March is Going Out Like A Lamb

After a cold morning with hail, it turned out to be a spectacular day, after all. There is only a small amount of snow left in the front driveway where it was piled over my head by the snowplow man. The ground is still wet from three days of rain, but March appears to be going out like a lamb, after all. I know that is probably not the case everywhere, but I'm glad it's ringing true here at the cottage. Webster and Tabitha are thrilled too. xo

Seaside Cottage in Norway

One of the people I follow on Instagram posted this photo and I love it. Have you ever seen a more enchanting cottage? I love the architectural style and how it somehow seems private even though it's in a picturesque village. I want to see more of both. 

We had hail yesterday and this morning. Webster and I got caught in it last evening and he couldn't wait to get back inside. I had an umbrella but he had no protection at all and really got pelted. I don't think it hurt but it surely was loud.

Call The Midwife - Season 3 Tonight

Call The Midwife - Website

Tonight is the Season 3 Premier on PBS at 8PM. I'm so glad it comes on early so don't forget to set your DVR. I love this show. Afterwards is Season 2 Premier of Mr. Selfridge.

Old Photos: My Brother and Me

Did this roving pony and photographer visit your neighborhood when you were a kid?

My brother Tim. He didn't need any props from the photographer. He came fully dressed in his Hopalong Cassidy outfit he got for Christmas. He wore it until it was either worn out or outgrown, I can't remember which.

Tim's inner and outer cowboy, back in the saddle again.

I wore my own clothes but the hat was probably a prop. I don't remember ever wanting to be a cowgirl. My brother always got up a little bit earlier than I did on Saturday mornings and I was forced to watch Cowboys and Indians because he beat me to the TV.

My inner cowgirl. I've never been at home in the saddle.

Snowdrops On Ice

I was shocked when I saw these snowdrops near my front door today when Webster and I went out in the rain. I honestly didn't see them yesterday when I was transplanting on the other side of the walk. They are actually coming up through thin slushy ice. I guess they just couldn't wait any longer. I usually get them in February and it's almost April. WOW!

Life's Little Instruction Book | Volume II | Page 74

I love the last one. I would go an extra step and make it a first edition.

My Violets will be coming soon.

When I was transplanting my snowdrops yesterday, I unearthed some grape hyacinths that will be coming up too. Later in the spring my wild violets will be lined up against my brick wall.

They are my favorite wildflowers. They come up in the lawn too, before the first mowing. It rained during the night and is a gloomy Saturday with off again, on again rain. I don't mind in the least. Maybe the last of my snow will melt. See you later. xo

Snowdrops, Transplanted

In between rain showers, I dug up those snowdrops at the edge of the woods and transplanted them.

I look out on this part of the brick wall from my "catbird seat" in the living room. As I find more, I will continue the line until I have a row all the way to the end. Next spring it will be beautiful.

Beautiful Yellow Barn

Lately I've featured green barns and red barns. I've never seen a yellow one, have you?

It's lovely, isn't it? It would be cheerful to look at on the dreariest of days. I am supposed to have three straight days of on and off again rain but I have sun this morning. Happy Friday. xo via

Book Borrower Warning

Black is the Raven, Black is the rook, But Blacker is the rougue who returns not this book.
A wonderful warning written around 1839 in the front of an 1810 copy of Robinson Crusoe.
Have you ever loaned a book that was never returned? via

A Tulip for You

Soon there will be tulips. In the meantime, you can enjoy this animated gif. via

Webster's Shadow

I took this photo yesterday when the late afternoon shadows were very long. He kept moving and I was lucky to get a halfway decent pic of his alter ego, The Big Bad Wolf. He is fast asleep on the sofa as I drink my morning coffee. As soon as I finish my last sip, I'll make breakfast for both of us. The terrible wind we had yesterday has died down. We didn't get any snow either....yay. South Jersey got 6 inches. I am so thankful. Have a great Thursday and I'll see you later. xo

Found a Patch of Snowdrops

I found this nice patch of snowdrops on the edge of the woods. I took this photo on Webster's after dinner walk and it was so very cold. The wind has been howling but we didn't get any snow overnight and for that I am grateful. As soon as it gets a little warmer, I'm going to transplant these harbingers of spring to the front of my house so I can enjoy them more. Did the snow fairy skip over you too?

Doc Martin is on tonight!!! Yay. I'm going to catch up on Father Brown beforehand. Hope you enjoy your evening too. xo

Before There Were Birth Certificates

This is a framed birth record I have hanging on my wall in the living room. I bought it from a New Jersey dealer about 35 years ago and still love it. It is a page from a family Bible recording the 18th century birth date of all the family members. Someone kept it up until 1834 and then the record keeping fell by the wayside.

Here is a closer look. Isn't thehe penmanship exquisite? This also falls into the folk art category because of the folky angel and decorative flourishes across the top. It's a wonderful glimpse into 18th century family record keeping.

Best Baby Goose ever

I absolutely love this little gosling, don't you? It was taken by a registered nurse on Long Island and she crawled thru goose poop to get close and not disturb the geese. It was worth it to get such an adorable photo, don't you think? photo by Lisa Franceski She though this little one looked like a referee calling "Touchdown".

Lily of the Valley

I took this photo last year and I really babied my lily of the valley to urge them to spread. I won't be seeing them anytime soon because there is still about 4" of snow in their garden spot in front along my brick wall. I have snow drops coming up in another location on the other side of the drive way near the spruce trees. They are in the bud stage and haven't opened. I found another big patch in the woods where I throw my weeds. I'm going to dig them up and plant them where I can see them. It's a gray cloudy day and we are supposed to get snow after midnight but not too much, they say. Fingers crossed.

Waiting for More Snow

I took this photo two days ago and that little patch of snow that refuses to melt is still there and it's definitely "waiting for more" as my mother used to say. This tangled mess of thorn bushes and wild grape vines looks like a giant bird's nest, doesn't it? The weight of all the snow we had mashed it all down. You can't keep a good wild barberry bush down though. In no time they will spring back to life and provide good cover for small wildlife. This area is rather like Brer Rabbit's briar patch.

Wow, This is Cool

I wish I could say I did this myself, but Google did it for me. Remember when they put falling snow in one of my photos recently? When I set up a program to have access to pictures on my phone directly from this blog page, there was something called Auto Awesome. I checked it and this is what they did to several sunrise photos I took from my bedroom window. Awesome!

Mary Cassatt, Snow Nest, and Daffodils Sprouting

Mary Cassatt (American, 1844–1926). Young Mother Sewing, 1900. The Metropolitan Museum posted this photo in celebration of Women's History Month. Don't you love it?

I've had my eye on the bird nest for a long time. It was the snow piled inside that disclosed the location.

I am seeing a few signs of spring here and there. These daffodils will be some welcome color pretty soon.

Bird's Nest in a Thorn Bush

I would say the mother bird picked a good place to build this nest last year in the middle of a wild rose bush with giant thorns. I cleaned out all the debris in hopes she will come back to reclaim it soon. I am always fascinated with the beautiful weaving our fine feathered friends are able to do with no hands. Can you see the tiny bit of greening in the multiflora stems? Spring is on the way.

Let Sleeping Cats Lie

She certainly looks comfortable, doesn't she? Tabitha was snoring softly when I took this photo this morning but the shutter click on my iPhone woke her up. It has been eat, go out, sleep, eat, go out, and sleep ever since. She is in sleeping mode right now. Webster is whimpering for his after dinner walk so off I go. Lots of good TV tonight but nothing is on PBS. Enjoy your evening. xo