The Snow is Still Falling

Still falling lightly...Oh my, we have at least 25 inches I have heard from the tv weather report. Actually ABC news, our channel 7, was at Commack Corners this morning at 5:30 am with the snow totals. I was up and down all night peeking out the window and trying to figure out just how much was actually on the ground. The drifts are high and the roads are impassable. Our minivan is buried! My husband left the house at 5:45 and walked up to a main road to meet a vehicle that would bring him to his trucks. What a day! I think we will be buried for a few days! I'm just so happy we didn't lose power! When you open my front door here is what you see:

My backyard---there is a concrete patio table and benches under there somewhere...

The view of my block from my snowy porch...

The snow falling through my icicle lights....

Out the window of my son's bedroom; so peaceful :)

 
 Yesterday, I was in and out refilling my bird feeders and feeding my squirrel friends. I have four squirrels who visit me every day for peanuts and peanut butter bread. They are quite friendly and are very polite to wait for their food. If I am in the kitchen, they sit at the rear deck and stare into my big kitchen window to let me know they are there. If I am in the hallway near the bathroom, they sit on my other rear porch and look in the back door. They like to spy through my sliders in the family room or just sit on the front porch by the front door and WAIT. I love them so much! This little guy just wanted more and more. At one point it looked like he was begging or even praying I would come out again with more snacks. Of course I did ;)

He was so cute. The cardinals and juncos were out and I tied my Christmas tree to the horse chestnut near the feeder so the birds could wait deep in its branches and stay dry while they await their turn at the feeder.

My squirrels, birds and raccoons and possums are my backyard buddies.

They are the wildlife we have in the suburbs and they have adjusted to all of us as neighbors.

Here's a corner of my kitchen that I love. I was dusting it yesterday and changing a few things around!

 I can never understand when people complain they are bored. I don't have enough hours in the day to do everything I would like to accomplish, and I have a list of things I want to do a mile long! Life is what you make it, right? Have a smile and a grateful heart!

I hope you have a glorious day! I'll be home! Digging Out! 

 

Blizzard on the Way!

Oh my! It's gonna be a big one ! A blizzard visiting us on Long Island; burying my town of Commack deep, deep in the white stuff! 16-24 inches of the white stuff to clarify! That's a whole lot of snow. Like the storm we had in 2010. Here are some photos to refresh your memory :)

We were waist deep in it. And I know we will be this time too! More photos to take :)  I love the snow. I just don't like the inconvenience of it. I pray I don't lose power...memories of 17 days without power during Hurricane Sandy make me worried :(  but I think we will be okay! I will keep busy. I could sit by the stove and have a hot cocoa..or....

 

I could join some friends for an impromptu gathering in a  basket :)

 

you know, just to catch up on the gossip....or...I can chat with a buddy about all the shoveling ahead.

 

 

Whatever we do, we'll be indoors! It will be cozy. I have already started making some snacks: Rice Krispy treats and chocolate pudding pie (requests from Caitlin and Billy). I have a pot roast in the slow cooker, chilli and cornbread, old fashioned mac and cheese and I even whipped up a baked ziti! My husband is going to be a hungry man! Because even in this weather, he still works! His job site must be cleared, the structure he's building ( a small house) must be protected from the elements, and so much more. I'm just in it for the pie!

I'm gonna do those french knot lambs and sheep I showed you a few posts back. Remember those cute little guys done? SO prim and adorable. I may also work on some St. Paddy's Day crafts. I'm making crepe paper ruffles for my vintage look crafts. Thanks Kim K for showing us how. You will be helping make my St. Paddy's luncheon a success with little extras!

Time to refill the bird feeders before the snow starts falling! Hope to post tomorrow! Have a great day!

A Little Snowfall

It started snowing a little bit last night when we were settling down for the evening and this morning we awoke to a pretty dusting. Maybe 2" of fluffiness. Just enough to make the world pretty! Here is a shot of the shed in my backyard. It is very cold outside too!

Yesterday was a fun day. My son celebrated his 14th birthday, which is still hard for me to believe :0  He is such a good boy. He wanted to do what he loves most and that is go to work with his Dad, so that is how Billy spent his special day! At 14, he doesn't want parties anymore, but he is choosing a favorite restaurant to go to for his special birthday dinner. He usually chooses a steakhouse of some kind. He mentioned he may want to go to the Bonwit Inn which is a great seafood/steak restaurant right here in Commack so we'll see what he decides. He learned how to install windows yesterday on my husband's job site. He was thrilled. Oh, and here is a picture I took of Billy Friday night showing his themed pinball machine he made in Technology class.

It really works too! It looks so much better in person; he put a lot of detail in it. When you shoot the marble, it goes flying up and ricochets, and all that fun stuff. He got a 94!

I was invited to a wedding shower yesterday and it was spectacular! I had never been to a shower quite like this as it was a "Pairings" shower. That means, in restaurant lingo, that you have courses and each course is paired with a wine. There were 25 people and we sat at two tables and each course was introduced. It was so special but so unlike any shower I have ever been to. Now I am not a drinker by any means. I have a bit of anisette at Christmas cause it's an Italian tradition but throughout the year, I don't indulge. It's just me; I never developed a taste for wine or alcohol. But what a special event to be present at and experience. It was at a beautiful restaurant called the Jellyfish. The bride to be will be living with her new husband in England, where he is from. It was a nice day.

