Verified words? - 12-th edition

Recently, I have encountered some real words (canter, stings, skins) as I commented on your blogs. However I also encountered more "word verifications" that require definitions. Below are my definitions along with the suggestions of dictionary.com and wikipedia. First edition was posted as Round 1. Today's words:

merimate
dictionary.com - NOT a word, suggested "marinate"
wikipedia - NOT a word, suggested "merimee"
Lew's definition: mer-i-mate - a happy spouse

pekibee
dictionary.com - NOT a word, suggested "peckier"
wikipedia - NOT a word, suggested "perigee"
Lew's definition: pek-i-bee - a game played around the hive.

cessi
dictionary.com - NOT a word, suggested "cess".
wikipedia - NOT a word, suggested "cesi".
Lew's definition: ces-si - the monster in the septic tank.

Reflections - Church spires

I have posted images of the twin spires of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. This one uses the window of the candy shop on the corner as a mirror.

Weekend Reflections is hosted by James of Newtown Area Photo.

Reflections - Roses for my valentine

Weekend Reflections is hosted by James of Newtown Area Photo.

Weekend Reflections - Winter day

This reflection of our neighborhood was taken on February 11 as our third winter storm cleared. I also want to recommend a sky reflection posted on the NASA web site APOD (be sure to move your mouse over the image). I plan to be an occasional participant in Weekend Reflections. Click HERE to get the links to other participants.

See a reflection of the Endeavor launch also.

Weekend Reflections is hosted by James of Newtown Area Photo.

Sky watch extra

A shot taken by our neighbor taken December 20 after our first big snow. My Sky Watch post December 24 included an image I took about the same time.

More PhotoShop and icicles

I am enjoying the variations that occur in icicles. This closeup of several on our house was taken at night with flash on February 9 and appears in my sidebar "Winter watch". I applied "auto color correction", "sharpen", and "saturate color" to get the above image. The image below has the "hue" shifted to leave only red.

Full birdbath

Tuesday morning

Wednesday morning

Out on the roads

Our street

Yesterday the road in front of our house was in good shape. Marianne had a regular checkup with her dentist; so we made a trip out. While she was at the dentist, I saw her hair stylist nearby. He wanted to change her appointment (was for today). She then got her haircut and no trip out for her today. I also made a trip into the edge of Frederick to restock a few items. The main roads were in very good shape (with high piles on the side). Side streets were slippery and traffic was heavy, making it along time to get out of the parking lot.

Waiting at a red light

Shopping center

Tuesday morning

Icicles

With snow on the roof and the sun shining, we get icicles. Here are some outside out dining room window. The tip of an icicle is below, followed by a PhotoShop enhanced image (sharpened, auto color applied and contrast added).

A little sun and a lot of digging to do

After nearly 30 hours, the snow stopped while I was clearing a path from our front door. The sky was clearing and the sun popped out. I uncovered the van and got part of the driveway cleared. The street is not very drivable yet and I have a bunch of snow to remove behind the van.

We got snow!

Around 18 inches and still coming down. This is my 1,000 post.

Here we go again!

I saw the first snowflakes about 10:30 AM. When I took the above shot about 1 PM, not much had stuck (snow in the field is from last week). At 4:30 (picture below), the flakes were large and the snow was sticking. The forecast is for 2 feet (or more) before ending Saturday night. Tonight the winds will pick up and I expect a lot of drifting.

We do not often get a foot of snow in this area - maybe every five years or so. This is the second major snow storm this winter which is a record. (May have happened back in the ice-age, but those records are not online yet!) The local governments got ahead of this one: schools are closed and snowplows are ready even before the snow started. Local TV stations are in full snow coverage mode with reporters standing in the snow by the roads telling us to not drive. One reporter is even doing live reports from a moving car! Airlines are canceling flights.