As I mentioned in my previous piece, I had planned to start posting on Wednesdays rather than Mondays in 2024. But guess what? Another nasty storm is forecasted to blow into Maine on Tuesday night and into Wednesday. Along with a storm watch that will bring wet, heavy snow, we have received a flood warning and a high wind watch, with expected power outages. To borrow from the excellent crime show Fargo: Oh, for Pete’s sake. (Fargo is set in Minnesota and North Dakota.)
So instead of posting on Wednesday, I am posting today.
Tomorrow, I’ll be making a big batch of black bean soup, which we can heat up on the camp stove should the power go out. Also, because treats are important during a power outage, I’ll be baking oatmeal bars with chocolate chips.
What makes this storm so particularly galling is that on Sunday, we had the most perfect snow storm with six to eight inches of light fluffy snow. Clif and our daughter Dee were able to easily take care of the cleanup, and it was a pleasure to watch the falling snow while chickpea soup bubbled in the slow cooker.
Here is a picture from my dining room window taken during the storm. If you look carefully at the feeder, you might notice the falling snow along with a little bird feeding. I think the bird is a gold finch.
Here is another picture taken from my dining room window this morning after the storm.
I must admit to feeling a little discouraged at the thought of having another power outage and all the work it entails.
But on a more cheerful note, I have received gifts from some of my lovely blogging friends.
Oranges and lemons from Betsy and picked in her own backyard.
Sweet Santas, again from Betsy, and a pretty quilting square from Judy of New England Garden and Thread.
Finally, a beautiful bookmark from Lavinia of Salmon Brook Farms.
With such thoughtful blogging friends, it’s impossible to stay down in the dumps for too long.
I’ll keep you posted about the storm.
Notes From the Hinterland 
The snow looks beautiful, Laurie! I am glad our card and bookmark arrived. 🙂
Some wild and windy weather coming our way here today band tomorrow. I hope we keep our power, too.
Many thanks! Hope you keep your power. Fingers crossed we keep ours.
I hope the storm turns out to be a bit of a non-event but it sounds like you’re well prepared either way. Keep safe!
Many thanks!
Great that you prepare ahead: soup and oatmeal choc chip cookies sound good to me.
It helps but we sure do hope we keep our power.
Sounds like you are well prepared should the storm hit. Will the snow gauge be making an appearance?
We are prepared. As long as we have snow, Snow-gauge Clif will make an appearance. Right now, we have a little, but who knows what this winter will bring? Phew, it’s been wild.
Oh good! Hope your winter is not too harsh.
Enjoy the soup and oatmeal bars!
Will do!
Good luck Laurie, may the force (power) stay with you 😉
Tee-hee! Yes, may it stay with us.
I sort of like winter, but not power outages. But yep, here we go. Lovely wintry photos, though.
Many thanks! And, yes, power outages are such a drag.
Thank you for sharing your wintry beauty, Laurie. I hope the storm won’t get too bad and you will weather it without loss of power!
All the best,
Tanja
Thanks, Tanja! Sure do hope we keep our power.
You have used that word “flooding” way too much lately! I too, hope it doesn’t get to the point of losing power. Here in Kansas we are to get some blowing snow, then some low temps. My solution is to make baked goods to keep the oven on! But, let’s be real, we want the homemade goodies.☺️
What a word! Yes, we want the homemade goodies, and as far as treats go, these aren’t too bad.
What lovely gifts! I hope you keep your power.
Same!
Beautiful gifts, including the lovely snow. I hope the storm doesn’t do too much damage. We’re waiting on it here, too, but we’ll get rain, strong winds, and they’re saying coastal flooding so I imagine that will factor in, too. They buried a lot of the powerlines underground a while back and that helps with power outages, but they’re still possible since some of the lines are still above ground.
Yes, such beautiful gifts. Sure wish we had burried power lines, especially as Maine is 80 percent wooded. Great for the environment, but bad for power outages.
Oh no re another storm, especially with wind. Fingers crossed that it won’t measure up to their expectations. 🤞
Yes, fingers crossed, and I hope it doesn’t hit your area.
Oh, she’s a’comin’!! 😳🤞
Sigh.
Oh my! Hope the storm is not too rough on y’all. Sounds as if a good portion of the country will get a piece of this one. We finally got our first snow here (Maryland) on Saturday, 5″ or so, wet and heavy. Your snow pics are pretty. Enjoy the bean soup and oatmeal bars with (I hope) or without the power. Yum!
