Almost like Spring.

Two spiders have set up residence in the bathroom.   Gives me a spring feeling.   The sun is higher in the sky these days and I can feel the warmth as it comes through the windows. 

My old shed on a sunny day.  It's going to have to come down at some point this year.   It's seen it's day.  It's served me well for about thirty five years.

Squirrel in a bit of a blizzard.

Some of the birds around this week.

The Rosemary Focaccia I made yesterday.   It tasted so good I nearly swooned.

That's it, I'm off to check on the fire and bring in wood.

Re: Chimney Cleaning.

I haven't fallen off the roof........although it was quite funny.   After throwing the chimney brush up on the roof, I proceeded to climb the ladder.   Once I stepped on the roof, I had to hang on to the ladder as the gusts of wind were very strong and close together.   I stood there debating, should I try to make it to the chimney with the brush which is about twelve feet long, or should I use common sense and crawl back down the ladder.  Thought about it for a few minutes then figured if I took off at a run between the gusts I should make it okay.   Waited for a moment of calm, grabbed up the chimney brush and took off.   Made it!!! Just in time to grab the chimney and saw young Tommy, who had followed me up, being blown halfway across the roof then he wisely decided to head for the ladder and make his way down.   So, I had to now take the cap on the chimney off.   Got that off and had to hold it between my legs so that wouldn't blow away.   Got the brush down the chimney, had to let go and hang onto the chimney a couple of times but finally got the job done.   Put the cap back on and proceeded back to the ladder the same way, waiting to run between gusts.  I just love these little adventures.

So, today they are calling for a blizzard here.  The wind has come up and some snow is falling but nothing too bad as yet.   I have all the bird feeders filled, a good bit of wood in, my wind up radios and flashlights at hand, because we usually lose power during a bad storm, plenty of candles and I've made salads.  Cats are all in and asleep.  Oh, and a bottle of wine at the ready.  Wine and cheese in candlelight doesn't sound too bad, rather delightful really.   So I say, "Bring it on".

A couple of pictures I took recently.

This was the moonlight coming through a sun catcher.

Malachi

Through the window.

Blowin A Gale.

It's a wickedly windy morning.  Very strong gusts of wind.   As usual I'm up before daybreak and heard what sounded like a terribly loud crash like something hit the roof.  The chimney cap blowing off maybe??  I have to clean the chimney when daylight arrives as it's a milder day, the ice has melted from the roof and in the next couple of days the temperatures are going to plummet to -18, -20 degrees so it's a job that must be done.   Hopefully the wind will have died down so I won't go sailing off over the edge.  I have my cell phone charging so if I end up on the ground and am conscious,   I can call for help.  Ah, it's not amusing I know but I tend to picture things like that as cartoons and get quite a chuckle out of it.   

So, here we are,  part way through February already.   The needles for my old Singer arrived.  I haven't tried the machine yet but before getting the needles I hauled out an old electric machine my mother gave me, that belonged to my grandmother and made myself a Bohemian Shower Curtain.   I tend to pick up bits of material that interest me when I'm at second hand shops.  I had some pieces that I wanted to use up so that's what I decided to do with them.   My bathroom is small so couldn't get a picture of the full curtain so here it is in pieces.   I know it's not to everyone's taste but I love it.

Time to go.....I'll leave you with this.....