And here is Chestnut. He likes to sit in baskets, Is that coincidental? :)  ...bunnies/baskets....  I am working on some Easter crafts. Bandit and Lucky were more reluctant to participate. I can always count on Chestnut for inspiration :)  Have a happy Sunday!

A Little Mouse Stopped By to Smell the Flowers

A while I ago I was browsing some images on the computer. Some that would be cute if transferred onto a piece of cloth and primitively stitched. I'm not a good stitcher, but I still enjoy doing it and practicing. I'm improving!

I found this little image of a mouse with a rake. I thought it was so cute and decided to try it but make a few changes. I added the flower garden and decided my little mousie would be smelling a flower. He's a cute little guy. I also added one of my favorite Mary Engelbreit quotes. Words to remember! We MUST bloom where we are planted.
Oh, I also added a tail...they forgot one. Every mouse needs a tail!

I have also been working on my fabric picture. I have "wrapped" two sunbonnet kids and I'm now deciding how I am going to place them.I am thinking I might put her near a clothes line or in a meadow of flowers. Thinking, thinking, thinking..... I took a break (just for a bit) when I saw online the cutest prim sheep! Look at these! They are made with french knots!

These are from a website called Just Crafty Enough! Easy and adorable. Think of the possibilities!

Yesterday I was organzing my craft bins. I found some goodies that I forgot I had! I started working on some cute St. Patrick's Day crafts. Pictures to follow when complete.  Last year I had purchased a bunch of St. Patrick's goodies. All kinds of party favors left over. I found leprechaun pipes (candy containers) and mini mugs. I'm adding some decoration to them. I think they'll be festive. They just need a few more special touches :) I'm planning a St. Patrick's Day brunch with a friend and her dear Aunt who has hosted me in her in-home tea room several times! This wonderful lady has special room, built by her husband, just for her high teas! A beautiful sunroom filled with tea items (pots, cups, signs, lace, pillows, a lovely table--all very victorian)  The leprechaun pipes filled with chocolate coins and goodies will be cute favors when she visits my country home! I promise I will show you when I am done.

I hope you are all happy and keeping busy too!

Glitter Snow!

Last night it was snowing! Not a heavy snow; just a light one. They had changed our weather forecast and we on the east coast would be missing the big snow of about 6 inches to just a pinch of  an inch or two. I'm a snow lover so I was sad at first but then again my husband is working on a house rebuild so the snow would make his job more difficult. And don't forget we still are in an arctic freeze over here with highs about 12 degrees. One of my live trees still stands on my porch as does my white lights. We have enjoyed them so much and Bill did not want to take them down yet. We have all the Christmas packed away but the glow of the white lights in the dark night are still too magical to remove. AND the trees are still in great shape!

I have moved my indoor Christmas tree from the rear porch to the bird feeder tree :) as I call it. AKA the horse chestnut. The birds have enjoyed taking cover from the snow and cold as they wait for their turn at the feeder. Still my tree is lasting! It's as fresh as when I bought it in December. I almost feel like if I planted her in the ground, her cut off stump would sprout roots! The birds are so grateful and my abundance of cardinals was thrilled for the warm water I put out for them also. I have an average number of 8 pairs of cardinals at one time this Winter. As well as numerous blue jays, juncos, nut hatches, sparrows, starlings, titmouses, and black- capped chickadees. I love the cardinals because they come husband/wife. If you see the bright red (male) then nearby will be the Mrs. (tan).  ALWAYS!! They mate for life, you know. Don't forget water for our bird friends. Trying to find a water source in Winter can be next to impossible for them. My squirrels stopped by for their drink. The woodpecker just helped himself to the food!

I have to say there was a difference to this quality of snow though! That's why I named this post "glitter snow" cause last night as I was watching it fall and hit the ground, I was amazed at the sparkle of it! I called the kids to come and see and even they were amazed. It looked like glitter! I know that must be because of the extreme cold temperatures that their was some ice flakes mixed in but it was beautiful. It looked like the white glitter we use for our crafts. Can you see a sparkle in my photos?

I know the photos aren't good but I think you can see some flecks. It was gorgeous! How beautiful Winter is. Here is the snow falling and my white lights through the side panels of my front door.

Photos like that make me happy :)  I do hope I get a new camera soon though for finer pictures. I'll put it on the "list"--you know the "list". Our wants and wishes. This list exists in our minds but when we "check" off something from that list, WOW!

 

My Special Cupboards
 

A new camera wouldmake my next group of pictures really "pop"! My cupboard doors are open for you to see. I was cleaning them yesterday and everything inside of them has a special meaning! The glass in the doors has the crackle look so that's why it photographed the way it did. That's fine. To start with are my favorite "ladies" .  "Give us this day our daily bread..." one reads. I had the two daughters and was surprised to find there was a Mom when I was looking through bins of knick knacks at the Stormville flea market two years ago. It was a golden find for me. "A Mother's Work is Never Done" she reads. The daughters, as I call them, were my Grandma's.

