And The Snow Came, West Chester, Ohio, Feb. 5, 2014

I don't know if you keep up with old Punxsutawney Phil up there in Gobblers Knob, Pennsylvania or not but regardless of what his predictions might be winter is still here and I might add with a vigilance. Speaking of the ground hog predictions you have Staten Island Chuck in Staten Island, New York and General Beauregard Lee in Atlanta, Georgia and all the other creatures that tell us about how much more winter we have to endure ( supposedly 6 weeks ) or to say it another way it is spring time in 6 more weeks have you ever checked the calendar to see how many weeks it is officially to the start of spring and the end of winter ( six weeks ). You might be surprised to learn it is the same every year regardless of what they tell us the ground hog told us. Old Punxsutawney Phil accuracy rate is reportedly 39 % so it is not high enough for me to go the bank with.

Here in West Chester we are many inches over our normal snow fall and still climbing. This latest storm that went through last night was an interesting mix of rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow. Where you live made a difference of what you received and how much for the first few hour and then it decided to snow on all of us the rest of the night. Here at my house I had a good five inches that was topped off with perhaps a half inch if frozen sleet and ice. When I went out to get the neighbors paper and take it up to his house I could walk on the snow and just barely break through the crust. I broke through just enough to make walking very difficult. 30 miles south of me the weather bureau posted flood warnings because of the rain and few miles north of me they were calling for and did receive 8 inches or more of snow.

I won't be picking up the neighbors paper for a few day because I am having hernia surgery tomorrow at 12:30 P. M. so I will be grounded for a few days. Fortunately I have local family that will be helping me for a few days and I appreciate that. Thank you Mike and Patricia.  I also appreciate my good neighbor Mike who used his snow blower to clear not only his drive way but mine and two other neighbors drive ways. Thank you Mike.

The Fountain Is Still Frozen But I Did Find A Heater To Put In It. It Is still Frozen To Much For The Pump To Work. Will Just Have To Wait Until The Spring Thaw I Guess.

Neighbor Mike Cleaning My Driveway.

Wild life in the back yard is still very much active. Bird and squirrels all over the place with an occasional hawk coming through seeking  a meal and he usually finds one. The deer are very active also but they mostly come in at night so I have not been able to get any new photographs. One thing I have noticed this is the first year that I have seen any bucks in the yard it has always been doe with their babies. The other night I saw one buck with five doe and it was funny to see him trying to keep them from wandering off. If one strayed away a few yards he was right there to herd her back. It looked like he had his hands full trying to keep his ladies where he wanted them. Also the other night I saw three bucks in the yard at the same time which is really unusual because the bucks are generally loners unless they have their doe with them. In this instance it was one older buck with a nice rack with two younger buck with smaller racks. They were beautiful but I could not get a photograph of them at night. I will keep watching and maybe they will come by in the day time. Of course the squirrels are very active. It is so interesting. I have 8 feeders with 3 different kind of seed for the wild life and the squirrels fight over which feeder to eat from. Their antics keep me laughing  all day if I just sit and watch them.

Well I guess that is all the weather, health and wildlife report from West Chester for now. Keep me in your prayers and as always remember that God loves you and so do I.

Grandpa Bill

Comment:  " For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, " plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29: 11. NIV

This passage is where God is speaking to the the people of Israel who had been carried into captivity by King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon and he is telling Israel not to give up but to build houses, multiply in numbers, marry and have children and give them in marriage  and turn to him in prayer. This is interesting because The Lord God Almighty is telling them to pray and make the city where they are being held captive prosper and be peaceful and they too will prosper. Some times it is difficult to know and follow Gods instruction to us when we are in what we think are bad and difficult time but this passage although directed to Israel a long time ago I think gives an answer to us today and that is to pray for God's guidance and for him to help us follow his instructions.