Do you fully embrace winter?

I think this is hilarious. I almost never complain about the cold unless the power is off and the furnace doesn't work. But absolutely nothing brings me to my knees like the heat of summer. via

Cleaning Frenzy

I  don't know about you, but I'm feeling an intense cleaning frenzy coming on. I never did get a good job done before Christmas because of Piggy, the little white French bulldog that was my houseguest through the New Year. I pinned a site this morning with 25 DIY Green Cleaning Recipes for the Whole House. Now mind you, I said I could feel it coming on but it hasn't actually started yet. I photographed this pic from one of my books entitled Spring Cleaning, the spirit of keeping home by Monica Nassif. I'm off to do some marketing first remembering to take my own canvas totes with me. I need to pay some bills too. Life really is getting back to normal, isn't it?

A few things that bother or puzzle me . . .

Here are a few things I don't understand:

• Google+
• What am I supposed do when I get a new follower?
• How can I possibly follow back when the new follower has more than one blog? Which one should I use?
• I don't understand Google Friend Connect either. Is it the same thing as following?
• What is the best way to respond to comments?
• Why do my photos look so perfect on my Mac and so awful on my PC? Macs are awesome!
• Screens are getting smaller. Do my photos shrink when viewed on a mobile device?
• Why do I keep getting all the annoying emails from people who want me to say I know them on LinkedIn? I'm not on it.
• I'm not on Facebook either. Should I be?
• Why do people watermark their blog photos? I'm thrilled when people copy mine.
• Why do people publish incomplete posts requiring a 'read more' link? I usually delete these subscriptions from my reader.
• Why am I still in my bathrobe? Leaving now to get my day going. See you later.
• Note: a few of the things on this list were pet peeves.

I Slept Like a Log and Woke Up Here

It's so much playing virtual beds. I slept like a log last night and this is where I woke up. Actually it would have been better this morning to wake up in the other white bedroom. I always think I would like to have a window behind my bed in the summer but not on a cold frigid winter day. Brrrrr.
via

Wonderful Bedroom All Dressed in White

This would be perfect if I had a white dog. It is stunningly beautiful, isn't it? I like the recessed cupboards full of books on either side of the bed. Lots of reading lamps too. Very nice indeed. via

I got a lot done today. Everything Christmas has been boxed and put in the attic closet for another year. Things are getting back to normal and some of my favorite TV shows are showing new episodes again. I'm looking forward to watching REVENGE tonight. See you tomorrow.

Ford Mansion - Washington's Headquarters

The Ford Mansion in Morristown, New Jersey was built by Jacob Ford, Jr. in 1774. My mom and I took a tour on a frigid Sunday in December. It served as George Washington’s Headquarters from December 1779 to June 1780.

The grand front entrance is beautiful. 

Doesn't this Park Ranger have an interesting job?

Nothing compares to 18th century wavy glass, does it? It appears that some of these panes are replacements. 

I'll post more of my iPhone photos from time to time. Read more about this historic site here.

Craving Plain Food

I don't know about you, but nothing tastes good to me except fresh fruit and green vegetables. This must be my body's way of recovering from all the fancy rich food I've been eating lately. I had my first office meeting of the year yesterday and I took some candy for the agents to enjoy so it wouldn't tempt me at a weak moment. 

Blue Spruce

Another of my iPhone photos of a blue spruce bough with raindrops, the only decorations my evergreen trees ever get. I so admire people who make the effort during the holidays to decorate outdoors. I give them demerits though if they don't take them down pretty soon after Christmas. I am slowly undecorating my cottage and putting the boxes away for another year.