Sweaters for Injured Penguins

These imaginative sweaters were knitted by Australia's oldest man who is 109 years old. Don't you love them? And him? He's been knitting since he was 30! Read story here.

How long does it take to master a craft? How about 80 years? Because 109-year-old Australian Alfred Date has been knitting since the 1930s and his latest/most famous endeavor was making mini sweaters… for endangered penguins!

Back in 2013, Victoria’s Phillip Island Penguin Foundation asked for volunteers to make sweaters for the rare “little penguins.” Alfie, who has yet to learn to say no, pitched in. Knitted penguin jumpers play an important role in saving little penguins affected by oil pollution.

Father to 7, grandparent to 20, he’s not only been an active knitter, but also a sportsman, having played golf till his 90’s.

His secret for longevity? “Waking up every morning”. See, he’s a joker, too!

Text copied from boredpanda.com -- scroll down, the story is still very near the top of the list.

Charming Cottage Entrance

Very nice indeed. Found on Pinterest

Cannot Imagine This

It looks very cozy inside and I love the light from the windows. Have you ever seen so many stars? I want to know more about this amazing photograph. I won't complain about the snow ever again. See you in the morning. Sleep tight. xo

Such a Beautiful Cake

I love this cake decorated with a squirrel and his hazelnuts.

I wonder what the cutout is made of that it can be eaten raw. Caramel? I want that cookie cutter! via

Yum. Devil's food cake with white icing. My favorite!

Gorgeous Architecture

The inside of this historical house in upstate New York is wonderful too.

10-photo House Tour w/ Charm to Spare via Elle Decor

Great Family Room for Reading and Watching

I really like this small and cozy room for watching TV and reading, don't you? via

It was very warm today and a lot of my snow melted. I have about as much as the photo above. It was nice to be able to take a long walk with Webster in slushy snow without the layer of ice on top. The weather people say more is coming but I'm not worried. Enjoy Downton Abbey and Grantchester tonight on PBS. I'll be watching too. xo via

Reasons for Staying at Home

I adore these excuses. via

It's here. The giant floating head head is looming over my cottage today, right on schedule.

Tom Gauld (Scottish, b. 1976) - The Reason I Stayed In The House All Day Drawings (All perfectly valid reasons) His website is fabulous.

I adore staying in the house all day and I do it all the time because it's my favorite place to be. Have a great Sunday. xo

Great Painting

This has been my life lately.

Preparing the Bath

Ramon Casas y Carbó
via

Veblen House in Minnesota

Such a nice restoration! via

Happy Caturday

How will you spend your Saturday? Tabitha has hers well under way with her new friend, the bunny. I got this needlepoint pillow at the church rummage sale around the corner this week and she thinks it's hers. See you later. xo

Snowdrops in England

My snowdrops were very late last year. I wonder if I will see them in February this year? They are so very prolific in England and so very lovely too.

Norman Castle, Hertfordshire, England via

I like this Small Kitchen.

So many windows! This would be a fun kitchen to work in, wouldn't it? Now I must go to mine and whip up some breakfast. See you later. xo via

White Out

I love a house with the lights on in every room. This one is especially nice, isn't it? We only got a few flakes in my town but my driveway is solid ice and it's super cold! via

Great Bathroom w/ No Caulk or Grout

This bathroom in an old house is fabulous, isn't it? No tile. No grout. Freestanding tub with no caulk. Yes, please! via

Light Snow is On The Way

I hope it's a pretty one like this. via

All This and Coffee Too

Who could ask for more? via

Or would you prefer yours here? via

More Caulking Photos of My DIY Bathtub Project

The clear shower curtain is thrown over the wrap-around shower rod to keep it out of the way for the best light in this photo showing my overhead shower head that comes out of the ceiling.

Here's another shot with the show curtain pushed all the way open.

I bought this amazing WORKFORCE caulking gun from the Home Depot. The manager of the Paint Department suggested this one when I told him I wanted the best one they sell and he gave me a demo. He also told me to cut the smallest hole from the caulk tube tip. I should have twisted the barrel around so you could see the name. It's very light weight and was the most expensive one they had @$9.97. I love it. It has a ratchet rod---see photo below with the space bar. It clicks when you squeeze the trigger. When you are working, the hook is turned up so the notches on the rod are facing down. When you want to quit and rest the hook is turned down and the notches are up. Here's how I remember it -- Down Time, want to take a break, turn hook DOWN. Break over. Get UP and go back to work. Turn hook UP. For some reason, this item is getting bad reviews on the HD website but I absolutely love it. If you want to caulk like a girl, buy this one. Smile.

Close-up of the handle.

I always make a huge mess when I work. Especially when embarking on a project I've never done before. I have a huge collection of tools picked up at garage sales so I can usually find the best tool for the job. I had to purchase a new caulking gun and a tube of silicone sealer. I had a caulking gun I got this summer from Ace Hardware but I ended up hating it the first time I used it. It was free with a coupon so I can't really complain.

Secret weapons to use when caulking. I watched this YouTube Video of an English contractor using a popsicle stick or paddle pop. Skip over to 230 so you won't have to watch him eat it. This tip really works. I got the best thin bead using the popsicle stick but it was too thin and didn't adequately cover both the tile and the tub. So I reapplied and used this bigger stick that I found in my craft supplies. Pictured is a 6" ruler. You can probably buy these sticks at Michael's. I have several and I'm guarding them carefully. 

