Phooey, Piffle, and Pshaw: Gray Days Return & I Am Tired

/ Ally Bean

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”

~ Cicero

~ • ~

Phooey!  I’m working on being grateful now, but after last week’s unexpected clear blue skies, this week’s return to dreary gray skies with snow has been difficult.

Piffle!  Then add the lost hour of sleep [I’m looking at you, Daylight Savings Time] and I’m not feeling my usual writing mojo OR joie de vivre OR any other flapdoodle-y & twaddle-ish way of using words to indicate joy and productivity.

Pshaw!  So instead of stressing myself to find something to write about that is actually interesting and fresh, I’ll just share some photos– and attempt to remember that I am grateful for this change in weather because the more the wet now, the prettier the flowers then.

~ • ~ 

In case you care, I looked up the meanings of the exclamatory words I used above.  They are defined as follows:

phooey = disbelief

piffle = nonsense

pshaw = contempt

~ • ~

75 thoughts on “Phooey, Piffle, and Pshaw: Gray Days Return & I Am Tired”

  2. My mantra for the cold, gray, dreary days of winter is “at least it isn’t snowing.” I’ll take rain, for the most part, with reasonably good grace. At least it doesn’t look like it snowed much there. Soon it will be hot and we can complain about that.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Zazzy, this is the most pathetic excuse for snow I’ve seen all Winter. Just enough to mess with the roads, not enough to look pretty. And I take your point: there’s always something to complain about when you focus on the weather!

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        • We’ve got a prediction of low teens, but no frost. I have faith that our daffys will make it through, they’re tough little bulbs. But our magnolia bushes that bloomed early now have dead flowers on them. Bummer.

          Liked by 2 people

  4. Spring arrives on Monday Ally, and with some luck the clouds will part, the drizzle and snow dust and wind and whatever is happening weather wise will magically go poof… ie: disappear… and cheerfulness and joy will abound for all 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  5. With such words, not to mention “flapdoodle-y” & “twaddle-ish,” you must have a special relationship with your spell-check. And, yes, the weather sucks. Good thing we didn’t go to Orlando this week, eh?

    Liked by 2 people

  6. We are in the midst of Spring here in California, and every day has to be appreciated, because our Summer is really our Winter, where each day is blazingly hot and the sun is relentless, and I think I will save all your words for those days, when we have to suffer through another 100+ degree day – with no end in sight. I bet you guys will have a fabulous Spring once all of this wintery weather passes.

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    • SD Gates, no matter where you live there’s always one season that makes people irritable! While I can convince myself that this is necessary, it doesn’t mean that I’m thrilled with it. And for last week to be so amazing, then this… *humph* However, I don’t do well with 100+ degree days so maybe I’m liking this weather more than I think I do. 😉

      Liked by 2 people

  7. I’m happy to send you some of the 2 feet of snow we’re getting today….. Have plenty to spare if any of your readers want some of it too! I’d gladly take a wet half inch than what is outside my window right now. I did take a picture at 4:30pm yesterday out my back door (Sunny 45F) and will take a picture at the same time and same spot today to get the stark contrast from one day to the next.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Andrew, I hear ‘ya! Our pathetic half-assed snowfall is ugly, but doesn’t require me to get out the snow thrower, so that’s good. Thanks for the offer of extra snow, btw. Think I’ll pass, though. 😉

      Liked by 1 person

  8. Yoh, who shall I feel sorry for? The daffs or you? Well, I can extend to both I guess … blame it on the full moon a little while ago. We’re all being challenged by the flippin weather … BUT the plants especially like to be challenged … be of cheerful heart and let those lovely words bring a smile to your dial .. phlipp is a good one too …

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    • Susan, I imagine that the daffys will do ok, despite the weather. And I imagine I’ll do ok, despite my grouchy attitude. No doubt that once I get the grousing out of my system I’ll be of a cheerful heart again. But for today…

      Liked by 1 person

  10. You are lucky. We are in the midst of a snowstorm with predictions of 16 to 20″ of the damn stuff. I am so over winter! To add insult to injury temps are going to hover at the freezing point for the next few days. No normal highs in the 7 day forecast. Boogers.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Kate, I agree that you’re going to get it worse than we are. My complaint is about how dull and ugly everything looks. But that’s nothing in comparison to dealing with 20″ of snow. Best of luck to you, stay safe– and feel free to complain at length about the unfairness of it all.

