Snow and Pretty Things (Last Pic may be NSFW)

So many of my friends both here in Minnesota and elsewhere got pounded by snow over the past few days. DH and I shoveled our snow several times yesterday and I will still need one more quick shovel this morning before I leave today, but it won't be too bad. It was very pretty snow and we got about 6"-8" total so not impossible. I am sure I'll have to deal with snowplow detritus at the end of the driveway - always the thing that makes shoveling challenging. I usually have DH take care of that end of the driveway while I start at the top, but he's still sleeping and if I don't have a huge amount of snow to move I'll let him sleep in until his alarm goes off at 7:00 am.

This was my front yard after we had already shoveled twice. I loved

the snow on the tree branches.

So I thought that after the obligatory snow picture I would show very pretty warm pictures to remind all of us about the seasons yet to come...

With a cruise ship floating in the Gulf of Mexico without power, a nice Mexican beach photo might be appropriate...

This pic is of Cabo San Lucas. I've never been there, but would love to go.

...and flowers are one of the wonderful gifts of nature, so I wanted to find some funky-cool flowers to show all of you. My cousin Miki and her partner are on a Caribbean cruise. She took this lovely picture of flowers and a butterfly that I'm sharing with all of you...

Flowers and a butterfly on San Maarten

...and finally it is Carnival time with Fat Tuesday tomorrow. So let's all celebrate before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.

Mardi Gras has some wonderful floats made by various Krews

who work on them year-round. He's quite lovely.

...and a final picture from Carnival in Rio. This last one may be NSFW although they are in public on the streets of Rio so...different values. In any case, they are quite lovely.

Two very lovely ladies from this year's Carnival in Rio.