Early morning temperatures have been settling around low twenties.  Daytime temperatures are unseasonably pleasant.  Tuesday was 54 and sunny so I spent a few hours in the sun pulling old dead perennials and mentally planning my early spring garden.  Also protected myself from future injuries by putting Gorilla tape over the tops of remaining PVC pipes that hold raised garden boards in place. Yesterday and today downtown Murphy reached 67 with a heavy cloud cover.  We're under tornado watch until 9 pm. The wind is wild and loud.  Cliff said this air feels like March as spring's warm air collides with winter's cold weather leaving. 

I found myself suddenly sitting at the counter in Rick's Diner at 7:30 this morning.  Cliff had another hankering for Rick's waffle, 2 eggs, and bacon.  Of course we were the only ones at the counter.  A few tables had folks but on a gloomy dark stormy morning only crazy people venture out at that hour.  From there we made a quick trip to Wally-World so we could get back home and stay put for the predicted line of storms coming our way. 

Last night Cliff helped make a winter vegetable root soup by peeling and dicing the seven vegetables that needed peeling and dicing.  It's a good soup, very healthy, but I won't make it again.  Too much work! 

From the kitchen window...................
This little guy must be from Texas.  Seeds get thrown into the empty flower box from the house feeder as the birds flick out the seeds they don't want.  I've chased him away, put hot sauce in the dirt, sprinkled hot pepper flakes, and after sprinkling cayenne pepper, decided he deserves to sit and eat the discarded seeds.  He's earned it and all the movement at the sink doesn't deter him at all. 

As you can see, life is good in the mountains.............