You can see the beautiful tea set in the opposite picture. Also my Grandma's. I loved that set since I was a little girl as well as these green glasses:

My Mom had them in her China cabinet in our family dining room and we would take them out for Christmas sometimes. They are just so pretty and a deep, deep green. When I got married, my Mom gave them to me and I still love them! I don't use them though :(     I'm too afraid.

Now here's a case of finding things in the darndest of places. This rooster plate I purchased from CVS! I wish they had a whole dinner set cause I'd buy it! I love that plate. It has all my favorite colors, it has a rooster and I love the pattern! It looks extra special but it's from CVS. You just never know what you'll find!It goes so nice with my 50's glass ware!

And that's not it! How about these very pretty hand painted wine glasses--from the dollar store! Look at the top shelf! That's a beautiful little platter my sister bought me that says Home Sweet Home (not from a Dollar Store) that is one of my favorites. The platter is flanked by my hand painted daisy wine glasses! I love me a good Dollar store :)  You can mix in your treasures and no one knows!!!

Last but not least, on the shelf with my Lenox Irish sugar and creamer houses is the newest mouse to my collection of "mouses"......not mice, "MOUSES" ! My sister-in-law gave me this little guy for Christmas:

"Not a creature was stirring.." it says. And come to think of it, the same sister-in-law gave me the sea shell on the easel right next to him. She gave it to me in 1994 (I wrote it on the back) . They are mice sleigh riding in tea cups!  I love the thought of mice really doing that ;)     I bet they do when no one is watching......
Enjoy your Saturday!

Saturday This & That

Early Saturday morning and it is cold! I'm loving it! I'm a cold weather gal! It's going to warm up a little tomorrow and then on Monday the temps will drop to the coldest we have had yet for the season. Bundle up!

Here's a little photo of my valentine tree in front of my big kitchen window. That little wire shelf has been so handy in my kitchen! Out in the yard you can see my log pile--or what's left of it. I still have a lot but it has gone down substantially! :)

I've been enjoying this time of year for tweaking things around the house now that the Christmas stuff is packed up. I love all my things! I can even remember as a little girl liking to dust my room just so I would rearrange things!  A friend of mine who is sadly in the process of divorce is emptying her house as it has been sold :( and  she has been parting with many things she loves since she can't take a house full of stuff with her. She's been giving me some of her treasures. I will show you some in a future post but for now I have been re arranging some of my things like my little chair shelf. It gives them a fresh start! Everyone needs that in January for the new year!

When I was in Target Christmas shopping, I was surprised and thrilled to see they reissued the original Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate box! Did anyone else happen to see that? I was so excited! I always remembered the commercial when I was a child and the Swiss Miss who sang the song. I had to buy it! And her little yodel is on the back of the box  :)  You can watch the original commercials from the 70's on you tube. I did! I smiled! and I sang!

This box brings back so many happy memories for me! Like I always say..."...it's the little things in life that put a smile on your face." Yodelay Hee Hoo! and....all that yodeling brings yet another Happy feeling over me cause my favorite song from the Sound Of Music was the Lonely Goatherd! (I think that is the spelling). and Edelweiss of course. The little girl who lives behind us plays Edelweiss on her flute and she enjoys playing her flute on the back porch. So nice to hear it, and I yell from my yard "Thank you Genny! That's my song!" .... I even have Eldelweiss planted in my backyard. 

I bought my little squirrel friends some jumbo peanuts this week. JUMBO! They are going nuts for them--no pun intended. Good thing we all get along so well around here  (cats and squirrels included) because my little friends have no hesitation to come to the door and spy or beg or plead for more. I can't resist.

Here is Robin with one of our little friends. The squirrels will literally lay down on their flat bellys to wait RIGHT NEXT TO THE CAT! Robin is a very good boy and knows they are our friends.He's a wildlife friendly pussycat. He's also a Momma's boy but that's another story. :)
 Between my raccoons and squirrel friends, we've got quite a friendly neighborhood!





Spying through my one of my rear doors waiting for me to pass by so he can signal me that he has already eaten the first bunch I gave him!
What a cutie pie!






I have been mapping out my first fabric picture. It's going to be sun bonnet kids. Found and printed and traced some good patterns, then off to the fabric store I go! I will show you my progress!

Yesterday, my Brownie troop went to the Commack Volunteer Ambulance Organization to complete their first aid badge. What a great trip it was. The volunteers showed the girls basic first aid, told them all about 911 and how to prepare if you ever need to call for someone, they demonstrated how to put on a splint, treat a burn or a bloody wound, and they even had one of the girls lay down on a stretcher and immobilized to show how they have nothing to fear if they ever have to call for help! We also got to go into the ambulance!

An exciting afternoon! We have now earned our Painting Badge and Community Outreach badge. So far for community service we have collected over 300 pairs of pajamas and 500 books for Hurricane Sandy victims AND we are now collecting breakfast foods for a food bank called Food from the Heart! We are a hard working Brownie troop!

Well, it's about that time I have another cup of coffee and start my day! Have a great day!