germany.

Snowmen of winter

Happy Winter!

This was made last year by my art students when I was an art teacher in Germany.  I had the first class of the day draw quick sketches of snowmen playing outside and then the next class 're-drew' those images larger on the big blue paper.   As my classes came to art throughout the day... they took turns painting or using chalk for the snow and the snowmen.   

Once all the artwork was completed- I had students outline things so it would show up better on the art room door.   Our school had a door decorating contest... and photos of the doors were taken (except NO ONE took a photo of our door- except for me) and put on display on the big screen tv in the school's lobby.   Most of the doors were just decorated w/ photos of kids placed on Xeroxed elves or presents and things such as that.  Which is cute and all that... but, it was difficult to explain to the students 'why' our door was NOT displayed on the big screen tv in the lobby along with the other classes.  *It wasn't a contest where a prize was given...

So, even though my students (grades K-5th) didn't get any recognition for this adorable door design- I think that they did an amazing job!  

I kept it up from December until the end of March... because, after all.. it wasn't for a particular holiday- instead we had created 'just winter' scenes and it snowed there from October until April.   

 I smiled every time I unlocked the door and entered my classroom and it certainly made the gloomy, overcast, dreary winter days a lot brighter.   I love the simple, amazing, expressive, way that children create images as simple as snowmen/snow-women!

When I was a little girl; I was always so excited if it snowed and sometimes it snowed on my birthday since my birthday was on February 15.  Now, that I'm a teacher... I still have that eternal hope that we'll have a SNOW DAY and miss school 'every time' that it snows!   Of course, after living in Germany and never getting a snow day NO MATTER HOW often or how much it snowed for 4 seven month long winters... that dream almost got destroyed.

So, even if you love winter and snow... or if you are like me and still have that 'eternal hope' that they'll cancel school or work when it snows... I hope your winters have a few sunny days thrown in and that soon the morning light will start earlier and earlier giving us a glimpse that spring really will arrive ... eventually.

Click on the photos for a larger, clearer view.

The snows continue... all the way to northern Italy!

It started snowing today about 10:00.  That fine mist type of snow that is slick and the wind was blowing the snow sideways-- right into your eyes!  WE continued with school all day long.  You can see how heavy it is on the very busy road in front of my house.  I had already shoveled the sidewalks and steps 2 times.   We have a 2 hour start delay in the morning!   I'm glad for that- because I don't look forward to driving on slick roads 'here'... I have a feeling that they don't have as much 'snow driving' experience as Germany.  I know that this is true.    We ended up with about 5 inches of snow.   The weather predicts snow/rain mix during the night.   It's not the same as the current 'snow blizzard' on the East coast of the states... but, then again... this is ITALY and they just don't usually get a lot of snow!

My new hallway... I love this marble floor!

This is the hallway in my new rental house in Italy.   The entire floor is laid in this beautiful marble.   Did you notice how the slices are matched up perfectly?  Not just marble tiles laid out.   I do have rugs in most of the rooms now-- finally a place big enough to use my rugs.   However, I think that on the really cold days I might wish that I had wall to wall rugs, except on the sides of course so that I could still see the pretty marble.   I guess I won't be walking around barefoot, in the house, this winter?   :D

March 8, 2010...

Lookie here.. an unusual sight: No, not the snow in March.. but, the SUNSHINE.. do you see the shadows? The sun actually came out for awhile yesterday. Pretty unusual.. I took a photo because it was so unusual.

What can I say? 4 inches of new snow or more on the ground and it was 7*F when I drove to work this morning.

It snowed off and on today. I had outside crosswalk duty today (and the rest of the week too)... not good when someone missed most of last week because they had bronchitis. I'm working on getting someone else to do my duty for me this week and then I'll do it for them another time later in the year -- when I'm not sick.

However, I am happy to report that it is finally much lighter in the morning when I drive to work and it doesn't get dark at 4:30pm now.


Now... can we start having "NO SNOW" and warmer weather please?

Ok, I'll admit it.. I DO NOT LIKE 6 month long winters. There, I've said it.. I feel much better.. still don't like the dark, dreary, cold, dismal winters.. but, at least.. we are in the month of March and surely it will get warmer soon, right? RIGHT?

ahhh... Italy in February...

is wonderful... Ok, Italy any month of the year is also wonderful.

I left the Grafenwohr area last Thursday night.. the temperature was 20*F and when our group arrived in Italy, early Friday morning, it was sunny and almost 50*F.

I tried.. but, I still didn't sleep on the way there.. I have never been able to sleep on any plane, bus, train, or any other form of public transportation.

We arrived early on Friday, dropped our luggage off in the hotel lobby (too early to check-in) and caught the train to Venice.

I hadn't been to northern Italy.. in ten years. My visit was long past due. Our tour group (a tour sponsored by the base's Morale Welfare and Recreation Department) was full of military members, their spouses or family members, and other civilians working for the US Government on either of the two Army military bases in my area.

We left the dark and dreay German snowy winter and arrived to beautiful blue skies, sunshine, much warmer temperatures, and no snow on the ground. It was also nice not having to wear gloves while we were there. Of course, I totally forgot to bring my sunglasses along.

Here are a few photos of one of my favorite cities in the world: VENICE

(click on photos for a larger view)
By the way, I'm not sure if you knew it or not.. but, cars are NOT ALLOWED in Venice.. you have to walk everywhere!!!





I took so many photos that my battery died on the way home. Check back often to see additional photos.

Yep, it's still winter...

Last week, the weather forecast was for a blizzard! And, I did get almost 7 more inches of snow in one night. You know it's not a good sign.. when you open the front door and the winter snowman on the front porch.. looks COLD!

*I did feel so sorry for him.. that I brought him inside to get the snow off of him and to thaw him out.. I realize that he's just a cute little stuffed fabric snowman.. but, he just looked pitiful.


Local winter trees... pretty as long as you don't think about all the snow that you have to shovel.


The view out my living room windows.. about 20 inches or more of snow is on the ground. Nice wintery looking sunset.. rarely happens though- mostly it is just gray and dismal here.. but, I thought that this was a nice view of the pretty side of winter.... of course, enjoyed from the warm comfort of the inside of my house.


A brighter winter sunset.. taken maybe in December?

Say it ain't so...

Last Wednesday morning, I walked outside to my car, ready to drive to work. I walked outside without a jacket or coat- since.. it hadn't been cold up to this point- just early morning chilly-ness.

AND.. what did I see? *Notice the red roses in the background?





Not only the first frost of the year.. but, a light dusting of actual snowflakes. I opened up the door, put in my purse and my lunch.. and grabbed the now very cold cotton cloth thin jacket that I had left in the car the day before- because of the rain... and I started digging around for the ice scraper from the last time that I had used it in March.

The next morning, Thursday, I looked out my classroom window and I had to do a double take.. it was snowing.. not only snowing but the snow was already sticking on the blacktop, the grass, and the rooftops visible from my classroom. It snowed all day long and when I got home.. I still had a few reminders of the first snowfall of the upcoming winter season....Look at the roses now!




It also snowed all day on Friday... and it sleeted for about 30 minutes on Sunday afternoon.

Good news... my snow tires are on my Jeep now.. but, truthfully.. I just never, ever thought that I'd ever live where I needed snow tires. :D