Right before the snow fell a few days ago, I noticed two surprise phlox blooms in the big garden bed. I guess the unseasonably warm weather we recently experienced is the reason. It was such a delightful surprise!
All of the trees, save the firs, are bare. The heavily wooded part of the property – the Woods – seems wide open. This always shocks me, though I should be used to it by now. Our neighbors to our right just had lots of wood delivered for their wood stove. Winter is almost here.
It was so windy and cold yesterday that I was barely able to take this picture. In order to take a photo of the girls, I prop them up with long wooden skewers. But the wind was coming from the south, resulting in lots of wobbling, not to mention yours truly freezing! So I went back inside for a coat for Holly.
At least one of us was warm!
I suppose I’ll start in on some porch plant clean up today. Usually I do it all in one day but that ends up being really tiring, so maybe a bit of work over a few days will be a better use of my time. I’m going to buy some new Christmas lights for the porch in the next few days. That will help enormously when it seems so bare out there.
Nothing else is new. Cozy days, mostly indoors; nesting.
Stay safe.
Happy Friday.
I’m hoping that you escaped much of the lightning plus devastating snowfalls hitting part of your state. Stay warm and cozy.
The snow is way over – at least 6 hours away – on the western side of the state. Buffalo is in the northwest corner of NYC, near Niagara Falls on Lake Erie. We are in the east, near NYC and Long Island.
Thanks Linda.
Stay safe.
what happy and pretty surprise phlox!
good luck with the outdoor work, especially when it is so cold. hope you and everyone else are not going to get the feet of snow forecast for upstate new york and elsewhere in the northeast!
adding lights to your porch would be lovely for you and don … and a nice gift to neighbors and passers-by. seeing more lights up around here and they always make me smile.
after a very long break, am back to daily knitting and am happy about that. the impetus was being contacted by a church member to see if my sister and i might have anything to donate for a sale of hand-knit/ sewn items in less than a month … so i am knitting more hats, would like to have a scarf or two to give. proceeds go to mission work. any unsold offerings will then go to a shelter that our church helps support. win, win, win.
usual things otherwise around here. am so very grateful to be able to spend time with members of my family each day … not talking by phone while standing outside, not using speakers on our phones to talk while taking rides in two cars …. and i get to help more. this will be my first thanksgiving and Christmas inside with them since 2019 and the thought of that makes me both cry and smile. :)
but thanksgiving being less than a week away seems wrong. kind of like birthdays … where does the time go? and can we please put it on pause for a while?!?
hope you all get time to do what you want every day, feel good and are comfy and safe in every way.
happy friday, too.
kathy
The snow is way over – at least 6 hours away – on the western side of the state. Buffalo is in the northwest corner of NYC, near Niagara Falls on Lake Erie. We are in the east, near NYC and Long Island.
Stay safe, Kathy.
i didn’t hear details about the forecast, only ‘up to four feet of snow’ in new york state. glad you don’t have to deal with such massive amounts of snow!
stay safe and warm regardless.
kathy
xo
Kathy may I ask what you mean about being inside with them?
hej, deb.
sure … ask away. :)
the past two years, i spent thanksgiving and Christmas talking with members of my family through their closed (glass) storm door and eating meals in my car parked outside their home as a way to be together during the holidays. that’s because no vaccinations were available the first year of covid and i was working very closely with lots and lots (sometimes a hundred or more) of people who may or may not have been sick or vaccinated, for eight to ten hours a day. my family and i have our shots and at least two boosters, but i wasn’t going to take a chance when delta or omicron was roaring this time last year. i retired just over six months ago and am around far, far, far fewer people now (basically just at grocery stores). this year will be better. :)
sorry for being unclear before and thanks for letting me know.
how are you? any plans for the holidays?
hope all’s well and you have a great weekend ahead. stay safe, too.
kathy
No you were not unclear. I think I just missed it. That is nice that this year will be better. Thanksgivng will be at my sisters who lives just a block away. I am feeling good.
Thanks for asking!
oh, i am glad for you and your sister to be able to spend thanksgiving together … and basically anytime you want for living so close by (a dream of mine)!!
happy weekend!
kathy
Just saw Don on Law and order SVU…there are two shows I love…I never watched Bluebloods until I moved to Indy in 2018, and then I kept up on Hulu and the CBS app. Law and order svu…I watched when I had a tv through the years…I now watch all the time on Hulu…I do not have tv exc Hulu and. Netflix…it makes me happy that I have seen your husband on this show…my favorite of all time is Bluebloods…I wish he could be on that show too…Don Sparks as Dr. Phil Mitrano…ladies season 3 episode 18…dynamic…do I sound like a groupie? I never have been…
I remember that episode!
Stay safe, Brenda.
Holly looks so warm and cozy in her warm little coat and cute hat. You are a good mom to her and her sisters. Hope it has warmed up enough for you to get your Christmas lights up. Christmas lights are especially welcome in the country where the houses are farther apart. They are a welcoming and cheery sight on a dark wintry evening. Stay cozy. Pace yourself getting the porch tidied. Stop for hot chocolate. Hugs, Elaine
I haven’t purchased them yet. Our previous lights were not working any longer, so I have to get out there and buy some.
Stay safe, Elaine.
Is that big snow coming your way? It looks like it might hit here — not at all ready. I shoveled a fair amount today and it might have been a big mistake with my back. Then I came in, flopped energetically on the bed and the slat fell off and down we went a bit. Lizzie was not amused, nor was I. I’m waiting till Rick gets here to take care of that — I’ve moved that bed before and it’s way too heavy for me to do now.
I thought I’d do solar lights for outside and it was a great idea — except we haven’t had enough sun to charge them. So, it might be a bust but good in concept. I’m definitely needing the lights right now!
Happy weekend!
No, it’s way over on the other side of the state in an area that gets lots and lots of snow. We’re far enough away – about 6 hours – that it won’t hit us.
Let Rick move that bed, Jeanie.
Stay safe.
dear Claudia/Don — all seems well w/you all — we had a vicious snow squall this am nothing accumulated (thank goodness)–lasted a short time (30 min) but then sunshine came out — really improving life this p.m, still cold but pretty. your girl looks cold, ha! can imagine how you felt !! hope you stay safe/healthy
Very cold here as well!
Stay safe, Linda.
Nice to see the phlox flowers and the bare trees! I think Holly like her warm coat…looks cozy! The porch lights will be nice!
Stay warm!
Yes, now I just have buy some new ones!
Stay safe, Barrie.
Nesting (and cozy) is good! (Love the coat on your girl.)
Thanks, Vicki.
Stay safe.