Happy first of December

It doesn't seem possible that we're beginning the final month of the year. It's been snowy and blowy here all day. There isn't a lot of snow on the ground for all the flurries that have been about, but enough to be wintry outside the farmhouse windows.
I've spent much of the day preparing for Anne's return tomorrow, cleaning, decorating, caring for the houseplants. I've had a lovely time changing out the display on my large shadow box shelf in the dining room. It was made for me by my brother David many, many years ago.

For more years than I can count I've dreamt about having a front porch that I could decorate for the holidays! And this year I finally can. I have two garlands strung with lights and decorated with pinecones. I used to use them around our city house front door and front double window. When we had our windows and front door replaced there, we lost the wood trim and the hooks that held the garlands in place. So they've been in storage for several years back in Illinois waiting for the a new lease on life out here on the farm.  They still look good, and what do you know, the lights still work! There's one of them around the doorway between my living and dining rooms. The other longer one will go on the front porch railing.
I brought back my box of pinecones and a large armful of pussywillow branches, the pussies still covered by their lovely red sheaths. I'll use them along with the beautiful red twig dogwood branches from our garden and greens from trees out in the yard to fill the cement urns we inherited when we bought the farmhouse. Oh, and the big bold osage oranges Terri brought me when she visited last month will go in there too. I'll show you the results later.
But right now, here's a photo of my new grand niece Zuzu Lolita. Who could resist those cheeks?!

As for another little sweetheart, Dovey's having a well-deserved quiet day today after all the mouse excitement yesterday. This morning I found an injured, stunned mouse in the living room hiding under the bottom shelf of a plant stand. It barely resisted my removing it from the house, but did leave a small smear on the wrapping I picked it up with. Had Dovey managed to wound it in the night? Who knows. She did spend much of the morning on patrol but I'm glad to see she's taking a little break from defending me and the farmhouse right now. Good girl, Dovey.

Well, it's mid afternoon and time for a fresh mug of tea. And to get to that front porch garland...