2nd Day of Winter

Oh, the peace and beauty.  The thrill of the clean white snow.  The best part is getting to stay home and not going outside in all this beauty. 

Sleeping until you want to get up.  Eating breakfast when you want to.  Reading the Sunday paper on Tuesday.  Just simple life in the country.

Until the dogs want to go outside.  Then the plain simple life gets very complicated, very quickly.

After the first morning "potty" break for the dogs they were quarantined into the utility room.  There, one by one, I took the scissors to their legs and cut off any extra, not required to survive the winter, hair.  Each one baulked at me.  They tried to bite me.  They whined.  They snarled!  They were given treats and stalwartly I continued to remove the extra length of hair.

By the time I had 12 legs done it was time for them to go back outside.  Crap Dangit!

This afternoon the sun is shinning.  The sky is no longer cloudy and gray, but rather the familiar bright blue.  The snow is melting.  The rain gutter is dripping.  The driveway is dry.  The lawn is peeking through the snow in a place or two.  The deck is showing some clean spots without snow.  And I am actually kind of relived.   I know the snow will be back.  But this was a good wake up call for me.

I have compiled a list of things I need to survive this coming winter.  My list is quickly filling the small tablet I am writing in.

1.  Snow shovel.
     No, I do not intend to ever use it, but my DH will have to do something when he gets here.

2.  Snow boots.
     I would rather stay inside by the fire I think, but just in case of emergency I better have some reliable foot covering.

3.  Mittens
     My dear friend Kelsey's package arrived today.  I now have mittens.  They are soft and warm.  They are better than anything I have shopped for in the stores!  I will tell you, you must go on Etsy and get some of Kelsey's mittens.  Even in the house I can wear these mittens.

Tomorrow I will show you pictures of the mittens....

You will want some................

You might die if you don't get some......................

She used the idea of Bella's mittens from the recent movie, Twilight................

Yeah, I knew you would want some.....

Even if you don't live where you get 5 inches of snow in one day, you will want to have a pair or two of these wonderful mittens.

So come back tomorrow, I will tell you how to get some, where to get them, how much they cost, and show you what they look like on.

You will order some for your loved ones for Christmas!  And Kelsey can mail them to the person who needs them.....It is the best gift you will give this year!!

Come back tomorrow.... {by then I will have taken the pictures of them}

For now, Ta Ta :)

Old Man Winter Arrived Today

Last night the weather man predicted snow in the night.  So, I didn't close my blinds in the bedroom.  I woke several times in the night, just to see the neighbors roof.  It was wet, but nothing worth staying awake for.

This morning I got up, it was still raining, but after about 8:00 am the little white flecks started to appear.  Slightly, infrequent, but they were there.  My heart rate increased slightly.

By 9:00 the flakes were falling, but not sticking.  I knew up north they were sticking.  But not at my house.

10:00 the ground was turning white.  The flakes were still small, the wind was picking up and causing the snow to be "flurries".

11:30 am I let my dogs go outside to play.  They romped, ran, attacked each other, sniffed, romped, ran attacked each other, sniffed,....and finally "did their business".

They loved every moment out there.  They didn't care that it was wet and sticking to their fur.  They didn't mind how deep it was getting.  They loved the snow.  They ate the snow.

They played cat and mouse with each other.  I just stood in my office snapping pictures of them.  I was waiting for one of them to lay on their back and try to make a snow angel.  I am sure Zoey will do that before this winter is over.  She loves the snow.  She will lay down and roll in it, of that I am sure.



Like I said, they romped and ran and attacked each other.

All day long it has snowed.  It has not stopped.  The wind comes and goes but the snow keeps coming.

My youngest daughter isn't home from work yet.  She went straight to shopping after work.  She said she needed shoes, boots, sweaters, pants, socks, and stuff like that.  She has enough hats, since she has crocheted about a ton of them.  She didn't imagine winter like this.....neither did I.  I will be shopping soon.  But, I am waiting until this storm passes and some of it melts.

6:30 pm.  It is still snowing.  The deck has about 5 inches on it. 

I had to let the dogs go potty again.  They repeated what they did earlier in the day.  I repeated what I did when they came inside.  Into the utility room they went.  Towels are on the floor to sop up the melting snow.  They have to stay there until they aren't dripping!  The bad thing is, they will need to go back outside before bedtime, yikes.....this might be a long winter.......

Norman came and shoveled off my driveway and walkway.  I knew he was a good man, but it is dark outside, and snowing, and cold....he is so wonderful!  I can't think of enough things to say good about him.  I will be indebted to him until I die! 

