Nice Afternoon Today @ My Cottage

Well, I'm happy to report the weather has made a turn for the better around here. It finally stopped snowing and I was able to get to the post office to pick up almost a week's worth of mail. The sun came out too and there were pretty white clouds in front of a nice blue sky. The temperature rose above freezing and it's now a balmy 37°. The snow people have flattened out in the Adirondack chairs and at this rate they will be melted soon. Hope you got some sunshine too!!! xo

Oh No to More Snow

It's snowing again but should stop soon, I hope. I feel like a broken record. Maybe I'll show you a big icicle later. How would that be for a change? Stay tuned!

PERFECT Antique Wood Stove

Click photo to Enlarge

I saw this amazing wood stove in an old house today. Don't you love the name? It's PERFECT.

This is a detail of the left door. The middle one is dated 1886. I can't imagine using a wood stove to cook on in the summer but it was just another day in the kitchen, back then. We have it so easy now, don't we? I say that after spending time hacking away at my driveway entrances with a pickaxe today. It was finally time to deal with the white stuff the snowplows left for me as I wait for more snow tonight. As soon as I recover from one storm, another one comes along. I haven't been to the post office since last Wednesday. Be safe and stay warm if you are getting snow too. xo

Webster is Shocked

So much is happening on Downton Abbey. How can you stand the suspense?

Life's Little Instruction Book | Volume II | Page 68

A few more suggestions, observations, and reminders on how to live a happy and rewarding life.

742. Keep your private thoughts private. Good one. 

Still Digging Out

There is already a lot of melting going on this morning.

I think I will hack away at the deck on the balcony. I worked on it a couple of days ago and did everything that was touching the house and I rounded one corner. I want to work outside today so I will continue on this project. Yesterday's snow wasn't too bad, just a couple of inches. Just enough to be annoying. Enjoy your Sunday morning and I'll see you later. xo

Life's Little Instruction Book | Volume II | Page 67

A few more suggestions, observations, and reminders on how to live a happy and rewarding life.

738 is probably an outdated number. 737~You can't go wrong if you know how to make a good spaghetti sauce, can you? 

Antique Valentine

This is a valentine dated 1847 in an old scrapbook of mine. The papercutting around the flower expands.

To reveal another print inside.

Happy Valentine's Day.

The Morning After the Second Storm

We got another several inches overnight but it's warm and a big melt is underway. I had to take the animals out and show them there was a sheltered place for them to "go" in the grove of evergreens that protect my cottage from the road. I had Tabitha in my arms and she immediately knew what to do when I put her down. Webster wasn't about to go in there behind her so he dug himself another path farther up the driveway. Success!!

I took this photo when I first got up from my bedroom window. The "snow people" are buried. I hope you all are in the process of digging out and don't have any horror stories to report. I have a busy day of digging out my balcony ahead of me. My car is covered again but I don't even care. I don't need to go anywhere, so I'll just let the sun melt it for me. See you later. Webster is whimpering to be fed. xo

Snow Day Today @ My Cottage

I know this looks like a watercolor, but it's not. It's one of the first photos I took this morning when I woke up to heavy snow.

This was what I saw from my front window.

When I went out to shovel a path one-shovel wide, this is what my front yard looked like. That's my pantry window.

Webster is very tuckered out. We got at least a foot of snow on top of what we already had. It has stopped but is supposed to start up again this evening. My driveway has been plowed and my car is clean, except for the top. I'm pretty worried about my balcony. I have never seen such deep snow on it. I think I should start shoveling out there but my arms are too tired at the moment. We are fine and hope you are too. Tabitha is hiding.

Murray-arity versus Benedict Sherlock

I'm ignoring the elephant in the room (the coming snow storm) in favor of Benedict, Murray, and The Count.

This is so adorable. What a cute way to introduce PBS Kids to Sherlock Holmes. Click here if you can't see the video above. Benedict Cumberbatch, as himself, is quite comfortable with two of the Muppets, isn't he? Now I love him even more.

Another Frozen Snow Photo

Click photo to enlarge.

