ah march.
I wonder about you.
are you here to test my strength.
to tease and toss your sunbeams.
more daylight.
sometimes even more sunlight.
more dripping.
more ice.
and so much more snow.
piling higher and higher.
certainly I'll see those remnants for months to come.
I feel like winter is pressing on.
and I'm trying not to sigh.
so I take myself to the trail.
to sweat it out.
and think.
there's a change coming in the wind.
and I'll be marching on.
The end already? I meant to update more often. Grand intentions as the day begins but as evening rolls around there's just not quite enough energy left. I've got to work on that.
Good things that happened this month...
:: the daylight. It's increasing each and every day and I am loving every extra minute of it.
:: cross country skiing. With all the snow this year the ski trails are excellent so my skis have made their way out of the closet and onto the trail.
:: I saw this movie recently. I really enjoyed it and I did something I have never done before. I went by myself. Oh yes. It. Was. Awesome.
:: last summer's bounty. Peaches, apples, green beans, peppers, tomatoes, corn, squash, carrots, garlic - just to name a few things that have been making an appearance on my plate. But not all at once! So, so good.
:: the painting and cleaning project is well underway. I am loving the new look. Last weekend I found the perfect (small) reclining chair. It magically fit in the back of my vehicle and looks sweet as can be in it's new home. A nice, little nesting spot for the end of a long day.
And with that I'll leave you with a photo of Buffy. She likes to sit on the upper bale and slide/hop down to the next one and then to the floor. It's all very fast and quite comical I might add because she's a bit... oh how shall I say this... plump. ;)
"What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness."
~John Steinbeck
This past weekend it snowed and it involved a lot of shoveling, snowblowing and just plain ol' digging out. My stringy muscles are still begging for mercy.
And while it snowed I worked on inside projects. One of those dealt with perfecting a bowl of freshly popped popcorn. It consisted of melted butter, sea salt, chili powder, and a sprinkle of true lime. Oh my. It's my newest favorite popcorn seasoning. Do you have any secret popcorn seasonings/flavors/combinations? I'd love to know your favorites.
There have been some long days this week and sometimes at the end of those days the sunsets are most welcomed and not to mention the perfect time for a photo or two.
And other times I find this:
Well happy February. And happy belated Groundhog's Day (!) which I still think should be a major holiday. For real. Some day others will see the excitement in this ever-so-little-talked-about-holiday as well. :)
I disconnected myself from the computer the end of January. It was a good thing too. I cracked open the paint can! Yes you should be amazed. I am! My newest love. Edgecomb gray. The bedroom is getting a fresh coat and I kept saying to myself that I should've done this sooner. It's so much better. I had the paint sample taped to the wall for a year and a half (nice). So yeah ...it was time. That little change started a few more projects. Lots of sifting, sorting, donating, tossing, cleaning. It's a work in progress that's for sure. I figure every day I'll do a little bit so that when spring arrives I'll promptly throw down the dust mop, skip outdoors and not look at another indoor project until next winter.
And just in case you didn't know. It's been cold. And snowy. And wintery. The perfect combination for getting those indoor projects tackled. Now I just need to keep the momentum going. I'll let you know how that works out.
One last note - have you tried this tea latte yet? I like it. A whole lot. You should try it too.
I spent a good portion of the week.
under the weather.
but thank my lucky stars.
the sunshine came to visit each day.
soft tissues were found.
clementines, ginger ale, and tea
became my favorites.
and that jigsaw puzzle.
complete.
and I told myself
it's not the speed,
but the process
that counts.
and today.
I made it to the grocery store
and there.
I found.
mint chocolate chip.
or maybe.
it found me.
quiet days of january.
welcomed with open arms.
but this cold snap.
i'm just not so sure about.
good thing.
i've got plenty.
of indoor projects.
to keep me warm.
it was time.
for that little tree.
with its bounty of pinecones.
and needles too.
to move outdoors.
where the birds.
welcomed their new home.
as I paused to welcome.
the watercolored sunset.
January visitors.
The wild turkeys have returned. I like to tell people about the gang (of turkeys) that strolls through the yard several times a day. Sometimes it's one or two but I've seen as many as twenty-five at a time. It's a gang I tell you! During the winter months I use chicken grit (finely crushed granite) on the sidewalks instead of salt. It's the perfect natural alternative to salt. The turkeys think so too. They love me like a BFF. The backyard looks like I've had a stampede of sorts. It's the gang. And their squirrely friends. There's one squirrel (at the feeder) that is missing his tail. It's growing back and looks like a miniature mohawk. He fits right in with the rest of the gang.
Besides all of the backyard activity there's been a some happenings in the kitchen as well. Carrot-coconut milk soup. I loved it. Added a bit of curry and freshly grated ginger for a little extra kick. I'll definitely be making this one again. It's easy and oh so good for you! Just like those snickerdoodles - good for you! Right? Right. Especially with a hot cup of tea. :)
2013. Can you believe it? And can you believe that I finished an entire month of photos? Me either! It went well. Much better than I had anticipated. Thanks for hanging in there with me. You're awesome!
I headed out to the trail today to snowshoe and check out the cross country ski trails. Since there wasn't a lot of snow last year I didn't take the skis out. Not even once. I'm wondering if I'll remember how to ski. I'm sure once my skis flip up in the air and I've landed on my large cushion it will all come back to me. Well that and a few other words.
And speaking of cushions as I was going through today's photos I wondered why I didn't sit on one of these today:
They were all lined up - just waiting for me. I seriously cannot believe I didn't sit on them. What was I thinking?
It's been a nice, relaxing holiday season with a little work sprinkled in for good measure. I've enjoyed having a bit of downtime and some time to think. I'm not one for resolutions and I heard someone say they are looking at 2013 not in terms of what the new year will bring to them but rather what they can bring to it. And that is what I plan on doing.
Happy 2013. Let the year begin.
