2/24/14

A lovely sunny last Monday of February here on the ridge today. Cold but only a light breeze. Despite the ice and snow the chickens eagerly leapt out of their front door tired of being confined. 
Happily Anne and Matthias safely returned from their trip to Ohio and yesterday we spent a sweet Sunday together. Though their days were full (I'm sure you'll be seeing some wonderful photos of their work on Anne's blog soon) Anne took the time to bring back "Thank you for house sitting" presents.

This little cyclamen smells divine. Who can resist those heart shaped leaves and happy blooms? The book by Susan Loy, autographed by her, Anne found at Half Price Books thinking she was buying it for herself. She knows of my long long time interest in Susan's work and assumed I had a copy of the book already. When she showed it to me and found out I did NOT have a copy, she handed it over without hesitation.
Thank you sweet Anne and welcome home.

calm between the storms

Been getting our exercise removing snow around here.

Wild winds from the southeast rearranged the last snowfall. I had shoveled the brick walk to where you see Jerome coming to my rescue with the snow blower (which just barely fit inside the gate.)

The morning after we finished all the snow removal at the farm we drove into town to try and clear up the city house walks and drive (we're house sitting for Anne and Matthias while they're in Ohio.)
 

It's no easy task throwing all that snow up onto the piles already formed around this little city lot without having it roll right down again.
You see the beautiful blue skies which we enjoyed yesterday and today. Temperatures above freezing for the first time since before Christmas.
Now we have a major storm warning beginning in the small hours of tomorrow morning. This time rain, sleet and high wind gusts will be in the mix.

A happy result of the longer daylight hours… our hens are laying again. And they especially have enjoyed the sun and the milder temperatures.

Next week temperatures below zero by day, double digit below at night. What a crazy winter ride we're having!

a valentine

for each of you,

with love.

who is that?

I just can't talk myself into jumping into that deep, wide sea called Facebook. Jerome, however, floats about there a bit every day. This week he was sent a photo of the two of us from more than 40 years ago. We are standing with a young Episcopal priest and his wife at some church event related to St. Richards Episcopal church in Edgebrook where Jerome was organist/choir director just before he left to earn his masters in music from UM Ann Arbor. That young priest, Ed Little,  is now the bishop of Northern Indiana. Wow. Way to go, Ed.

The photo is interesting on many counts. OK, no comments about the length of my skirt. Just notice the hand embroidered waistband and matching hair scarf! I made so many of my clothes back then. It's good to be reminded of aspects of your life and sweet moments that have lain unremembered for ages. For inside, no matter my present age or condition, there still resides that sweet young person I used to be.

I wish you could smell this...

Jerome gave me a Meyer lemon for Christmas. We were shopping in our local Co-op when I spotted her in their floral area. He was delighted to oblige.
Always taking a bit of a chance bringing citrus outside in December, changing its location while it's in bud. We wrapped her up and hurried to the car and home.

Well, here she is 6 weeks later. She resides in Jerome's Diapason office in our first floor sunroom, filling his space with her heady aroma.

Using an old sable brush I've tried to stand in for the now slumbering honey bees. Mya loves to nibble the tips of her deep green leaves and play with the fallen petals. Hard for me to scold her for being attracted to something I dearly love to be near myself.
A little bit of summer indoors that keeps winter outside where it belongs.