Sheila's Brush

[Erik:]

I learned a new folklore tidbit from Newfoundland the other day. It was Friday, and although we had recently had temps in the 40s F (and people were buzzing about the coming spring), they were forecasting a late snowstorm. A colleague at work who had lived for over 20 years in Newfoundland told me this was "Sheila's Brush." I asked her why, and she wasn't sure--it was simply what they called a late "gotcha" kind of storm, usually in March.

So, I looked it up online. In fact, it was the perfect term to use: Shelia's Brush is a snowstorm that falls right around St. Patty's Day. In legend, Sheila was associated with St. Patrick--his wife, or his mother, or his sister, depending on your source. "Shelia's Brush" is supposed to be ol' Sheila dusting the last of the snow off her broom. (And truth be told, this didn't really turn out to be enough of a snowfall to qualify, I think--usually it means a pretty formidable storm; this one brought us only 8 or 10 cm).

The main accumulation was Friday night into Saturday morning; then we got a brief reprise Sunday afternoon. Here are Kate and Sheehan working on creative endeavors as today's snow picked up in intensity:



















Pictured with them is an anorexic snow maiden wrought by Sheehan. Kate made an...errrr...interesting thing. The back-story was something about our cat, Stella, going tubing in the snow and running into a tree. To me, it looks more like the progeny of a yeti and a guanaco.

The kids also dug out an excellent cave in a snowbank across the street. Here I am standing outside the entrance, to give you scale of the door (Sheehan is lying inside):
































And here are the diggers, in repose:



















To see more pics from today, check out this album:

18-Mar

Sorry I have not been adding many posts of late. I'm pretty under the gun as I get settled in at work--lots going on, and I won't bore you with the details, here. Then Sheehan and I both got whacked with the flu, as I've mentioned earlier in this blog--it lasted the better part of three weeks and was a doozy.

And now, on top of work, the Mother of all Distractions: it's NCAA Tourney time! If you know me at all, you know that in the evenings/weekends I'm currently parked on the couch watching the hoops drama unfold (and this year, for the first time in my house, it's in glorious high definition! [singing] Heaven, I'm in heaven...) Sure, my bracket is already burnt to a crisp (thanks a LOT, UNLV. And USC. And Tennessee. And...you get the idea.) But I love it all the same. (And the Heels are still in it, come on Carolina!)

More when I can swing it. I'll try to get Kimm posting, as well (she says she plans to). She can tell you about the rug-hooking groups she's joined, and the ceilidh ("KAY-lee") we went to on Patty's day.