Some Snow, A Valentine, and a Wee Bit Burns

Winter arrived the other day, a little over a month late. Two inches of snow have fallen since yesterday and another two inches will arrive by tomorrow morning. A respite from the snow until Saturday but not the temperatures, it is bitterly cold, and we are now steadily moving through our wood pile and will be reording our second cord to get us through the winter.
Islay, our precious six month old shih tzu, has become the "outdoor dog", when we went to pick up her up Bill (in an attempt to be funny), was asking "is she a guard do", "will she run the fence line" and similiar unsuitable questions for a companion dog. Little did I know that his questions were a prophecy waiting to come true. She loves the great outdoors (or at least our back garden), romping with her two brothers (one large, one small), barking at intruding birds, blowing leaves, and errant snow flakes, and yes - she does run the fence line. I could not resist taking the camera out this morning and capturing our girl in the snow.

Wishfully I look and languish In that bonie face o' thine,

And my heart it sounds wi'anguish,

Lest my wee thing be na mine.

The Bonnie Wee Thing, Robert Burns, 1791

O wad some Power the giftie gi us

To see oursels as ithers see us!

To a Louse, Robert Burns,1786

I have been productive over the last few days, I have finised a sock mate (Bunny Blueberries), grafting the toe this morning and blocking the afternoon, and I have turned the heel on another. I have also completed my Valentine Exchange - I think it turned it rather well.