Right after I moved here I planted a Maple tree.  This is what it looked like earlier today.  I feel like the leaves of this tree.  Weighted down with blessings from Norman, and I will die before I can repay him.

My poor dogs are going to have a love hate relationship with winter.  Love to be out in the snow, and hate to be in the utility room until they are dry enough to come inside the house.  I think I might be in for a love/hate relationship with winter and my dogs, as well.

I know Oskar,

I know just what you mean!

Time Travel

To the discoverer,


If you have found this letter, I have succumbed to what I feared would be my downfall. My mind has been overcome with incomprehensible thoughts that I am failing miserably to make head nor tail of. As of date of writing I have been unsuccessful with my attempts to clear the clouded space that resides in my head and I fear that my sanity is fast waning.

The above words come from a letter written in 1889, by someone who was trying to become a time traveler.  They might have been written by me today.  The attempts to clear the clouded space that resides in my head are not working.  Nor have the attempts I have made to fill the emptiness in my heart been successful.

You see.  A red Toyota drove away from home late yesterday.  Inside that 4 wheel contraption were three of my most precious earthly possessions.  And now, the house is so quiet and empty with their absence. 

I am waiting for Thursday.

Please, hurry Thursday.

November 5th It Is Sring

Traditionally, in Idaho, in November, the human species should be wearing jackets, sometimes snow boots, the very least a hoodie.  Not this year.  We have spring! We are in the 60 degrees range again today.

In the spring strong men roto till their gardens.

Well, this year, strong men roto till their gardens in the fall - again.

You remember Kenny and Norman.

They are the neighborhood "hood".

And our gardeners and slaves.

We women stay far away from this project.

It is the guys world....

They are using big strong tools which require knowledge of filling with gas, and a start and stop button.

Things we women would rather not learn.

You remember Norman during the summer working along side of Kenny.

Remember the big shovel?

Yes, this is the one.

I think Norman does a good job leaning into the work, don't you?

He has good posture (for a man his age)  .

Ouch, Norman, don't hit!

I'll tell on you!

Yeah, just look at him.

He is still leaning....into his work.

He is giving Kenny the instructions to the proper use of the roto tiller.

Norman is telling Kenny how important it is to dig slightly deeper than it was dug last time.

I think Kenny already knows that.

He is kind of a quiet guy and won't argue.

He just keeps his eye on the dirt and slowly guides the roto tiller through the dirt, compost and grass clippings.

Ugh!  Norman found a rock.
Or he is "mooning" me.

I wonder if I should go point out all the weeds in the park to him...
I can't believe he hasn't noticed them.

I am hiding inside the house and they don't know I am gathering espionage material on them.
I am sneaky like that.

I am sure Norman is saying "Att'a boy Kenny.  You are doing great!  Keep it up.  You have many more rows to do, so keep your head down and keep going." 

I think I heard Kenny sigh.

Norman!  Really.  Halloween is OVER.

He just doesn't want to "crack" me up!

These two guys are great aren't they?

They want to remind me the joke is on me.

I am stuck inside the house, babysitting and they are outside getting Vitamin D.

Well, I am glad they are.

I will love the community garden and park.

They are hard working men and such nice men.

They look out for me.

They always smile and say "hi" and ask if I need anything.......

I don't mind that they start to walk away before I finish my list...

Next week there will be 3 men out there getting Vitamin D.

By then they could be shoveling snow!

So, dudes, enjoy the tee shirts cuz it ain't gonn'a last :) :) :)

Favorite Artist

I have a Favorite Artist.

I have loved and collected his paintings for years..... well, not his original paintings, I can't afford those.
But I have a drawer full of his work as a reproduction on paper.

I have a big framed picture that I am waiting for my DH to help me decide where to put it.

But, I want you to love the work of this artist as much as I do.
He paints my life, and my love of this country.

His name is Robert Duncan.

Robert Duncan has a studio in Midway, Utah.  I have been there.  I bought note cards and stationary.

But every year I get one of his calendars.
The pictures on his calendars are big enough to frame.

Robert Duncan captures my world as I grew up.
I grew up living around cows, and fishing, and wildlife.
Chickens and fresh eggs, and farms, and streams.
We had gardens and flowers and kitchens were the heart of the home.

Where I grew up, there was a railroad.  It went right through our little village.
I loved the whistle of the train.  To this day, I stop and listen when I hear a train whistle.

We used to climb on the back of the sofa and look out the high window in the living room and watch the train go past.  All of my brothers and sisters loved the train as much as I did.

I would lay in bed at night, downstairs, where it was cold, and I had 4 quilts on my little body, and wouldn't go to sleep until I heard the train go through town.