This is a reblog of a photo I took looking outside by guest room window of a snow swag suspended in mid air. This phenomenon was captured January 28, 2011. You can see that I took the photo through a window screen. Thankfully, I took all the screens off my windows when my house was painted in September and never put them back in. I had no idea this winter was going to be so brutal and that I would be leaning out my windows so much to show you what was going on here at the cottage. I hope you will be able to find some beauty in the weather that's enveloping the South and is headed this way. The news is showing all of the horror. Be safe, stay home, and keep warm. Fingers crossed that you don't lose power. xo

Good Night Bloggerville

Webster is sleeping in this watercolor and in real life too. I have all my nightly chores finished and I'm just about ready to jump in bed to watch Father Brown followed by Scott & Bailey on PBS. Now that's what I call a perfect weekday evening. See you tomorrow. xo

Another view of the Snow People in Chairs

This is the view of the chairs taken from my bedroom window which is on the second floor from the back since I have a walk-out lower level. Can you see the two eyes and a nose buried in the snow behind them? This photo was on my Instagram.

Snow People

The snow arm on the right started to melt but froze before it could break off and fall to the ground. That's how cold it is!! I went out the back door with Webster after he ate his supper yesterday and waited while he walked all the way to the rear of the property and back for the first time in weeks. I still can't go with him because of the ice layer that caves in and makes walking so difficult. I was finally able to get close to these chairs for a head-on shot instead of a photo from my upstairs window. Be safe. Stay warm. I'm off to an office meeting this morning. xo

Recent Deer Sighting Here at The Cottage

A family of four deer took a shortcut through the rear of my property but I only captured two of them with my camera. I don't see nearly as many deer as in previous years. It's always thrilling to see a buck with a big rack.

Oh, by the way, here's another PBS TV show I like. It comes on up here right after Father Brown. It's called Scott and Bailey....two modern day lady detectives in London Manchester. I've only seen one episode and I liked it. I told a friend about it and she saw the episode she missed on YouTube. Look it up and see if you like it too. xo

Life's Little Instruction Book | Volume II | Page 66

A few more suggestions, observations, and reminders on how to live a happy and rewarding life.

Volunteer to help a few hours a month working in a soup kitchen. Best one on this page!

Webster's Watercolor

Here he is again this morning, in watercolor form. Someone requested a portrait and I loved the photo I used for this transformation with the Waterlogue App. He had a big hot breakfast of kibble with some hot cubed potatoes left over from my homemade soup. I cooked more than I needed so he could have a good human treat over his Trader Joe's Kibble. He LOVED it. The kitchen was still cold as the heat hadn't yet kicked in, and his bowl was really steaming. I have my coffee, so we are both content in our cottage. Tabitha too. xo

Webster, The Depressed Dog

Picture this very scene with darkness and a fine snow falling pretty hard. It just started about an hour ago and we already have an inch or so. It's slippery too as Webster and I both found out when we went out for his last bathroom run until tomorrow. Doesn't he look depressed as he walks past our snow fort? I took a big clean blanket out of the dryer for him and that did the trick. He and his zebra are drifting off the dreamland and he looks very content. I have my TV shows all lined up for the night and the DVR has been set.

One more thing. One of my PBS stations started airing FATHER BROWN, Season One last Wednesday Tuesday. Episode One has something about The Hammer in the title. It's being repeated after midnight tonight -- this is Monday morning 2/10 from 1:00am - 2:00am. It's very good. It takes place in the Cotswolds in the 1950s. A Catholic priest who wears a big brimmed hat and rides a bicycle solves the crimes of the village. Take a look and see if you can find it in your area. You'll like it, I'm sure! Have a Good Downton Evening. xo

MacDonald Clan and Tartan Scotland

Per Special Request from Heather. Click to enlarge photos.

MacDonald

Tartan

Motto: By sea and by land.

Crest: Out of coronet a hand in armour fessways, holding by its point a cross crosslet fitchy, gules.

Cover and Back of my small book.

ISBN 0-00-458958-0

First published 1986, Second Edition 1991