COLD. I hates it.

What is that Mr. Weather Forecaster Guy from NPR?  Did you just say it's going to get colder?  And stay like this all week?!

It's been pretty cold here in Memphis the past couple of days and like a bad winter gardener I have not been checking the weather forecast because I'm being an AVOIDER.  The Great Avoider to be precise.  Running... running away from the weather sites. 

Well, to be honest, slightly frozen (not in fear) but in actual frozen-ness due to my house being set at 62 degrees (because I am cheap and trying to stick it to the energy companies in my own pathetic way).   So I'm feeling a GREAT dislike at the idea of even stepping outside.  This makes things difficult for the dog and she has to really work on me to get up and get dressed and take her out on her walk to do the biz of the day.

Haven't looked at the plants.  Terrible, I  know.  Too cold and too scared to see if the babies can survive the crazy 16 degrees F predicted for tonight.  I should probably cover them.   Only the strong can survive?  Here at my place, we're akin to Spartans.  Shiver it out and deal or you will be mercilessly taunted.  Actually we both hate it and wear sweaters like mad. 

I lived in Chicago for a while and survived their winters of WIND and SNOW and negative degree temperatures! How does the body forget so easily? 

Even the dog has found a blanket and makes a point to curl herself around it all day.  Is this animal cruelty?

Speaking of which, the joys of home ownership and living by a park has combined and we have squirrels.  AGAIN.  Which this time better not have babies because last time we had a squirrel in the attic and we evicted it we only realized later that it had a baby and I almost fainted when I found out what it takes to take care of a squirrel baby.  Let's just say, the literal stroking of its genitals to get it to do its biz (seriously, it says this!) was not what I had in mind and an animal rescuer/relocator was quickly found.  This current batch of critters has yet to be seen, but has been heard and leafy evidence is evident in the attic insulation.

I think I get cranky in the cold and this affects my writing.

On a happier note, I think my indoor citrus may be going to bud by being stimulated by the cold temps in here. 

I always find it so interesting how flowers go into fruit and the differing stages and appearance in closeness from flower to fruit form.

If you click on the pics and look close the flower buds almost look like little oranges w/segments even though it's a lemon tree really.