February First

The Super Bowl will take place tomorrow and the Winter Olympics will begin in Sochi, Russia on Thursday. It began snowing here about 6 yesterday evening, and it's still coming down; the NWS said we had 4.5 inches yesterday and should expect another 2 to 4 inches today...  This is fine weather  for reading and research, but all the insistent loving of Lovey makes doing either difficult.  She is currently sitting as close to the keyboard as she possibly can, blocking both  the keyboard and the monitor from my view.  When this doesn't break my concentration, she tries to remove my glasses with her chin, jaw, nose, ears and tail... And no matter how many times I pick her up and set her down, well away from my desk, she beats me back to it.
  On 22 October, I blogged that the "Goblin Valley Destruction was Juvenile."  I still feel that way.  The National Park Service and the state of Utah pressed charges against the two Mormon church and Boy Scout leaders yesterday.  Glenn Taylor, who did the actual physical work in breaking down the Jurassic-era rock formation, was charged with one count of felony criminal mischief.  His buddy, David Hall, who recorded their laughing destruction of a national monument, was charged with one count of felony aiding and assisting in criminal mischief.  The men face up to five years in prison, up to $5,000 in fines, and monetary restitution for damages to natural resources of the state of Utah. For destroying a protected monument in a state park, I think these guys should get the maximum penalty - they ruined something that nature took eons (170 million years) to sculpt in 14 seconds.  The men go to court on 18 March to face the charges.
  I had the most wonderful supper last night - Beatrice and I took a cab to The Cheesecake Factory.  I was craving a good steak, and I had one.  I ended up with a salad, sweet potato fries, the Coulotte steak, and a slice of pineapple-upside-down cheesecake.  Had I died last night, it would have been a an extremely satisfied epicurean delight within me.
   Here are a progression of snow photos in my back yard:

Squirrel sitting on fence Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m.

Friday morning at 8 a.m.

Nedi at tree trunk Friday at noon

My satellite dish Saturday morning at 8

Same tree from the second photo at 8 a.m. today

And, if you like Tim Tebow, and have not yet seen his two commercials for T-Mobile that will air during the Super Bowl tomorrow, check the out...  They are hilarious!  He pokes fun at himself for not having a contract....     http://youtu.be/xTaH-OtUv94