~ 12 years have passed...

12 years ago today -- June 22, 2003. Lovey is home from the beauty salon. With sparkles in her hair...and...eyes, she is ready to begin the "happy ever after" chapter of her life. Seems like yesterday :-(

~ Happy Father's Day...

...together in heaven Lovey and Daddy.  We miss the warmth of your hugs and the sound of your laughter.

                                          ~ May 2008 ~

~ first day of spring...

...light snow falling :-(



I remembered this happening before, so I looked back through my blog -- and found this post from March 20, 2009 (click on the link below):

Ahhh...springtime (2009)...


The weather channel is making such a big deal about this -- but it has happened before -- probably quite a few times!

~ spring cleaning...

...out in the garden!



The snow finally melted away from the iris that I never cut back in the fall.  There's a bit of a breeze, but the sun is shining -- so my jacket was off and my sleeves were rolled up!

Time to make a garden to do list -- I need to get a new pair of snippers -- there's lots of trimming to do!

And...the tulips that Rick planted for me late in the fall are popping through already! :-)

~ it's march 9th...

...must be time for a birthday celebration!

~ today's view...

...snow, as predicted.



Schools are closed.  Rick made it to work, slowly, but okay.

Time to stop looking out the window and get back to my sewing room! :-)

~ today's view...

...from the front porch.  Tomorrow will be different.



I love the little bird nest in this tree (upper left corner of photo).  Last summer there were three baby goldfinch birdies in there...chirping away :-)

~ geese...

...in the afternoon sun and melting snow :-)



...new background photo -- since it's almost springtime!

~ guess who...

...nope -- not Ozzy...



...it's his Dad!

His name is Rudy.  His full name is -- Champion Venture's Up On The Housetop "Rudy".

Like father, like son...



;-)

~ improvise...

...using the foot of the bed as a design board ;-)

~ in my sewing room...

...selecting fabrics and making a design board while I am waiting for the Farm Girl Vintage book to arrive.



A girl's gotta keep herself busy! ;-)

~ food shopping day...

I pulled through the double space and into "best spot in the lot" -- I pulled straight out when I was done!



I took the photo with my new cell phone camera.  I still use tracfone as the provider -- but now I have an LG Android phone.  I am surprised at the quality of the photo -- not bad at all.  I need to practice with this camera too -- I don't know how to zoom, etc.  It won't ever be my "go to" camera -- because I only turn my cell phone on when I go out to run errands by myself. ;-)

~ winter sunset...

...too pretty to let it pass by.  I grabbed my "new" camera and because I had to be quick, I set it on the "auto" setting.  I did some minimal photoshop editing.  I think it's okay -- but I want to do better.

~ flower box progress...

...four blocks completed!

~ playing with my "new" old camera...

My "new" camera has been sitting idle since July 2014.  This is the camera that I received as a Christmas gift in December of 2013.  I have now beat my own record for longest amount of time between getting a new camera and not using it.

So, it's time to learn how to use the "new" camera.  Why?  Because my current goal is to "use what I have" to distract me from wanting things I don't already have -- so that I can get rid of some of the clutter here :-)

Here are some photos taken yesterday -- while it was snowing:






...and the photo that was left in the camera since July 2014!



None of the photos have been edited.  I need to study them a bit and then move ahead to some other settings on the camera.  I have my favorite settings that I use on my "old" camera -- and I need to find that comfort zone on this one too.

Looks like the sun is trying to peek through -- it might be a good day for more practice ;-)

~ prepping fabrics...

...for the flower box sew along :-)



I took this photo last evening at sunset.  The natural lighting was so pretty at that time.

Not today...it's snowing here...again.

~ gimme a high five...

...Ozzy!



If you can't see the video, here is the link:  high five Ozzy

~ the day after...

...winter storm Octavia.

Ozzy doesn't care that the temperature outside is only 5 degrees farenheit.  He wants to go for a walk with me in the early morning.  I try to delay the walk when it is so cold -- but he is persistent -- so I bundle up and take him.

