Snowy Pattern And Some Thoughts

 We are in quite the snowy pattern.  Our normal winters are not this snowy, and while we haven't had huge accumulations, getting anywhere from 2-6ish inches every week is a lot for our area.

Tim was away at a training seminar all day yesterday, but this guy took care of the driveway.

Remember how I said, just a few days ago that spring was on the way?  It really is.  Next week we're going to have temps in the 40's and on Wednesday its going to be nearly 50 degrees! That's how I know for sure that the season is turning. We'll have more snow still, at least that's what my weather app says, and some cold days, too. However winters' days are waning.  I'm ready, are you?

On another note - have you heard about Pastor James Coates of Alberta Canada?  He's been arrested for holding church services.  There is an article {here}that tells about the church and their decision to meet, and {here}is an article about his arrest.  Please pray.

We have to decide just how much our governments can demand of us.  If we take precautions and quarantine the vulnerable, the majority of people should be allowed to go about their normal daily lives.

If the Super Bowl can have people attend, and protests can have thousands, why can't churches meet?  The church involved in this had no cov*d deaths of their congregation, but they have had a member die because they couldn't get their cancer treatments due to cov*d regulations.

People everywhere should be concerned. Today it is covid, tomorrow what will it be? Many countries have been very totalitarian with their lockdowns.  At one point in Australia you were not allowed to go out to exercise or even to walk your dog. In Germany, they can forcibly remove you from your own home if you have cov*d.  

It's all madness, and where does it end?  

Beauty After The Storm

The sun is shining, the birds are singing....Happy Spring! (grin)

 A view not often seen on the blog - from my bedroom window and the end of the house.  The wood pile there feeds our campfires and bonfires, that space is buried under snow.


The next two photos are from my bedroom windows that face the road.

The table on the deck gives the best indication of snow accumulation.  It was compacted by sleet overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday.  It snowed hard all day yesterday, becoming light snow as it got dark, but even then kept on coming.

I did some rearranging on my cabinet by the kitchen door yesterday.  I'll show you tomorrow.  I like how it looks.  Its not dramatic just freshened up!

Have a great day!

Snowy Start To Spring

Friends, Monday was a gorgeous spring day.  I ran errands without a jacket of any kind; I only wore a light cardigan.  It was delightful.

We’d been seeing weather reports about snow but mostly this winter storms have come with a dusting or an inch or two and pretty clear roads.  It stared to snow yesterday and hasn’t stopped.  Its been heavy at times, but steady.  We had sleet and ice overnight which is packing the snow down.  The plows have been busy and the roads are passable.


Yesterday

Today

It’s enough of a mess though that appointments have been rescheduled and I was looking forward to tea with a friend today.  Not happening.  Instead I am sitting with my diffuser going and enjoying a quiet nature sounds station on Amazon Music.  I've also been reading.

It’ll be over tomorrow and that’s good since we have our spring co-op concert rehearsal tomorrow and the concert Friday night.

Snow Day

We're having a heavy wet snow, that started last night, and is supposed to pick up in intensity later today.

Late winter has been very mild, but March has come in like a lion!  If the old addage holds true, then it should be a very pleasant ending to the month!  You never know what you'll get with March!

The roads are clear at this point which is nice, since Tim has one inspection today. 

February teased us with spring like temps, and we know they are on there way, so this brief snow will not dampen our spirits!  We'll enjoy its beauty and winter's last hurrah!

Binge Watching

Season 2 of The Crown.  Having followed the Royal Family over the years, I am fascinated with this series.  It's an original series on Netflix and its very good.

I will be wrapping gifts later, and making a list of what's still needed.  I have to think through events - Tim and I are going with Rachel to her Chick-fil-A Christmas party tomorrow afternoon, I'm trying to find a day to go visit Cheryl at the Pineapple House, and Tim and I are talking about what we are going to do to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary on January 2nd.  Christmas Eve, being a Sunday, is full of church and our Christmas Eve service, but it's also Tim's birthday and we have our traditions.  Lots to decide.

It has just begun to snow here!  The roads are supposed to stay clear, and we are not expecting very much snow, but its so pretty coming down!

Happy Weekend Everyone!

Updated to say that Episode 7 had content that I skipped through and if you have VidAngel you'll want to use it to filter that episode!

Home Keeping: Flatware Drawer Change

I don't have any before photos of the Rubbermaid blue plastic flatware divider that we had in our kitchen drawer for nearly 30 years.  I came to hate that thing.

I would look on Pinterest at kitchen things and see options for storing and separating flatware 

Source

and fell for this one - 

Source

I mentioned it at times to Tim, but recently was just fed up with the whole flatware drawer (it also houses straws, and odd sized serving pieces of flatware), and threw the blue plastic holder out!

