Frozen solid

The first hard freeze of the season turns the whole place into winter wonderland. Especially the still-untamed pasture land.

Since we had been soaked by days and days of rain (note the size of the pond on the adjacent property versus its much more dried-out state in the foggy pictures) leading up to this freeze, it had the effect of turning the back deck into an icy death trap.

You can see the ice gleaming in the flash on this picture, especially on the doghouse, which was slick enough to glare back at the camera. (Please note – Xena had just walked outside with me when I took this picture; we didn’t make her stay outside for the freeze.)

And where was the Z-Dog, you ask? Once again living in the lap of luxury known as the utility room. We’re never going to get those blankets clean.

It’s interesting to note that whenever Xena’s inside, the cats actually go and visit her. I half expect to find Othello helping her groom herself, like he used to do with Iago.

Here are just a few of the antique furniture pieces my wife has picked up and had restored and refinished. The desk was already in her family, as was our sadly underused dining room table…

…but the matching night stand, dresser and china cabinet are all new. (Chloe’s litterbox isn’t so antique.)