Sick Sadie

Sadie had to make a trip to the vet today. She wasn't acting right, shaking and vomiting. Her tail was down and so were her ears. She wouldn't move and tried to hide under the coffee table. don had given her some macaroni salad last night and also some skin from Kentucky fried chicken. All that people food was not good for her. The vet gave her a shot to tale her stomach and some follow up pills along with an antibiotic. No more people food for her!

Pamela Terry

The snow fell all night long and now, bright as a celestial blanket, it covers everything.  A weak winter sun regains the prowess of June as it bounces off the snow and streams through the windows, every bit as white-dazzling as a summertime noon.  The lilies on the landing, newly purchased to soothe your wishes for Spring, become incandescent.  You stop to admire them as you make your way upstairs, a cup of tea and an apple balancing precariously atop the stack of books you’ve just retrieved from the library.

Reaching your room, you place the tea cup on the night table

and let the books fall on the bed.

This is where you’ll be till dinnertime, reading and planning,

dreaming, of the trip you will take in the Spring.


If you haven’t visited From the House of Edward which in on my sidebar..stop what you are doing and go immediately. Today’s post is all about winter reads. She is such a beautiful writer as you can see from the quote above. Reading her printed words is like swimming in refreshing waters. She makes you want to be a better writer and a better person. She writes the way I think but can’t put down in words. Her imagery is so creative. Stop by her blog and enjoy.

It's for the birds

Even with the snow on the ground I'm ready for Spring to hurry up and arrive. I added a few birdy things to the sunroom. Will it encourage the real birds to fly back north?

Week Four

The assignment for week four of Kim Klassen’s Beyond, Beyond class is to take an indoor item outside and photograph it. The tea tray in the snow is such a contrast.

Fredericksburg, Virginia

Isn't this beautiful? It's my favorite shop in Fredericksburg.....Jan Williams. I just got back from a visit with my sister Linda. what fun it was. We went antiquing yesterday, shopped at all our favorite haunts, and ate amazing food. More pictures to come. Must unpack now.

Panera

Eating lunch at panera Bread with my sister...good times.

My Valentine

happy Valentine's Day to all you lovers out there. I thought it would be fun to share some pictures of my love. We met in high school and have been together for over fifty years. My how we've changed since then.

Downton Abbey

I am a Downton Abbey addict. My favorite time is Sunday evenings on PBS when the program's haunting theme begins. The story with all it's characters, contrasts and multiple plot lines completely fascinates me for the entire time which is not interrupted with commercials. So many tv shows are dumbed down and this show's popularity proves that the audience in the United States yearns for programs with complicated plots and sophisticated writing. It is witty, poignant, clever, intriguing and fulfilling. The last episode is next week and I will be so sorry to see it end. It’s so hard to pick a favorite character, but Maggie Smith is so extraordinary with her raised eyebrow and pursed lips that you can’t help but single her out. And Mr. Carson, who can’t love him with his proper attitude and command of the household? Which character do you respond to best?

Snowing again

Here it comes again. More of that white stuff. When you live where I do you come to expect, but not accept that your winter will be full of cold weather and many days of snow. But it's at this time of year that you realize that the United States is such a large country that there are states that get a lot earlier Spring than we do. So I try not to be envious when the other bloggers are showing pictures of blossoming plants and getting out their outdoor tables. We are a long way from that day. But I can dream.

Tennessee pictures

Dan and Gretchen at the Old Mill in Pigeon Forge, TN.




Crazy hair!


Snow in Tennessee…a rarity.

What did you do today?

I colored my hair:


Don took Sadie for a walk to Marilla Reservoir where he saw the local water rescue team practicing an ice rescue.

We went to Salamanca for lunch. I’ve always wanted to take a picture of this yellow barn.


To celebrate the Chinese New Year we ate at Seven Dragon.

 


Then we went to the Antique Mall to look around. I found a small pitcher to hold my honey. A picture will follow later.
It was a great day out with sunshine and warmer temperatures. Even though it was –2 when we got up the sun quickly warmed it up to the thirties. It felt good to get out of the house. Don once had a booth at the Antique Mall when we decided that we were finished with out collecting phase and into the new phase of letting go.
  So what did you do today?

Random thoughts

It’s almost ten o’clock on a Saturday night and I’m not in bed yet. It seems these cold winter nights I get sleepy around ten and off to dreamland I go. I’d love to have watched a good movie on tv tonight, but pickings are slim. So I’m rambling.

    I’m on the big computer tonight. That ipad of mine has held me hostage for the last few days. I hardly want to put it down long enough to charge it. There is so much that you can do with it and it is sooooo fast! No wonder people like apple products.


   As you have noticed I have a sidebar of blogs. I want to give a shout out to my very favorites.

Have you visited Susan Branch? Yes, she’s the one who does those marvelous illustrations and cookbooks. Her blog is delightful and the post today of the snow and the birds was just lovely.


If you want to see beautiful tables set by the lake you need to see Home is Where the Boat is. That girl is talented!






I never miss Lines from Linderhof. She entertains so often and I feel like I sit down to tea with her everyday.


I wouldn’t miss Between Naps on the Porch. She is the one who started me tablescaping.


Pat at Back Porch Musings always has interesting things to blog about and beautiful homes.


And of course my girl, Kim Klassen, who is responsible for teaching me all about Photoshop.


The tables at Entertaining Women are certainly beautiful and gracious.


Oh, dear, there are just too many favorites. I’d like to give a shout out to Across the Way a new blog I’ve just discovered by the wonderful Dewena who is kind enough to comment on my posts and makes me feel like a million bucks.
Her blog is like going to seminar on feelings. it brings out the best in me. I hope she doesn’t mind me sharing this Ray Bradbury quote because I absolutely loved it!

 

"That's what it is--a body like this is a dragon, all scales and folds.

So the dragon ate the white swan. I haven't seen her for years.

I can't even remember what she looks like. I feel her, though.

She's safe inside, still alive, the essential swan hasn't changed a feather.

Do you know, there are some mornings in spring or fall, when I wake and think,

I'll run across the fields into the woods and pick wild strawberries!

Or I'll swim in the lake, or I'll dance all night tonight until dawn!

And then, in a rage, discover I'm in this old and ruined dragon."

Ray Bradbury's female character in Dandelion Wine

I hope that you can visit all those wonderful blogs. Tell them Peggy sent you.

An imovie of Sadie and Top Gun

A new tablescape

I don’t set my table up as often as I used to but I finally put away my winter looking tablescape.

Come on in and I’ll show you.

It is set very simply for two.


In the center I put an armillary and an urn.

I love faux candles with timers.

I used simple black and silver placemats.




Silver chargers, black plates, French salad plates, sit underneath a simple taupe napkin with a silver ring.



Mercury glass votive holder give a gentle light. 


In the corner is my Eiffel Tower and a topiary still lit from Christmas.






I hope you enjoyed visiting my table.

 

HILDA

I have found an alter ego…Hilda.
Isn’t she devine?

These images by Duane Bryers show Hilda, one of America’s full-figured gals from the 60’s. I just love the expression on her face. Here is one gal who loves the way she is and has a zest for life.

I’m in love with Hilda!