This morning we were treated to a beautiful sky -- and the morning flight of birds that passes overhead.  This is a daily morning event -- usually I'm back in the house by this time, but this morning I took Ozzy for his walk and then came back in for my camera to take some photos of the beautiful morning, and...



...so I could take a photo of this :-(


I first noticed some fur on the top of the snow (right side of photo).  And then...the spatter of blood :-(  It was bright red when I first saw it, and between the time when I went into the house to get my camera and then came back outside the spatter drops had deepened in color.

I am feeling guilty now.  Do you think if I had not delayed Ozzy's walk this would have not happened?  And then I think that this was not a random act of violence -- it was a wild animal catching it's prey to be eaten for survival.

There are some tracks -- and the fur can be from either a cat or rabbit.  It's possible a vulture swooped down to pick up this animal -- but I didn't see any feathers.  Since this happened on my front lawn, I will have to investigate it further -- I really don't want to have an animal carcass hanging around when the weather warms up.

For now, I am off to the store to purchase some sewing supplies so I can continue with the quiltalong I mentioned yesterday.

~ snowy day...

This morning, we woke up to this...



Rick did the first part of the shoveling and snowblower...Nicholas did the second half...and I knocked all the snow off the bushes and trees, and, then shovelled the porch and front walk.

This afternoon's weather was different -- still cold but with pretty sunshine.  So after some indoor chores I was able to work on a block from a new quilt along.



Oh yes, and my little snowman block is finished too -- I made it into a pillow.



Cookie wanted to mention (again) that she helped!

Here is the link to the quiltalong:  http://beeinmybonnetco.blogspot.com/2015/02/my-flower-box-quilt-block-tutorial-and.html

~ happy valentine's day...

... sending lovely thoughts your way!

~ snowman love...

...still working on this...



...but I have helpers now!  My sweet little Cookie cat...



...and... Milton...meow!

~ Ozzy is so excited...

...today is his birthday!



If you can't see the video , here is the link on flickr:

~ happy birthday, Ozzy...

~ how to build a snowman...

Using the ipad and a flannel charm pack that I won from Fat Quarter Shop...so long ago.



Almost done! :-)

~ icy morning path...

This morning's walk with Ozzy was a bit treacherous.  Yesterday, I tried to clear away the snow bordering the sidewalk so that the meltoff could drain -- but it still puddled in the usual area and then froze last night.  I threw down some sand mixture and put out pots to warn any pedestrians -- not that there would be any on such a bitterly cold morning.  I had to wait until all of the cars travelling to and from the elementary school were finished with their morning ritual before I could take the "serene" photo.  During that entire time, I was the only person out there -- I had long since brought Ozzy back in the house so his little footies wouldn't freeze!

~ choose happy...

...especially on a rainy monday in february!

~ clouds in my coffee...

...and dreaming of springtime :-)

~ made with love...

...Sofia made some banana bread, with "special" ingredients -- just for me!



So I am making a cute little potholder, with her favorite color combination -- just for her!

~ he...he...

He makes me laugh... :-)

~ snow gauge...

...this is what winter storm Juno left for us



...between 3-5 inches.  Not overwhelming -- just pretty! :-)

How much snow did you get?

~ snow gauge...

Since I shared this view in my post a few days ago, I decided to use it as my snow gauge for winter storm Juno.



Current conditions:  25 degrees farenheit with light snow

------------------------------------------------

~ Sofia has a half day of school
~ Rick should leave work early
~ Nicholas has opted to do today's classwork at home
~ I will relax once everyone is home safely.

~ winter garden...

The view I shared with Ozzy during our morning stroll.



~ summer garden...



The magic of mother nature is AMAZING!

~ lowest gas price so far...

...yup, Nicholas paid $1.89/gal (cash) yesterday!



I think the last time I remember the price being this low was when Nicholas was about 2 years old :-)

~ winter morning sky...

...view from the backyard during an early morning walk with Ozzy :-)

~ new year's day moon...

...a quiet view from the front porch.

~ good morning 2015...

...happy new year!



:-)