No More Snow

The rain melted all the snow, but it's still really cold, as evidenced by the dove all puffed up against the cold. The little dove stayed there for about two hours today. I think that it's almost colder when the rain chills the air than when it's snowing. Tomorrow, however, we're expecting snow, so the woodlands in the second picture will probably be covered with snow by tomorrow night.

The little dove is all puffed up against the cold. He rested here by the shrub in the front of my house for about two hours. His little friend is hidden behind him.

The snow has melted from the woodland area, but the water is still somewhat frozen. Coyotes live here, and I can hear them howling at night.

Idelia's Skating Sampler 1908

I am working on Clara's Skating Sampler 1891 by The Sampler Girl. Since I don't have anyone in my family named Clara, I am going to personalize it with my Grandmother Idelia's name. My grandmother was born in 1891, so I am going to use the date 1908. I think she could have skated with her sweetheart at the age of seventeen. I unfortunately never had an opportunity to know my maternal grandmother. She died before my mother got married. My mother told me a great deal about my grandmother however, and I feel that I know her. I have always felt a strong connection with her since I was young. I don't really resemble Grandmother Idelia in looks, but I hope I have at least some of her inner strength and fortitude.

This sampler is stiched on 32 ct. Antique Ivory Belfast Linen. It calls for Gentle Arts and Crescent Colors. I hope to have my sampler finished by the end of next week.

Deer, Sweet Deer

It's difficult to believe that I live in a suburb of a large city. These pictures are of deer who are quite tame. They live in a forest preserve, and people feed them. They come out close to the cars because they know they are going to get fed. I just loved watching them today and took some pictures of them. I am going to go buy some deer feed and feed them this week on my way home from work. I am lucky to be able to see them so close. Aren't they beautiful?

Freezing Fog

Today was an odd day, weather wise. In the morning the shrubs and trees were coated with a snowy ice. It was quite lovely. In the afternoon a heavy fog set in. I had to go on a short trip to take my son back to college, and the weather was remarkable. The weather forecast on the way back home said "freezing fog." I found that an unusual forecast and one that I have never heard of.

The snowy ice coats the shrub and the tree. The ice stayed on the shrubs and trees all day.

The fog created incredible scenes as we were driving along the highway. I was actually the passenger, so I was able to take the pictures. This was still in the afternoon.

Dasher looks outside at the interesting weather, while Jessie Rose decides to rest by the fireplace.

Potpourri of Pictures

Everything seems to be settling down after the holidays. I finally have my Christmas decorations taken down, except for the ones that I will probably find on a shelf about a month later. The snow is still covering the ground, but the weather is supposed to be in the twenties this week. I have a few pictures that are just an assortment: Winter, an oddity, and some decorations in a favorite neighboring town.

I took this picture of a snowy forest preserve on my way home from work on Thursday.

I'm not sure why the Remax hot air balloon was in the street behind my house, but I thought it was interesting.

This picture and the following picture are decorations in a park in one of my favorite neighboring towns. I like the way the lights sparkle in the night time.

 

Jessie Rose Hides

Jessie Rose decides to hide in the artificial Poinsettia Plant. I've heard varying stories of whether or not real Poinsettia Plants are poisonous to cats, but even though recent articles have indicated that they're not harmful to cats, I prefer not to take the chance: artificial ones will do for fun as Jessie Rose will testify.

"I can't believe you can see me in here."

Happy New Year's Day

Happy New Year

I wish everyone a Happy New Year.


My sister gave my family this lovely Waterford Times Square musical Snow Globe to welcome in 2010. It plays "Auld Lang Syne."

Vintage Quilt, Santa Claus, and a Snowman

While we are all looking forward to the new year 2010, I like to consider the beauty that has been handed down to me. My Great-Aunt Ethel, my mother's aunt, was a quilter. She, however, was not a quilter of today, with everything planned out and perfect. She used fabric that she had left over from other projects, and she made needed and useful quilts for warmth. She always said that it was necessary to have a project to do. It made you want to get up and get started on it. It gave a purpose to your day. Several years ago, my dear mother gave me a quilt that Aunt Ethel had made in the early part of the twentieth century. I display this treasured quilt at Christmas and throughout the winter. It is pieced together in Christmas colors of red and green, but the blocks are composed of fabric that Aunt Ethel had left over from other sewing projects. I treasure this quilt. My Santa Claus, from the late 1950s, was one of two given to my parents when they opened bank accounts in a town they had just moved to. Santa is actually a bank and was given to new customers to encourage children to save money. I have one and my sister has one. I just love this Santa bank. My wooden snowman was painted by my mother about ten years ago. I love to look at his jolly and friendly face. These are the treasures that remind me of the beauty of this world and make this season so beautiful to me.