Today, with the snow coming down, Tim took the opportunity to make me dividers for the drawer we have and to make it custom to our needs.

Isn't it great?  I really love it!  Its just what I wanted!


I'm sharing a photo from my bedroom window taken this afternoon after the snow was basically over.  

We didn't get as much as they thought, but that is likely because we had sleet/ice for many hours overnight and this morning.  We never lost power, and have had a cozy, relaxing day.

So This Is Happening Right Now

It's supposed to snow all day.

The ground hog told us it would be an early spring and he was right.  Everything budded early.  The poor trees and plants are likely very confused.  In December we had such mild weather that we had flowering cherry trees and forsythia in bloom, so they are on their second blooms.  

 Well, at least life isn't boring!

A Sure Sign Of Spring

in Pennsylvania anyway, is the arrival of the Robins.  That more than anything tells you that Spring is here, even if the calendar says it is a few weeks away.

Earlier this week, I was looking out the sliding door in the kitchen, checking on the chickens, and I spotted two Robins in the yard!  We've had warmer temps, we've had that unmistakable spring sunshine, but we hadn't had Robins yet.

I worked on adding more spring to the inside of the house this week in honor of the Robins.

I needed a new centerpiece for spring, so I brought out a white metal lantern, a birds nest, some ivy, and two sweet birds.
 

 Very simple, but I like it.

Then I remembered these cute birds that my dear friend Amy gave me when she moved back home to Texas.

 With all the blue and white on my mantel, I placed these across the room on the piano.  They are cute and bring a bit of color balance to the room

I changed out the message on my chalkboard platter last week.

I'm glad I have these words to hold on to, because overnight we had a spring snow!
 

Typical spring!  This is only an inch maybe and the roads are clear.  As I look out my window there are teeny tiny snowflakes falling.

  At least I have this....

because spring IS here.  

I've seen the Robins.

In Winter, It's A Marshmallow World

This was the best kind of snow, as the roads were mostly just wet after they were plowed.  I took a young friend to work yesterday and once I got off my unplowed street, it was smooth sailing.  By time I got home, my street was plowed too.

We are left today with the beauty of this "marshmallow world."

Not much happening here at home.  Our days have an easy rhythm to them, which is nice after a very busy autumn and holiday season.

I watched a wonderful webcast last night.  It was a book launch for Sally Clarkson's new book, "The Life Giving Home."  More about that in the days to come.  I remember reading a book by Sally Clarkson many years ago, and feeling as if I found a kindred - someone who understood me, and my heart for my home and family.

I hope you have a wonderful day.

It's A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood

And the Cottage is looking good as well.

 We don't use the front door.  Even delivery people come to the kitchen door, so we have shoveled out the walk way.

 The mailbox post will be getting a fresh coat of paint this spring!

Beauty After The Storm

 Our woods.  This area is beautiful in the autumn as well.  
 

 We moved the chickens to the bigger coop and have it fenced so they can go into the barn.  This was to get them acclimated to the new coop, but turned out to be great timing with this storm.  They can go from the coop into the shelter of the barn.  In the old set up in the dog run they would have been completely exposed.  They mostly stayed in their coop yesterday though.
 

 Kyle having fun in the front garden.  He has not found his snow board yet, but when he does he's going to have a blast!
 

 This is as far as the front screen door can open.

But looking up out of the kitchen door and you'll see this hanging over your head!

Here is a video from the door at the deck.  Once the driveway is cleared I'll go outside for more photos.  A neighbor loaned us his snowblower so that will make quick work of the driveway!

I had planned to have these photos up much sooner, but well, life happened.  I made scrambled eggs with ham and cheese, we had some family worship time.  Now I'm making lunch, and we might have some friends in for games.  The roads have been plowed now so that makes it easier to get around.

Were any of you in the storm?  How did it go for you?  

Winter Storm Jonas

Well, it's tapering off now.  The wind is still gusting outside and that is causing a lot of drifting.

It's just about 10 pm and I just took these photos.

 The kitchen door.
 

 Look whose out there.  Actually, the stoop was shoveled off earlier today and the deck, and a few spots where he could do his business.  He also has a temporary little box, which he's not interested in using - he wants to go outside but doesn't like it!
 

 You can tell that it's been drifting. It's hard to know just how much snow we actually got.  It is still lightly snowing too.
 

 The cars are parked at the end of the driveway.  That way we don't have to shovel the whole thing, just a path to the cars and around the cars.  Many people today shoveled multiple times only to have those nice empty spaces filled back up!
 

 In the front garden.  See that peak?  It is the top of the little snow mound that piled up in the birdbath.  
 

 Lots of drifting....but deep snow everywhere!
 

 I'll get more photos tomorrow.  Its supposed to clear and be sunny.  Church is canceled, so we'll shovel out a bit and have a relaxing day.