In the Thick of Winter

The sun is playing peek-a-boo right now which is a very much welcome change from most of the week. Grey, rainy days have dogged us after about a week of very pleasant weather. Everyone said winter was not nearly done but it sure felt like it. Whether it will come true or not is the question, but snow is predicted for next week. 

Time will tell, as it always does.

I neglected to remove the photos on one of my cameras until today and was pleasantly surprised to find these taken the morning after the snow.

Bruce was shoveling the snow to make a path should I want to leave the house that day. There is a local hardware store within a few blocks that had salt that morning and he used that as well. He was preparing to go and work on that ramp I told you about.

That night the town was sleeping under the big snow. 

Here is something I forgot to mention; when we returned from Florida snow remained in many places, nine days later.

Perhaps you looked for my post a few days ago, and if so I thank you very much. It was not there because for two days I struggled with my computer and finding my photos. Seemingly, I have it sorted out until the next crisis. If I were young these things would not happen but alas, I am old and in the words of my late sister Maureen, am a digital immigrant. Sadly, there is so much more to using technology than I know the first thing about.  

Yet, I carry on as if I know what I am doing.

Our friend Diane has been struggling with some health issues so when she asked if we would meet them at Fairy Cross, our answer was yes. 

She is leaning over talking to Gene and Lisa, the owners of the shop that sell my photography among a thousand other things!

Actually I plan to go over to the shop today to inventory my prints and perhaps order some new things including one for the pictured shop. Jenn is amazing at supporting locals and I am no exception. She puts a seasonal photograph leaning against the front window. Gotta love this place, and that includes the whole town.

Let's spend some time in the house looking at things including, holy cow, a second round of blooms on the Amaryllis plant David gave us.

Bruce worked very hard and the bookcase went from this portion of completion:

to this:

I am in super love with that paint color for two reasons--the color which is much deeper than it looks, and the name--dinner party by Benjamin Moore. Gosh it is exciting having Bruce able to use his woodworking skills again in such a big space. He has very much loved making it his own. In case you are wondering, he has several heaters down there!

Meanwhile two floors up, your favorite blogger has been working on a quilt for the downstairs bedroom. Although the one in there that I brought from home is a favorite, it very much looks like Florida and summertime. I'm attempting to make one a little warmer-looking for the fall/winter season.

I take all of the strips and sew them together in sets of four and then cut them apart. I took the photo below a few days ago.

During yesterday's all day rain I spent probably six hours upstairs working on it and the top is nearly done! There are some amongst you that knew that orange would eventually make it's way into our decor! For those who don't get that, orange has been a favorite of mine for a very long time.

Before all the rain began, we actually had the front door open one afternoon!

In time that will be the everyday look once again.

Bruce was telling someone on the phone about how he had put a budget together for the house purchase and it included replacing the kitchen appliances. Well that has not happened, and I'm not sure it ever will unless one of them breaks. Turns out, I am very pleased with my old fashioned coil stove for several reasons. One is that it cleans darn easy.

Secondly it heats up in short order. I noticed when we were in Florida how my very attractive glass cooktop takes much longer to heat up and is nearly impossible to keep clean. Not to mention the time the mother board failed and it took four months to replace it. That said, I have been cooking here for nearly nine months now and because I prepare most all of our meals,  it was time to spiff things up. As has been documented on many occasions, I am a much better cook than a cleaner, but every now and again I can force myself! 

Somewhere I read it is a good idea to put out egg shells for the birds but before doing so, it is imperative that they first be sterilized. 

They remained in a low oven for some time, well actually overnight, as I forgot about them, but anyway, once crushed I put some out near the feeders and it looks as if they have not been touched. 

Here's something that looks darn ugly, doesn't it?

Upon closer inspection this week, I found a tiny bit of green.

Oh my goodness it is exciting!! I can hardly wait until it looks like this once again, the very thing that first caught my attention about this house. When I took the photo below last March I could never have imagined that a year later I would be sitting in one of the rooms typing this love letter. That's what my blog is really, a love letter to life.

Here's something very exciting to report. Bruce and John had to install a gate on the ramp they built in the snow (see above clearing sidewalk to go there), and the owners invited Laura and I to join them for lunch. Picking me up on the rainy, dreary day she drove us there and I never dreamed of what was yet to happen. Eddie and Nancy are in their late 80's and have been artists for most all of their lives. Paying jobs for the most part allowed them to make art and collect it. 

Although their house, with the newly built ramp is not big, it is big in personality. There were dozens of things I could have photographed, however I'll show you but two. One is Nancy's tiny perfume bottle collection cabinet,

and two is her wonderful window with a sill filled with little treasures along with hanging treasures.

Precisely why, while others love the shutters in the lower part of my kitchen window, I pine for a windowsill and treasures to fill it. 

Here's the amazing part though: Julie, Laura and I began talking about brooches and Laura asked about the whereabouts of my dove pin. I lost a second one! Explaining how hard it was to find dove pins, Julie interrupted, saying that she had three!  Amazingly, Nancy had cleaned out her jewelry box just the day before and gave them to Julie, who in turn gifted one to me. I am once again in the business of spreading peace around. 

Of course very few people notice the pin, as has been the case with my new glasses.  I have been wearing them for more than a week and they have gone unnoticed and it is not for lack of interactions. Despite the weather we have been with lots of folks. Maybe they just look like they are meant for me? :)

Woo hoo! Look what I saw while walking in the park the other afternoon.

Count me excited! As well, I was pretty jazzed when this big flock of red-winged blackbirds took off.

Isn't it fun? Soon I won't be the only one at the park as spring practices have begun.

And of course, breeding season is beginning as well. Seeing the activity below, I put my camera up to my face and,

followed by this:

A very puzzling photograph for sure. 

This find in the park is not at all hard to figure out! Someone is doing a very good job spreading love.

What we have learned during our time in North Carolina, living with seasons, is that it is very much worth the effort because every season has something to offer. Sure, I won't miss having so many clothes to take off and put away, but this morning as we laid in bed in the near darkness, we talked about hibernating and how it is good for people. 

Of course, not everyone can do that, I understand, but at our age we can, and so we do. When I heard the sad news that 500 Joanne fabric stores were closing our dear friend Angela came to mind. Getting in touch with her in her new residence in Charlotte, NC, she mentioned it was the best thing she has ever done and is so very happy there. For those unfamiliar with this character in our story, she moved there after her husband died which I wrote about here in 2015. Hard to believe it has been ten years already. 

They were a very special couple who pretty much already knew that it is best to do all that you can while you can. We are merely following their example.

your friend,

Gail