My Great-Aunt Ethel's quilt, which she made in the early part of the twentieth century.

This is a close-up of one of the blocks.

This is a close-up of another block.

This is the back of the quilt.

This is my 1950s Santa Claus bank. I keep it in my corner china cabinet that belonged to my Mother and Father.

This is my jolly, friendly snowman that my mother painted.

"These are a few of my favorite things."

Winter Wonderland

After waking up to a green lawn on Christmas Day, I think the beautiful snow today is like a winter wonderland. It's quiet and peaceful inside the house.  It's always so nice to be with family during the holidays. Today I'm considering what book to start reading and what stitching project to work on. My cats enjoyed their Christmas. They got a remote control mouse that they have been chasing around for two days.

Jessie Rose is taking a nap after Christmas.

Dasher is so elegant.

Snowball fades into the carpet because he is so white.

"O.K., I'm chilaxing. What of it?"

Jessie Rose is always ready to have her picture taken.

I took this picture of a hawk. He was in a tree behind my house. I took it from my upstairs window.

I love the ice on the redwood bushes. I took this picture on Christmas Eve.

Old Books and Memories

I love old books, old movies, and pretty much anything from the 1940's, even though I was not even born in that decade. When I was a little girl, I used to visit my Aunt Margaret, who had the most amazing collection of books--bookshelves were in the living room and in the sitting room. I would spend hours just going through all of her books: novels, volumes of poetry, and biographies. Every night I would curl up in a large chair under a window in the sitting room and read. My favorite book was Betty Grable and the House with the Iron Shutters, written by Kathryn Heisenfelt and published in 1943. As an adult, I always wanted my own copy of that book. I found it in a used book store and subsequently found another Betty Grable book, Betty Grable and the House of Cobwebs, published in 1947. Every time I look at them I remember my Aunt Margaret and her love of books that she shared with me.

Along with my Betty Grable books, I have The Uninvited by Dorothy Macardle, published in 1942, and later made into a great ghost movie with Ray Milland and Ruth Hussey. The other books on top of the stack are Idylls of the King, Irving's Sketch Book, and The Deerslayer, which were my Great-Aunt Virgie's school books. These editions were published in the 1800's. Aunt Virgie became a school teacher.

Snow in the Suburbs

The wind is blowing the snow across the yard. The sky is filled with the swirling flakes, but it's warm inside. The following poem "Snow in the Suburbs" was written by Thomas Hardy and published in his Collected Poems in 1925. Thomas Hardy is one of my favorite poets and authors. If you've never read his works, or if you're a frequent reader of his works, here is one of my favorite Thomas Hardy poems.

"Snow in the Suburbs"

Every branch big with it,
Bent every twig with it;
Every fork like a white web-foot;
Every street and pavement mute:
Some flakes have lost their way, and grope back upward, when
Meeting those meandering down they turn and descend again.
The palings are glued together like a wall,
And there is no waft of wind with the fleecy fall.

A sparrow enters the tree
Whereon immediately
A snow-lump thrice his own slight size
Descends on him and showers his head and eyes.
And overturns him,
And near inurns him,
And lights on a nether twig, when its brush
Starts off a volley of other lodging lumps with a rush.

The steps are a blanched slope,
Up which, with feeble hope,
A black cat comes, wide-eyed and thin;
And we take him in.

Thomas Hardy, 1925

Dasher and Snowball

Jessie's brothers, Dasher and Snowball, have allowed their photographs to be taken today.


Dasher hides behind a flower tree. This is one of his favorite spots. Dasher is a silver tabby Maine Coon Cat.

Snowball won't look directly into the camera, but you can still see him. He is a solid white Maine Coon Cat.

Snow and Ice

The snow was really nice this morning. The ice on the roads was not. Twenty minutes into my commute to work, a bridge was closed because of the ice and a wreck. The detour was solid ice. I was very thankful when I made it to work.

The following picture is from the snow this morning. These are the last blooms from a red rose bush.

Look at the pretty winter pansy that has survived the morning snow. It was still in bloom when I came home.