      Liked by 2 people

  11. Thanks for sharing those lovely pictures. Where I am in California I would have had to drive for 3 to 4 hours to see something like that. We did have a similar covering on our back deck recently but it was hail, not snow. Thanks also for the new word, piffle.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Janet, this little bit of snow is more annoying than anything else. It makes everything look gray, and it makes for some sneaky slippery sidewalks, but like hail, it’ll melt away quickly enough.

      Piffle is a good word. Use it often. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  12. Greetings from the Secondary Snow Belt in NEO, where the winds are gusting 30 mph over the Great Lakes, and we are still under the same Winter Storm Warning since yesterday and will be until Wednesday at 8PM. By that time we are forecast to add another 5 inches to the 5 already on the ground. Grey skies–when we can see them through the snow. WHY DO WE LIVE HERE?! WHAT’S TO BE DONE ABOUT IT?!

    Liked by 1 person

    • nance, you got me LAUGHING OUT LOUD with your astute commentary on our life choices. I have no explanation about why and how I became a lifelong Ohioan. Life is a mystery, and one that today is gray and snowy and dumb. Stay warm where you are, and try not to fret… too much.

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  13. It looks like just enough snow to make things difficult but not enough to make things beautiful (at least that’s how I think of those winter wonderland pictures I see – I’ve never really experienced snow enough to know how it feels to live in it). Our big rains here in California have resulted in the bountiful flowers we are seeing now. Yay spring!

    Liked by 2 people

    • Janis, this amount of almost nothing snow is difficult to deal with because it’s sneaky. Unlike a deep obvious snowfall, with this dusting you think everything is fine, then you slip– or your car slides– and wham! you’ve got trouble. However, I do realize that this late winter snowfall will bring much needed water that will make the bushes and flowers pretty later in the Spring, so I’ll try not to grumble too much.

      Liked by 1 person

  14. This time of year is rough. The snow nearly broke my heart. Plus we had a little spring trip planned and had to cancel because sickness invaded. What a waste of vacation days. Plus I was miserable so did nothing and feeling guilty for that. Oh whoas me.

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Yes, yes, the flowers will be prettier later, and Autumn might actually have some color. BUT! It hath not snowed or rained enough, here at least, to make it worth the hassle of what this lovely weather brings. *sigh* Nice try there with the gratitude. Maybe it’ll rub off on me … … … Well, I’m grateful that I’m thinking of moving to Vermont. No lack for great color there. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  16. Piffle. My mom used to say that. That, and “It’s for the cat” meaning, it’s completely useless. That’s what I think about grey wintery days that are supposed to be green and blue and yellow! You hear that Ma Nature!?

    Liked by 2 people

    • Maggie, piffle is a good word that needs to regain its place in the everyday lexicon of refined bloggers everywhere! Never heard the cat saying, but I get it. From your lips/fingertips to Mother Nature’s ear, ok?

      Liked by 1 person

  17. Excellent title, Ally Bean! 😀
    I feel much the same, but I love the winter, and the gray, and the snow, so I blame all my lethargy on the STUPID STUPID STUPID Daylight Savings Time. Day two and we’re all like zombies over here. Frozen lasagna, storebought loafa bread, much sofa, many sittings, so sigh.

    Liked by 1 person

    • joey, I like to goof around with words so this title just came to me. I usually like winter, too. But this year winter has been an elusive little scamp, never quite here with enough snow and cold to make me happy. Oh well, not much I can do about it except grumble and yawn– and eat meals when I’m not yet hungry, but forced to do so by a clock. Daylight Saving Time is stupid.

      Liked by 1 person

  19. At least you’ve used words that are printable. Mine are a lot more *colourful*.
    On the other hand, I really shouldn’t complain much. Snowmageddon missed us. It’s nasty cold, but we got off lightly in the snow department.

    Liked by 1 person

  20. I despise the time changes, and also hate the gray. (lots of it here lately) Thankfully, I’m getting out of “town” Friday to fly to visit my daughter in Santa Monica, CA where the temps are perfect and I’m hoping to see some blue sky. 🙂

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    • Sheila, I’ve seen your snowfall and it’s much more impressive than our pathetic dusting. Ours just caused trouble, yours looks like trouble. Piffle, I say to all of it. Winter needs to be a memory.

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  24. March has always been a struggle for me, so I’m right there with all the phooeys, piffles, and pshaws. We just got slammed with a blizzard, and once where I could see promising green grass is now suffocating under 8 inches of snow. PhooeyPifflePshawPhooeyPifflePshawPhooeyPifflePshawPhooeyPifflePshaw!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Kate, some years it is a delightful month, but this year March has been sneaky. Sorry to hear about your blizzard and totally understand why you are. not. happy.

      PhooeyPifflePshaw, indeed!

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