Thanks, Ginny! Those storms have a way of ripping up the coast.
Lovely gifts, Laurie. And lovely photos. So wise to be prepared for another outage, but I surely hope it will not be needed.
Fingers crossed! And toes, too.
❤
The month of December was like fall, and now January is sure coming in like a lion. I’ll be waiting to hear and hoping that the power stays on. With power, the rest is just an inconvenience. Happy eating, and treats are always needed.
A great description. Yes, a lion. So true about the power. Makes everything easier. Well, we shall see.
No snow here, but we just dropped from 74F to 52F in a half hour. Happy front! It’s windy, cold, and we have our first freeze warnings in the area forecast: not here on the coast, but certainly north of Houston. I hope your storm treats you well; putting up with power outages is no fun, even when you’re practiced at coping!
That is quite a drop. Fingers crossed that we don’t lose our power.
You always have very photogenic snow. Sorry that your power is under threat. Cold and dark can make for a depressing day.
Snow is very pretty. And, yes, cold and dark can make for a very depressing day.
The advantage of being a writer is that even when it is cold and dark outside, it can be warm and bright inside your head. 🙂
I, too, am sad that all the beautiful fluffy stuff won’t last. It was a perfect day today with the deep blue sky and the trees all adorned in white. I am SO hoping the coming storms won’t flood us out again… I’ve had quite enough after last summer, fall, etc. etc. thank-you!
Right? The snow is so pretty. Oh, I hope your area isn’t flooded again. We in New England have had one heck of time. In central Maine, there are businesses that still haven’t recovered from December’s flood.
Take care, Laurie! I do hope you don’t experience yet another power outage.
Many thanks! Fingers crossed.
Best wishes and crossing fingers you don’t lose power, we’ve only lost power for a few days during bushfires, and it sure made us realised how much we missed it!
Thank you, thank you! Yes, nothing like losing electricity to make you appreciate it.
Oh for Pete’s sake! I’m so bummed on your behalf, Laurie. Another big storm so soon and with little time to prepare. Clearly you’re a pro, making soup ahead of time knowing you can warm it on your camp stove and baking up a batch of delicious treats to see you through. Those oranges look tasty as well. I’m glad you shared your blogger gifts. People in this community are both kind and creative. Hang in there.
Oh, thanks so much. Those oranges are so tasty. Love the blogging community! So very generous. Fingers crossed that we keep our power.
Fingers crossed.
Your yard looks so magical in the snow Laurie and I hope you will be able to ride the storm without any power outages 💜🙏
Thanks so much! Fingers crossed that we can keep our power.
I do hope you at least retain your power
We did. Yay!
Beautiful images. We don’t have snow here but the temperature was in double digit below zero in the last week. We call it Sibirkulde 🥶🥶🥶
Thanks, Rupali! Very cold.
Isn’t it lovely to finally have some snow to look at!
Laurie, I hope the storm doesn’t knock out your power, but I think you’re wise to be prepared just in case. We’re getting rain (more mud, yuck) today, but could see some snow by the weekend. As long as we avoid ice, I’m okay with it! Lovely presents from your friends — how cool to have lemons and oranges, right in your own backyard!!
We came through without a power outage!
Long power outages are no fun! Stay safe and warm – I know you are always well prepared.
Thanks so much!
We got our first snow of the year last night, Laurie, about 4 inches that will melt tomorrow. I don’t think I’d enjoy the huge dumps of snow, wind, flooding, and power outages that you have in Maine. And what lovely gifts to brighten your day. Bloggers are wonderful, indeed. Stay warm and stay safe, my friend.
Bloggers are the best!
Birds coming for seeds can make up for a lot. During the big snow, I found out the balcony at our new retirement place could attract goldfinches, juncos, woodpeckers, sparrows and — get this — bluebirds!
We had snow, still here. Now the temps are going to plummet starting Friday. GEEZ!!!
What a winter!
I wish they could all be light fluffy snowstorms!! Heavy snow and power outages is awful and I can’t believe all the rain and flooding that is happening with the winter storms. Love the new season of Fargo and am just getting ready to watch an episode. Your soup and snacks sound wonderful and I hope the worst of the storm misses you and the power stays on!🙂
Same! Central Maine escaped the worst of the storm, but the coast was hit hard. We, too, love the new season of Fargo and watched the penultimate episode last night. One more to go!
Oatmeal bars with chocolate chips. Mmm!
Pretty darned good as my Yankee husband would say.