An ordinary day

Still cold here but a sunny day. No art class today, my instructor who works for the University had to go to Pittsburgh. Last week she was in Japan. I’ve had so few classes lately. I miss it. I don’t seem to do well at home on my own.  Still watching the impeachment trial off and on. I feel that it is an important part of history that I should pay attention to. 

Paris dreaming

In the winter we can’t help dreaming. My dream is to go back to Paris and Provence. Meanwhile I’m going to pretend that this is me reading in view of the Eiffel Tower. 

Featuring: hello Lovely Studio

There are many blogs that I visit daily and Hello Lovely Studio is one of my favorite. Not only does she give a lot of decorating ideas with beautiful pictures but she has the best quotes! Here are a few of my favorites....

Only me...

Yes, this is me dressed as a rabbit. Even at my age I enjoy playacting and I will be the March  Hare in our Literary Club skit Alice Through the Looking Glass. 

A special night out

Last night Don and I went out to celebrate our 54th anniversary. We chose a local restaurant Joe’s Steakhouse where we enjoy a delicious dinner. I chose a strip steak which had a great flavor and was so big I took most of it home. The entire meal of baked potato, veggies, rolls, and cheese and crackers was delightful but the dessert topped everything. It was a pecan pie cobbler. I am crazy about pecan pie but I think this cobbler was even better. 

Reading, Watching, Listening

In these frigid days of winter there is nothing better than to settle down in a comfy chair, pull an electric throw over my body, sip a cup of tea, and read a good book. Good books are hard to find and lately I have read a few pages of a lot of books but not found them interesting enough to be worth my time. Today I will be going to the library for a new batch and hope for better results. I do have my own copy of StillMeadow Calendar by Gladys Taber. I came across this author by seeing her mentioned in a number of blogs. I got one of her books and loved her down to earth manner of writing and appreciating all aspects of her life and nature. The StillMeadow Calendar was one that I hadn't read but wanted to. I even looked it up once on Amazon but got distracted and didn't order it. The Universe has a way of providing me with the things I want and I was delighted to see it on a shelf during Literary Club where we bring in books to exchange. It was published in 1967 and tells the story of when she first moved to Stillmeadow and renovated an old farmhouse.






I am watching with interest the impeachment hearings. I don't like to get political on my blog for I believe everyone has a right to their own opinion. So just this one comment. I don't understand how anyone can support our president. When I talk to my friends and confront them with facts (provable facts) they still refuse to believe them. I don't understand it.

I am listening to Corrinne Crabtree who has a podcast called Losing 100 pounds wiht Corrinne Cabtree. Her philosophy of weight loss goes straight to my heart. She understands and helps me to understand why I struggle. Her website is Phit and Phat. 

what are you reading, watching, and listening to?

Amaryllis

Can you believe this tall amaryllis?  And this is the second stalk I have gotten from this gift from Wendy. It has brightened my kitchen for quite a while. 

This was it the first time around..

Don’t mind that striped fabric at the window. I am going to make some new kitchen curtains. 

Portugal

My grandson Dan and his wife love traveling. Gretchen posted this picture on her blog..Gretchen runs. What a beautiful place Portugal is. They love traveling abroad and have been to many countries. 

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I used Waterlogue to turn it into a painting. 

Literary club

Today’s Literary Club meeting was a luncheon at our local hospital. I am so lucky to have a hospital within a few miles of us. A lot of rural hospitals are having difficulties and ours is no exception. First they joined forces with the hospital in neighboring New York State. Then recently they moved the maternity ward over there although women can still get prenatal care here. There is also a problem of getting doctors to come to a small town. We were introduced to a new young female doctor setting up a practice here. We are hoping that it can stay afloat 

    The new season of Grace and Frankie dropped on Wednesday and I’ve been sitting in front of the tv every chance I get. I love that I can binge it. 

    I still have a stack of books to read....

Still reading

Now reading Warning by Anonymous.  Things in the White House are even worse than we imagined. 

Reading!

Wouldn’t I love a cozy spot like this to read in. Finished The Institute. Have you ever read a long book and been disappointed in the ending?  I was.  

Is it just me or are you also frustrated by some political postings on Facebook which you suspect are not true, then double check and find out that they are out and out lies.  And when you try to point that out with proof the person is not open to knowing the truth?  When did lying become an acceptable way to run a government?

Reading?

There is nothing better on these cold days than sitting with a good book. I just finished Patterson’s Criss Cross and almost finished Steven King’s The Institute these past few days. 

This is me....

Gift

The amaryllis Wendy gave me at Thanksgiving is really showing off. 

What is it about January?

There is something about the month of January that just makes you want to organize. Is it because of all the extra decorations you bring out at Christmas time and then have to put all away that makes you want to have a cleaner house and more free space? Whatever it is I am taking advantage of this glorious sunny (but cold) winter day while I am in the mood. It started with taking everything off the table and cleaning away the Christmas tablescape. More things needed to be carried downstairs (by the way..it’s a mess down there because I haven’t had the time to properly put things away so I’m saving all that for another day when I can spend the whole day sorting and organizing Christmas things.) Well, you know how one thing leads to another. So....while I was putting away the napkins I noticed that the bottom of the china cupboard was quite messy which lead to taking it all out, folding and storing all the napkins. Then I decided to put all the napkin rings (which normally were stored in an ottoman) over in that space. All in all when I was done everything was together and looked great.

Yes...I really do have that many napkins and napkin rings. (The two blue handled containers on the right hold extra silverware). I used to entertain a lot more than I do now. 

Then since I was on a roll I cleaned out the ottoman and organized all my placemats. (Be proud of me...some of them are going away out of the house). I also have some sets of dishes to go too.) I really have way too many napkins and napkin rings but I like to have choices. (That’s my story and I’m sticking to it). 

Now since I’m tuckered out I will sit the rest of the day and read the new Steven King book The Institute. 

Are you doing cleaning and organizing too?

We tried

Bills vs Houston.  What a heartbreaking game. We’ve got a good team but this wasn’t their day. 

(Little Women

Hello my friends.  Are you recovering from the holiday with a good book and a cup of tea? Or are you busy organizing and cleaning after the bustle of Christmas? It has continued to be busy here at the Karrasch household as I try to find time to do all that I want to do. I took a few minutes today to sit at the piano and play some songs from my new music books and ignored that fact that the laundry was sitting in baskets ready for the wash. (Priorities). 

Today my coffee friends and I went to Olean to see the new Little Women movie. If you only see one movie this year make it this one! It is by far the best movie I have seen in a long while. Of course the story is excellent but the cinematography and costuming was amazing. It was the kind of movie that you should see on a big screen because there is so much to look at in each scene that your eyes are dancing all over the screen. It left a smile on our faces as we exited the theater. It is one I would like to go and see again to fully take it all in. (And I don’t say that about many movies). 

Tonight was my first art class in a while but after the movie we stopped at Perkins for a quick lunch that wasn’t so quick due to poor service in the kitchen and I didn’t get home in time (and also I was tired yet from our vacation). I will try to paint at home this week. One of my goals for 2020 is to spend more time painting at home. I love my class because of the accountability of going for two hours a week but I need to also take the time at home because I enjoy it so much. Between art, music and the photography online course I am taking I will keep very busy in this new year. 

How are you starting the new year? Any goals or resolutions that you would like to share?