Enjoying This Moment

A basket of old roses in my cottage.  It's going to be interesting to see what I can do with my camera with the flowers this year, maybe butterflies.  Imagine sitting clear across the yard and getting a fantastic shot of a butterfly or dragonfly.  Everything is cold and frozen and slick as glass.  It's a great time to think of next summer and how lovely it will be to go outside without a coat.  But........don't wish time away.  It's a great time to be inside!                      Diane

Holding On

Golden coins dangling in the sunlight.  The last of the fall leaves clinging to the dark branches of the trees along the creek.  Winter is bearing down on us and the sight of the leaves holding on for dear life seems to be the same as us holding on to the last of the pleasant days in the final moments before the weather gets seriously cold.  Each day without cold is a gift. 

I remember one year - probably around 1984 - when it turned -30 degrees on Thanksgiving and stayed that way until Christmas Eve when it finally warmed up to -10 degrees. I don't want to see another month like that. 

Hope you had a good day where you live. 

Update:  Cathy will begin radiation treatment next week, she doesn't have to have chemo.  The doctor told her that she had the best diagnosis that it could have been.  She thinks it will all be behind her by Christmas.  Thank you, dear friends,  for your prayers.  Prayer works.           Diane

It's Coming

Pretty soon the creek will be frozen solid.  This is where it begins,  little growths of frost and ice along the weeds and rocks, clinging to the edges, lurking in the shadowy spots.  Then it will slowly build up until there's no water left, only ice.  It's supposed to be 10 degrees tonight, winter is on its way.

I Spoke Too Soon

Remember the post a couple days ago about the pansies, well, we have had almost constant snow since I posted it.  Things were melting, ground was showing through and now it's back to 0 degrees as I write this.  I think I shouldn't have said anything. 

Not all bad though, I'm loving the time I have to create.  I hope you have had a peaceful and restful Sunday.  Blessings, Diane

Thaw

Last week at one point it was -15 degrees.  This week +65 today.  The old, rotten ice on the creek is beginning to die and give up it's bitter hold.  The creek has already cut a channel through the ice, there are big cracks coming from the bank.  It won't be long. People are coming out of their houses and chopping ice, digging out their barbecue grills.  Winter is losing it's icy grip.  We will have cold.  We will have bitter cold. But winter is dying.                                   Diane

Cold Drink

I always forget this little birdbath out in a corner of the yard.  We had a wet icy snow last night which covered everything.  These little birds look like they're waiting for their water to thaw out.  Diane

Winter Shots

 Garden bells against the snow

 The contorta bush is prettiest in winter, I love the curly branches against the snow. 

Rascal doesn't want to cooperate.  He thinks he's hidden. 
                                                                                               Blessings, Diane

Gittin' Er Ready

In this picture my husband is tuning up his tractor for snowplowing our driveway (and the neighborhood) this winter.  Last winter he was upset because we only had one snow that was deep enough to plow.  If you'll notice - he's so intent on working on it that he's forgotten his ever present oxygen bottle. 

Colder weather, possibly snow, is predicted for next week so I've been trying to get the yard in shape.  Everybody in the neighborhood has been doing the same thing.  Nothing like a change in the weather to get motivated.             Diane

Morning

This morning I had to be up on the hill overlooking the part of the valley where we live. As I was coming down the hill I was struck by the beauty of the clouds and smoke lying there in the valley. Diane

Yesterday Morning

We woke up to winter again this year. This is a picture of the south forty. It was a fairyland. There were signs of deer bedding down the previous night and deer tracks everywhere. It would have been so pretty to see them taking shelter there during the snowstorm. Diane

It's Finally Melting

Here's Rascal on October 5. I can't resist taking pictures of him in the snow, he's just like a little puffball.

Then yesterday.................Finally!!!...............worms. Today the birds were out in full force fussing and flying around, they're either so happy to be able to get food or they're planning for their trip out of here before more bad weather. All I know is if I was standing in the wrong place one of them was liable to fly into me.

I guess I was excited too. I tried to catch some dripping for you to see. It's kind of hard with my little camera but if you blow it up you'll get the idea. Diane

P. S. Thanks to all of you for your kind birthday wishes for Leonard. He had a great day.