I love my honed marble subway tiles with the black diamond border. You can't see it because of the mess on the floor but there's a large black diamond in the middle of my floor. I'm so happy to be finished with this job. xo

This is the silicone sealant I used. Soap and water cleanup. Will last for at least 20 years and by then, I won't care.

Caulk Finished + A Snow Scene

I'll post some more photos in the morning but I wanted you to see my caulking job. I really liked doing it and I love the caulking gun I bought. Can't wait to do more. I tried using my finger, a small spoon from the frozen yogurt place, and a popsicle stick to get an even line. But ended up using something I found upstairs in my craft supplies stash -- a wooden stick that is bigger than a popsicle stick but smaller than a tongue depressor and it made just the bead I needed to cover the bottom of the tile and the right amount of tub. I had to do two applications of caulk because my gap was so deep after I dug out all of the old grout. I have a shower head that comes out of the ceiling that I'll try to get in a picture tomorrow. I'm tired but very happy.

Here is my balcony overlooking my barn/garage and the rear of my property. We got a nice layer of ice on top of this accumulation later in the day and poor Webster had a heck of a time finding a place to go after dinner. He kept falling through the deep stuff. It's very cold too and windy. Good night. xo

The Snow Queen is Working Overtime

The Snow Queen by Gyula Talos

She visited my cottage again last night and left a big heavy mess. I'll post a couple of photos of the snow here at my cottage later. via

Old Key that Was Never Lost

So amazing. I spend countless hours searching for keys and my glasses. Doesn't everyone?

The original key used at Stirling Castle in Scotland. The Castle dates from at least the early 12th century; present buildings mostly built between 1490 and 1600. I wonder how big this key is? I'm sure it must be quite large, never to have been lost in 900 years, counting from the 12th century to the 21st century! It's beautiful, isn't it? via

Virtual Snacks for The Party I'm Not Having

This looks like a delicious assortment of things to munch on while watching TV. Have a great evening. xo via

Best Media Room Ever.

I don't usually like flat screen TVs over a fireplace but I really love this one. Isn't this room fabulous? I love everything about it. I'm sure the Super Bowl party here will be fabulous. Me, won't be watching. PBS doesn't care and neither do I. via

My Favorite Landscaping

Wild and wonderful, easy to maintain. via 

I did go to the Home Depot today and got caulk and a caulking gun and I intend to master both. I'm still digging out grout and I'm doing that masterfully too. See you in the morning. xo

Connected cottages.

Via Houzz

Forget the back part. I'll just take the front connected cottages. Love this look!

Cleaning Big Ben

via

After seeing this photo, I shall not complain about my current task at hand. I am digging out all the old grout around my tub and then I'll put in new. Grout, not caulk. Heaven only knows why today was the day I decided to do it. It's like granite and I have every tool I own in the bathroom. A hammer and chisel to loosen and an old nail set to dig are my favorites, so far. I have a corner tub so I only have two sides around the top of the tub and then down to the floor. It's going well and I'm excited. It's a pretty awkward job and I have to get in the tub to work in certain spots. I'm not going to rush because I can use the shower downstairs until I finish. I know I will do a better job than any hired hand because I care the most about getting out all of the old stuff. I have a feeling a pro would just rough up the old stuff and put new over it, right? Then charge me a lot of money and run away.

The wind is howling outside and more snow is supposed to be coming over the weekend so I will have plenty to do if I get snowed in. Have a great weekend. xo

Boo.

My cat Tabitha has never been interested in boxes. This is so cute. via

Jeffersonian Architecture

Looks like a very good read.

In 1999, historians at the Virginia Historical Society acquired three curiously bound volumes of drawings and documents created between 1821 and 1858 by a long and unjustifiably-forgotten architect named Thomas R. Blackburn. Inspection revealed that these were, in fact, no ordinary documents but a unique window onto the life of a distinguished builder and his revered master: Thomas Jefferson.

In these extraordinary books, we find Blackburn, at first a young carpenter, engaged in the construction of Jeffersons famed "academical village" at the University of Virginia. He simultaneously embarked on an ambitious program of architectural study, guided, it appears, by Jefferson himself. The drawings he executed in the four decades that followed extraordinary ink and watercolor explorations of his many residential and civic commissions bear witness to his emergence as a mature and prolific architect in his own right.

In Jeffersons Shadow is a unique document of the relationship between an unknown but highly skilled country builder and the American statesman widely considered this nations first gentleman architect. But it is also an indispensable resource on the little-understood practice of architecture in the early and mid-nineteenth century. text found here This book is currently available on Amazon.

A Federal Beauty: New Home, Looks Old

Entry portico of this new classical house.

G. P.Schafer, Architecture

View 9-photo slideshow of this amazing new construction. When page loads, click on NEW CLASSICAL HOUSE in left column. Be prepared for a real treat!

Nice Cave.

I love this interesting sofa with the adjustable back. You can flip it up or down depending on your mood. Want to lean back? Flip it up. Want to throw your arm over the back? Flip it down. And I love the arms that are like tables. The rug is fabulous as well. I know this is probably designed by a stylist as an ad and it all works, doesn't it? via

Ducky Weather

I am amazed at how well animals cope with the cold weather. Mine go out willingly and seem to enjoy a romp but are glad to get back inside to defrost. Isn't this a great photo of the duck looking through the chicken wire covered by a hoar frost? via