We had a little more wet snow overnight. It doesn’t quite cover the ground, but there’s enough to make a difference in the landscape. Snow I don’t mind, it’s the ice that I can do without.
I guess winter is here.
I took this shot of the living room yesterday as I was about to go out the door on a shopping expedition. That trip got frustrating because I hadn’t grabbed lunch and was dehydrated as well. I find I really need to drink lots of water these days – well, any day – but especially with the heat on in the cottage and everywhere I go.
I stopped at my favorite Antique Emporium and didn’t leave with anything. But I happened to run into the man who has the booth where I find Wallace Nuttings. What a nice guy he is! He has another booth, he told me, at an antique center across the river. There are even more Wallace Nuttings there! I told Don that I think a little drive is in order.
I got a pair of jeans so that I don’t look too scruffy when I’m in Hartford. I’m a jeans person, so they get a lot of daily use. And some socks that will last, instead of falling apart before I can blink an eye. (That’s an exaggeration, but they do wear out too quickly.) And some winter gloves.
Then I came home and had some soup and drank lots of water.
I’m really loving this tree. And I’m sad that I won’t see it at all the week before Christmas. Sigh. I’ll get over it.
I worked on the play yesterday and finished Act 2. Today, Act 3. It’s all coming back to me…I coached it many years ago when I was still living in San Diego and haven’t coached it since. It’s amazing how quickly I can remember the text, hear it in my head – even after many years away from it.
A package was waiting for me at our post office, a box sent by Vicki, a reader and friend of this blog:
Huzzah! Two jigsaw puzzles. One for Don. One for me. Don’s puzzle is The Hardy Boys book covers. Mine is Nancy Drew book covers. Vicki suggested they would be perfect for snowy days and she’s right. Don and I immediately had the same idea. He can work on his while I’m away. And I can take mine to Hartford and work on it in the evenings.
Thank you so much, Vicki!
I found another shoot of flowers coming up in my parent’s sansevieria. Now I have flowers from both mom and dad. Just in time for the holidays.
I have to run a few errands today. I forgot that my car trunk is full of donations to our local Salvation Army. Out of sight, out of mind! So I’m going to drop those off. And I have to do some online shopping for a certain someone.
Happy Wednesday.
Those puzzles are perfect. What great gifts! Lovely to see the sansevieria bloom. Every day I get dressed, intending to go out and get things done, and every day, I stay home. :/
I’ve been pretty good for the past two days – venturing out and getting things done. We’ll see how long it lasts, Tammy!
Yes, the busy season is on around here, too. Deadlines looming. The puzzles look like a fun diversion for the snowed-in season. What a nice gift!
It’s the perfect gift, Shanna.
We are to get more snow this weekend…and you are right…snow is better than ice. It’s the cold that’s hard to take! Great puzzles…perfect timing. A new place to find your Nutting’s? yes…you must check that out! We are trying to think outside of the box when it comes to gift giving this year…and it’s taxing my brain. But, it’s still fun! Happy shopping! ;)
I’m feeling a bit pressured because I have to figure out Don’s gifts by the 18th! No time to do anything while I’m working that first week in Hartford.
You sound like a busy girl! Ice is so dangerous to try to walk on or drive over; luckily I’ve encountered little of it in my West Coast life. One time in childhood at Thanksgiving, on a road trip with my first family to see relatives in Texas’ snowy Panhandle, we awoke to a icicle-filled morning in Flagstaff, Arizona. I promptly walked out the motel-room door, only to slip flat on my little behind. Ouch!
I do notice that since we’ve gotten colder, drier weather…cold at least for Southern California (we were 49 degrees at 8am)…and indeed have the furnace on, my dog is drinking tons of water. I should take my cues from her! My folks would put a pot of water on the stove to simmer all day, so that the house wouldn’t be so dehumidified.
As I said, those puzzles had your name on it; how could I resist?
I often put a pot of water on the stove to keep the air moist, Vicki. In fact, I may just do that today!
Thank you again! xo
Claudia, I love the photo you took with the light shining through the tree ornaments. Tell me again, are all of those vintage? Gorgeous, vivid color.
There have been lots of Shiny Brite repros but I still have some of my parents’ from the 1940s. Too many are mottled from poor storage (not weather-protected; too much, I think, exposure to heat and cold and damp out in the uninsulated garage?). I have some of the Christopher Radko repros; bought them a long time ago when he first came on scene. When I was a teen, Mom let me be in charge of organizing the Christmas box (had all the decorations and ornaments in it…big ‘ol empty vacuum cleaner box). Don’t cringe…I’m cringing at the memory…but I threw out all the old, original, Shiny Brite ornament boxes to make more space in the bigger box. I can’t accuse Mom of getting rid of some of my childhood things when I-myself did the same thing! How could I know? To me, they were just rumpled old boxes!
The glass ornament is a Christopher Radko reproduction of a Shiny Brite. The rest of them are vintage.