I remember one time my brothers had just got some gold fish.  They loved them.  They shared everything with them.  Including the train.  The problem with sharing the train with the fish was-the fish needed to stay in their bowl to be shown the train.  My little brothers didn't know that.  They got the wet squiggly fish out of the water and held them up to the window to watch the train.  The fish were not safe.  They didn't make it through the night.  But I think the bottle of perfume the boys poured into the bowl of water had something to do with that, as well.

Robert Duncan knows about painting things like that.  He knows children.  He understands mothers, and grandparents.  His paintings hit the center of my heart!

Robert Duncan understands the weather and the seasons.  He gives us the best of all of it.
He shares with us the love of families.
He understands moods, and needs. 
He paints them better than any other artist that I know.
He has a softness to his work.  But clarity in the message.

When you see his paintings or pictures, you can feel and hear the snow crunch under the snow boots.
You can hear the children sniff because they have cold noses.
You can hear the animals breath, and see the breath in the cold air.
You can feel the heat of the hides on the horses and cows and down feathers of the geese.

Nature and family...........that is the theme of his work.

Go to http://www.robertduncanstudios.com/ and order your calendar today.
If you are lucky enough to live by Porter's in Idaho Falls, they have them.

Robert Duncan has a new one out this year. 
I can not wait 7 more days to share it with my DH.
He will be here in 7 more days...... JUMPING WITH JOY!

So, until my DH arrives, I am swooning over the talents of Robert Duncan.
I hope you will check out his work.

And may it bring you the joys of your memories, the Love of your family, and the desire to slow your life down, just a little, and smell the roses.

The Happiest Face On Earth

Yes, this baby is the "happiest face on earth"....and if it isn't, then mine is!!

He brings me so much joy and pure love.

He is ALWAYS eating his hands.
He watches them and eats them.
I suppose all babies do that, but he just does it the cutest, in my opinion....

He squeezes his fingers until they turn white, or blue.
He amazes me as I watch him.
What is he learning.
How is his brain processing the "stuff" he is exposed to....

And he sucks his thumb.
And he sucks a couple of fingers, he changes it up.

And he watches for angels, for I know they are near.
He hasn't been from Heaven very long, and I know he is being watched over.
His Heavenly Father loves him very much, and hopes we are doing our best raising this special boy.

We love this gift from Heaven more than we thought possible.
We love him more every day!

He should live by me......
          ..............................just saying.....................

November, already?

Finally, the month I have been waiting for.  Yep, just like I waited for October and September.  But .......... November this year, which is different from other years, is it the sign of the end. 
The end of my husbands job. 
A sign we have had in our sites for several years, and now it is here.

There are many ends we all face.
End of a life.  No one looks forward to that one.
End of a day. I actually look forward to that some days, and dread it on other days.
End of the week.  Who doesn't like weekends?
End of the milk.  That just means another trip to the store, but do-able.
End of the thread.  That never happens at a good time when I am sewing.
End of the meal.  That means I am well fed and happy. I like being filled and be full.
End of the month.  Meaning this year October ended.
Beautifully.  Beautifully.  Beautifully. Beautifully.  Beautifully. Beautifully.

My sweet middle daughter enjoys nature as much as anyone I know.
She notices the slugs or snails on a sidewalk just as much now as she did when she was a little girl.
She shares the Idaho sunsets with me almost everyday.

On Halloween night we had a spectacular sunset.
We didn't expect it.  It was cold and a little windy and the sky was clearing from the days rain.
But when the sun set, we grabbed our cameras, shoes (not a coat) and went outside.

The colors were as gorgeous as ever.
Every sunset is different.
And different as the months pass.
But this one was really really special.

Yes, it was an end of the month.
The end of a day.
Nearing the end of fall.
And nearing the end of my daughters visit.  I dread when the last day is here for her and the baby.

I'm crying.

When she arrived she was not a blond anymore.  Since she has been here she has gone a little darker in her hair.  And she tells me she will be going darker yet.  I really like it.  She looks gorgeous.  But, really, when doesn't she.  Am I a mother and a little bit bias?  Could be.  But is is in the eye of the beholder, right?

Where are the Kleenex? 

I have loved sharing my little piece of the world with her.  Letting her get a taste of rural.  Seeing the colors.  Shopping in Thrift Stores and finding treasures....lots of treasures.

Eating healthy fresh tasty foods.  Cooking yummy meals.  Being satisfied with how we feel.

Even getting some crafts done.

Yep, I will need medication when I have to take her and that darling baby to the airport.....

I just have to keep my eye on the ball....so to speak... and remember..............................................
My Darling Husband will be with me in 9 more days!!!!!!