Bluebirds in The Snow

What a thrilling photograph!

Bluebirds are my favorite birds and a winter sighting is always exciting. This shelter is perfect protection from the snow or for feeding them dried meal worms. via

Golfing Snowmen + Siberian Iris in The Snow

Seeing is believing!

via

I had beautiful purple and white miniature Siberian Iris at my first house and I miss them. Maybe this will be the year I plant some at my cottage. I normally have tons of snowdrops popping up in late February but they are buried under two feet of snow. I will be lucky to see them by April. The rest of the week will be warm with 40s and even 50s on the thermometer. Let the melting begin. via

Beautiful Quote + Cat in A Box

Beautifully Handwritten Quote

"Painting is poetry

that is seen rather 

than felt.

Poetry is panting

that is felt 

rather than seen."

Leonardo da Vinci

via

This cat made me laugh😹

Red-Bellied Woodpecker Showing Belly

Red-Bellied Woodpecker, up close

I always thought this beauty should have been named for his head rather than his underside that's rarely this visible. Yesterday I got a vivid photo that illustrates his namesake perfectly. Thank you for all of your comments about my mistaken identity of the bird that perished this week. I now agree it was a Mourning Dove rather than a Hawk. It is a gorgeous Sunday morning here at my cottage with a cloudless blue sky. See you tonight. xo

Something Killed my Beautiful Hawk😥

I knew something was wrong yesterday when all the bird activity stopped abruptly around 3:00 in the afternoon but I was too busy shoveling snow to investigate. This morning I got up early and there was still no activity. I went outside and filled the feeder up to the brim and still nothing. I went outside and looked over the balcony railing and saw large feathers scattered on the snow and I thought they looked like those of my friendly hawk. I went down and picked some up and I think you will agree. Would another hawk kill a young hawk? It's 9:30 now and the birds have returned. We were all worried the hawk was going to kill my little birds but I don't think anyone thought he would be the target. Boo Hoo😢

My blog is still broken and my sidebar has disappeared for computer viewing . Please click here to go to my mobile site. xo

Library off Living Room

I adore the wide board floors with the beautiful patina. The library off the living room looks as if it has bookshelves on all the walls and that's a good thing because you can't have too many (books or shelves). via

An Amazing Bathroom's Fine Cabinetry

WOW . . . THAT SINK SURROUND

I continue to be amazed by the art of the fine woodworker and the ideas of the homeowner or design professional. Bathrooms have certainly become sanctuaries of late, haven't they? via 

Click here for my blog's mobile view. Be safe in this horrible weather pattern. Next week is going to be much better! xo

A Rabbit, Waist Deep in Snow + Powder Blue Kitchen Cabinets

Does He Look Fed Up?

I kept up with my snow by going outside often to shovel before it got too deep. It tapered off late in the afternoon and is supposed to start up again in the night but I think the worst is over. Wasn't too bad at all! I think animals, and this rabbit in particular, just take one day at a time and deal with whatever Mother Nature brings instead of wishing the snow would end the way we humans do. xo

Powder Blue Cabinets!

I have never considered powder blue as a color for painted cabinets, but aren't these lovely? via I am having a terrible problem with my sidebar not showing and I cannot fix it. Click here for MOBILE VIEW. xo

The Beautiful Cardinal + Acorn TV Updates

A Cardinal in the Snow

There's no prettier bird in the snow, is there? I am bracing for more tomorrow and will keep you posted. My heart goes out to the people in Texas with no power. I am so fortunate and count my blessings every day. xo

UPDATE: Feb. 18th

Season 2 of LAW & ORDER | UK was just added to Acorn.TV

I really enjoyed LINE OF DUTY too. I watched all 6 Seasons and I recommend it highly.

Instead of adding a new blog post, I am just going to keep adding updates to my existing evening post from the night before. A new post will be added between 8pm and no later than 9pm in the evening, Eastern time.

My Sunday Night Supper

Mac & Cheese

I should have posted this on Valentine's Day but I didn't. I made Mac & Cheese and added a can of tuna and frozen peas. I topped it with shredded cheddar and put it under the broiler to melt and brown. It was so good as were the leftovers for lunch the next day. xo

Cooper's Hawk Staring at Me

COOPER'S HAWK VISIT TODAY

He didn't stay long but I got quite a few poses. I wonder if he could see me through the window glass into my living room when I was photographing or if he could only see his reflection. He never flinched and I got quite a few shots just like this one only with his head looking in different directions. I know he is a predator of small birds but he didn't seem interested and was looking far away. I hope he spotted some mice because, as you all know by now, I am afraid of them. He last visited me on December 26th. The little birds came right back as soon as he flew away. This is my excitement for the day. xo

New House Looks Old Great Fireplace

This new construction in Gladwyn Pennsylvania is truly wonderful, inside and out. See all the photos and be inspired that architecture is not dead. look for the < > symbols with numbers in the cent to click through all 12. Archer & Buchanan Architects.

THE KNITTING GNOME IS BUSY TODAY

Watch him knit here.

Happy Valentine's Day

Amazing Starling Murmurations: Daniel Biber Photography

The first time I saw these images I thought they were photoshopped but they are not. A German photographer, Daniel Biber, captured these starling murmurations over four days of trying. He did not even know he had succeeded until he downloaded his images from the camera. The starlings in flight have the ability to form images to scare off predators. Truth is stranger than fiction, isn't it? Read this interesting article and see more images here. I think this is thrilling, don't you? xo

UPDATE: I found an interview with Daniel Bieber, the photographer, here.

