Thursday, November 7, 2013

No words, no music .... just a snowy view


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9 comments:

Fram Actual said...

Four to five inches of snow were predicted Tuesday night and there might have been that much, but most of it melted on contact with a warm earth and this was all that remained by 7:30 Wednesday morning. Snow or no snow, the window frame wrap, the soffit work and fascia work were completed by the end of the day. Installation of a new garage door and shingle replacement had taken place a few weeks ago. Had the correct siding been delivered last week, the outside repair/renovation work on the house would be done except for installing some new exterior lighting fixtures.

Only one more photograph remains to be taken -- the "finished product," in a manner of speaking -- and, barring more of the unforeseen, that should appear in about two weeks. Other work, directly or indirectly resulting from an August 6 thunderstorm, such as a new roof on the patio (the old one has been removed), might still be done in coming weeks, but some tasks, such as painting the barn, cannot be undertaken until next spring -- if ever at all.

I have physically helped build two entire houses in the past, one for another individual and one for myself, but this relatively small repair/renovation project has been the most stressful and unpleasant of the three. Delays, errors, a significant number of houses needing repair after the storm and a bit of contractor incompetence have made it an experience I wish to forget and I will try to do so when everything is finished and done.

If you are bored with these posts about the house, me, too .... "ain't life a drag," to quote a fictional character wearing a black, leather jacket, his eyes hidden by "shades" and smoking a Camel straight, who dwells in my mind and who drifts somewhere in space and time ....

November 7, 2013 at 6:55 AM
Anita said...

Congratulation with the first snow!the house will look nice when its finished.Patience Fram:))
Greetings Norway!

November 7, 2013 at 8:29 AM
Fram Actual said...

The house actually will be new on the outside, Anita, but its appearance will be near-identical to its previous look. I did not want to change it.

And, yes, I am sure it will look nice. The workers are doing a fine job; it is just that everything moves slowly and there are inexcusable delays.

The first snow is nearly gone, but there is always the threat of severe storms during November in this region.

It is nice to see you.

November 7, 2013 at 10:12 PM
A Cuban In London said...

Well, there is music. To me snow dulls the senses. Although I dislike winter (give me autumn and spring, death and rebirth anytime) I love going out after a heavy snowfall. The sound, or lack of it thereof, is eerie. To me this is the music of winter, the non-sound sound. The sound that dulls the senses by introducing you to its own silent score.

Greetings from London.

November 7, 2013 at 10:54 PM
Fram Actual said...

The degree to which snow dulls the senses might depend to some extent upon how heavily one is dressed, but it is very obvious snow and ice have a significant deadening affect on sound. Try sleeping in a snow house or an ice house, CiL, and you will find yourself in a world within a world. In a "sense," the world outside the snow house ceases to exist and you may have to remind yourself it is still there.

We were born a bit too late to enjoy the "music" of sleigh bells during the winter months -- unless, of course, we would happen to find ourselves in a rural setting at the right time. I have heard the bells of a few sleighs, but sometimes I wonder what the sounds of countless sleigh bells would have been like after a major snowfall in a place like New York City little more than a century ago.

Thank you, for dropping by for a visit. And, incidentally, winter is my least favorite season, especially the frigid months of January and February.

November 8, 2013 at 2:05 AM
Smareis said...

Olá Fram,

Primeiramente agradeço pelo comentário sempre tão inteligente nas palavras.
Eu Sempre feliz quando te leio.
Tenho andado ausente um pouco da internet por isso às vezes demoro aparecer. Já vinha chegando aqui quando li seu comentário lá no meu blog.
Sua postagem como sempre é maravilhosa, com musica, sem música, sempre é especial.
A imagem esta linda, a natureza sabe ser gentil e proporciona momentos de beleza jamais vistos... O silêncio e a imagem dizem mais que quaisquer palavras. Acalma-Me os sentidos olhar essa imagem. Passar uma noite debaixo de uma nevasca deve ser doído. Acho que não existem roupas que esquente o corpo. Acho que não aguentaria esse frio, morreria em minutos risos. Minha cidade é calor de 40 graus quase que o ano todo, aqui o frio é muito mínimo, quase nada.
Com certeza é uma Maravilhosa visão essa imagem. Gostei!

Deixo um abraço com desejo de um ótimo fim de semana, com a neve mais tranquila.

November 8, 2013 at 5:29 AM
Fram Actual said...

When I was a boy, life in a four-season world was marvellous. Winter meant Thanksgiving and Christmas. It meant snowball fights, playing hockey on the lake and skiing and sledding on the river valley bluffs. Summer meant baseball and swimming and bicycle riding -- and, the Fourth of July. Autumn and spring had their activities to offer, too.

As an adult, for me, anyway, winter lost much of its appeal. It still had great beauty to offer, but commuting to work in snow storms and on icy roads takes a toll on nerves and creates a certain unpleasantness not found at other times of the year.

Right now, I live in this tree-shrouded house in a quiet, attractive neighborhood where people of all ages walk alone or in family groups, often with dogs, past the house every day, no matter what the weather, feeling safe and secure. But, in literally ten to twelve minutes, I can be standing at a boarding gate in an international airport, ready to depart for anywhere in the world. There is something strange to living in such a paradoxical situation.

I enjoy visiting your blog, Smareis. You always write thought-provoking posts. I enjoy it when you visit my blog, and write words which leave me with a smile.

November 8, 2013 at 7:43 AM
Kelly said...

I have been thinking that I want to see more snow, a snowman and a wreath on the front door. Maybe some twinkling lights in the tree too :-) Looks lovely and you will be cozy this winter. Do you have a nice fireplace inside? In my city we don't get snow and must travel, not to far a distance, but travel about two hours to experience it. I love to visit the snow. It is especially nice to be in quiet woods surrounded by snow but warm and cozy inside. I feel the changes to come are going to be good ones :-)

November 10, 2013 at 4:55 AM
Fram Actual said...

I just finished putting together another post, Kelly, and it should go up in a few minutes. There is not much to it, but this is Semper Fidelis time of the year for me, and my mood is such that I did not want it to slip away unnoticed.

You are thinking snow, I am thinking escape the snow. I suppose I am that way every November. I mean, I suppose I am never ready for it when it first arrives. If it were woodland snow as opposed to city snow, I might be more inclined to enjoy it.

As for twinkling lights, I put a few strings of Christmas lights up in the patio last Thanksgiving, and have had them on every single night, without fail, since then .... until last week, when I had to take them down for renovation work there. The patio has no roof now, and, at the speed the contractor works, it might be next summer before the new roof is in place.

No .... no "real" fireplace, but there is an artificial one which glows and provides heat and looks nice when the lights are off. It is a poor substitute for the real thing, but significantly easier to clean.

I am glad you have come to visit me .... thank you.

November 10, 2013 at 5:55 AM

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