Lucky you! So beautiful; this may be the best tree you’ve ever shown us. Your vintage ornaments are in terrific shape. The colors just pop in the natural light, on that honey-gold table. Very, very festive! The whole room looks SO cozy. I wouldn’t want to leave it either.
Thank you, Vicki!
Love the puzzles – they are perfect for you and Don and a great diversion on a snowy day or evening. Have fun with them. We are really drying out as well…we have baseboard humidifiers in the bathrooms, kitchen and living room, but still find we are drinking a lot of water (as is our cat).
I have to remind myself to drink more water, Vera. I get busy and forget about taking a moment to drink a glass of water. Not good!
The more I see of your tree the more I like it. Yes, CLaudia simple is better.
The puzzles are wonderful. I always think I should do a puzzle, but when I do I end up frustrated. My brain doesn’t see the shapes.
We are having very cold windy weather right now. It was 16 degrees an hour ago with a wind chill of 4. No snow or anything, just cold.
I got some warm warm socks at Amazon not too long ago. They are the warmest I have ever worn. Keeping feet warm is always a struggle isn’t it?
Yes, it is! I also tend to run hot – my inner thermostat is little crazy! So I can’t buy socks that are too warm!
It is really cold here, and as Donnamae said, more snow is coming this weekend. I think the cold is so startling because of the gloriously warm Fall we have had up to the last week or so. I would happily go back to that weather!!
We have happily done a majority of our shopping on-line. I think everything has been delivered. It is just so easy! We do more and more every year, and we on-line shop all year long. The kids sent their lists (with links) and it took about 10 mins to get everything ordered. So much easier than going from store to store. And some of the things they ask for, I don’t even really know what they are or where I would find them!! The puzzles look like they will be great fun. Hope you are enjoying a good and productive Wednesday!!
I try to order online but this year I’m a bit late in doing things. Have to get on the ball!
Your tree is perfect!… the Shiny Brites show up so well against the white and the bark cloth is just right to compliment the tree and ornaments; you couldn’t have planned it any better if you thought about it for weeks. The living room is looking especially lovely and comfortable with the soft winter light, but then it always does look so welcoming……Dianne
Oh, thank you so much, Dianne!
What fun! I bought the Nancy Drew puzzle as a stocking stuffer for my daughter (she LOVES a jigsaw during Christmas break), but I didn’t realize there was a Hardy Boys one as well.
It was -35 Celsius (or -23.8 F) last night and we had no heat all day yesterday until about midnight due to an emergency pipe repair in our building. (I would have made a lousy pioneer.) I slept fitfully in front of the fireplace wearing socks and a hoodie on top of pyjamas and all I could think about were the homeless in this weather. We have a tithing jar, but I think I need to step it up next winter.
Oh, poor you! At least you have a fireplace, Barbara! When we’ve lost heat, we’ve just had to bundle up. It isn’t fun either way!
Yes, we must remember the homeless, who deal with the cold in a way that most of us don’t have to.
I love your tree; it is just perfect! I bet you and Don will have fun doing those puzzles. A perfect, relaxing way to while away those cold, dark winter nights. Such a thoughtful gift!
It is. I can see us on the phone with each other, each of us working on our puzzle!
The puzzles are so appropriate for both you and Don, but when looking at the box tops, it came to me that photocopying them down to the right size and using the covers for making some tiny books for Don’s studio as well as for Hummingbird Cottage might be a good Snow Day project.
Meanwhile Lots of snow here in Western Canada and more predicted for Friday. I don’t mind it either, but there is at least an inch of ICE underneath it all, making the side roads and sidewalks,
Quite treacherous.
What a good idea, Elizabeth! You see, that’s why you are much better miniaturist than I! Thank you.
Yes, the ice is scary. That’s what we worry about, as well.
No snow here at the moment, but a killing frost, so it’s time to “clean up” the last of the flower pots. We have bright blue skies here today, and snow predicted for tomorrow. We’ll see. When were you in San Diego? That was our home before Seattle, and all 3 of our kids were born there. Love those puzzles!
I lived in San Diego from 1993 to 2001. Don was born and raised there, though he also lived many years in Los Angeles and a few years in Omaha, Nebraska.
The puzzles look great! I think they will help pass time on those winter evenings. I finished the Jack Reacher book and liked it. I’m now reading the latest Harry Bosch series book, another of my favorites. I had lunch with a blog friend today and it was lovely. A little shopping (mostly looking) lots of talking but now I’m tired and glad to be home. I just don’t run as long as I use too! I think my shopping is about finished, a few little things here and there to pick up but mostly done. I could buy those Grands of mine so many things but I try to remember that they don’t need it all and will enjoy fewer things, so I try to make them really fun things!
I’m always glad to be home after I’ve had to do something social! It can be tiring, and I like my life inside this cozy cottage. I understand!
Have fun solving the puzzle. Later you and Don can switch.
Marilyn
Yes!
A bloom on a sansevieria is rare, I got one on mine after I repotted it. None since. How neat it was from your parents, very special. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
Mere had one on her sansevieria from my parents as well, Teresa! I think they’re talking to us.