UPDATE 2: I found the video of the two girls in a canoe that Linda and Anita commented about here.

Lytes Cary Manor UK

The arts and crafts-style gardens at this National Trust House in Somerset must be spectacular if these topiaries are examples. Lytes Cary Manor website. Have a great weekend. Mine is off to a lazy start but I am doing things mentally and hope to accomplish something productive later today.

Abbotsbury Swannery in Dorset

Abbotsbury Swannery This is unique not to be seen anywhere else in the world; 600 mute swans on the site of an 11th-century monastery. Isn't this breathtakingly beautiful? Perfect for my good night post. xo

Sparrows and More Birds

Sparrows for tammy j

Click photo to enlarge. Several sparrows on the railing and one perched atop the suet. They are surrounded by Juncos, a bird in flight and finches at the feeder. A typical day at Rosemary's Bird Station. xo

My Overnight Snow

If and when I go outside, I will have to stoop to avoid running into these icicles hanging from the gutters over my front door.

This accumulation is doable. The seat of the chair was cleaned off down to the bare wood yesterday so it illustrates the light overnight dusting of snow. We are into a weather pattern, aren't we?❄️ xo

First Winter Sighting: A Little Wren

Little Jenny Wren

I went out to Ace Hardware yesterday and picked up two suet cakes and they created no bird activity whatsoever. My feathered friends didn't seem at all interested in this rare treat. Installing it was no easy task either. But today I spotted one of my favorite summer birds pecking away. The little house wren found the suet and knew just what to do. Then a Downy Woodpecker followed suit and was able to latch on as well. I honestly thought there would be a flurry of activity but I was wrong. I didn't realize the wrens were year-round residents but I guess they are hardy little birds. I hope Jenny returns soon. Click my photo to enlarge. xo

Sundown at My Cottage

My cottage hasn't changed much but there's a little bit of color over my red barn indicating the golden hour. I've been researching snow on roofs around me and on all houses when I drive around (seldom lately). Snow on the roof is a sign of good insulation. Mine takes forever to melt front and back so I don't have much heat loss in my attic. I don't have many icicles either. The ones I do have are coming off my half-round copper gutters when they get a bit of sun. My house is far from cozy because I have large windows, my radiators aren't big enough, and I keep the thermostat pretty low. I dress for warmth inside my house and have actually gotten used to a cooler house. I turn my thermostat down to 60° at night and I love sleeping in a cold room. My eiderdown comforter keeps me very warm. That's about it for today. xo

Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Website for Bird Lovers All Over the World

So Many Bird Feeders

Snow Update

UP WITH THE BIRDS

I was actually up before the birds this morning. We got another foot of snow yesterday and I started my shoveling at 3:00 in the afternoon when it started to diminish. My car was already melting and that cleanup was relatively easy. The undisturbed snow was like powdered sugar and not at all heavy except at the road where the snowplows dumped the ugly wet stuff. I was almost up to that point when an angel appeared! My newest neighbor across the street walked from his driveway to mine with his snowblower and cleared the stuff I was dreading in a flash including digging out my mailbox. You can't imagine how much time this saved me. I was back in my cottage at 5:00; without his help it probably would have taken me another hour or or two to dig myself out. I am going to ask him to help me pick out a snowblower for myself for next year. I went to bed extra early and woke up refreshed just in time to attend to my feathered friends with my outside thermometer reading single digits. xo

Red-Winged Blackbird Portrait

Bye, Bye, Blackbird!

He just stopped by for a short visit and I'm glad I had my camera handy. I have always admired the colorful epaulets on the wings of red-winged blackbirds. That color disappears when the wings are tightly closed but I managed a good photo today because he had loosened his wings ❤

Sunday Snow with Birds

My snow just started (Sunday 8:30am) and it is scheduled to quit around 3:00 this afternoon. I filled the birds' feeding tube so I'm all set to stay inside and enjoy cottage life. Stay cozy and watch the Super Bowl if you are a football fan. xo

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

"Let Sleeping Dogs Lie"

Does this one count as an illustrated quote? I have four of these books with various dogs on them and a lamp as well and I always wondered how anyone could part with them. Have a great rest of the weekend and prepare for some snow if its coming your way. xo

LAW & ORDER | UK on Acorn TV

I am currently watching this new series on Acorn TV and I highly recommend it. I never watched Law & Order for some reason and I know it was a popular show here. I adore British Legal dramas, especially the court scenes with the barristers wearing robes and wigs. The acting is superb and I really like all six of the actors shown above. It is a new series that just started on February 1, 2021. Put it on your "must watch" list and you won't be sorry. xo 

UPDATE: I just did some research and found this series is also on Amazon Prime, Britbox, and AMC+

Nice Winter Sky at My Cottage

NICE WINTER SKY

This snow scene from my balcony could also be called The Calm Before The Storm! I don't think it will dump more than 7 inches and I can handle that easily. Anyway, it's nice to see a blue sky with white clouds today. xo

Evergreen Decorated by Mother Nature

Snow on the pine's long needles is so lovely. The out of focus red barn in the background just makes this photo, doesn't it? via

My Bootprints in the Snow

The snow that was predicted for today turned out to be very light and not at all problematic. Thankfully. xo

An Architect's Bathroom with Antiques

How much do I love this? Architect Jim Joseph’s Hudson Valley home, NY. Architectural Digest. via