It has certainly been too cold for me to go outside.  So this is what I did with my time (staying warm) in the loft.

 

I picked out a bunch of "sunset" colors, and organized them from lightest to darkest.  Then I cut and stitched the strip sets, keeping the colors lightest to darkest.  From the strip sets I cut rows of different widths.  Look at the top left corner and move your eyes down the row.  See the light to dark?  Then it repeats, shifting from fabric #1 to #2 and so on, across the top.  

 

Of course, I worked from a pattern;  it's called Bargello.  It was hard enough just choosing the fabrics;  no way I could have thought up this pattern.  But it really was fun.  I will probably do it again using different colors.   At first I had to really focus on the process, but then it just flowed.  And three days later I have a quilt top.  Now, back to the quilt shop to get it quilted.

 

I'm having fun in the cold of winter.  How about you?  What are you doing to stay warm and occupied?   

 

 

HAPPY WINTRY DAYS!!!

 

Do you recognize my beautiful rosemary?  I know, she looks a bit different.  

 

Rosemary can only tolerate a low temperature of 10 degrees.  So when the prediction is for 15 or lower, Jon goes into "Dad mode" and covers her with a blanket and a tarp.  He was out there at 7 am on Saturday to make sure she survives the snow and the cold.  Fingers crossed she makes it through the winter.  

 

Rosemary and I are grateful to our hero.  

 

 

HAPPY WINTER!!!

 

I wonder if Mr. Groundhog saw his shadow today.  I bet:  NOT.  It is cold and cloudy everywhere.  So, according to the legend;  if he doesn't see his shadow, winter will end, and spring should arrive in 6 weeks.  Which it will do anyway.  So.......

 

Violet sent me this picture that she took of a finch just outside her window.  Winter moves into spring:  we get it when we get it.  

 

HAPPY FEBRUARY!!!

 

 

This is our beautiful landscape, (ie. our driveway.)  It was WAY too cold to go out today, but we did manage a couple ventures.  Of course, Jon had to fill the bird feeders.  And I took a couple pix, but 12 degrees is just a little too cold for sledding, or anything else.  So we just stayed inside.

 

 

HAPPY WINTER!!!

 

 

 

Priscilla gave me an amaryllis bulb this Christmas, and we thought it would be red.  But!!!

 

Look how beautiful she is, pink and variegated.  We have loved watching the flowers emerge, and they are gorgeous!!!

 

 

HAPPY WINTER!!!

 

On a walk one day last week, we saw Violet's daffodils looking quite bold for January.  That one looks like it might bloom SOON.  I hope it survived the cold and little snow, or that our friend picked it, and brought a little spring inside.  

 

 

HAPPY WINTER!!!

 

And Gizmo helped.  He hung out by the fireplace all day.  Better than underfoot, right?

 

 

HAPPY WINTER!!!

 

 

 

 

The Ice Storm flew right by us;  all we got was cold and rain.  But Sunday was definitely an inside day around here.

 

So we made our own fun.  We took tomatoes that we froze last summer and made a big pot of tomato sauce.  I thought it was about 3 or 4 quarts worth, so we got busy canning it.  It was a fun project for a wintery day.  

 

Turns out we had 16 pints!!!  We had to set up the canner twice, as it only holds 9 pint jars.  That's OK, it was nice to work in a warm kitchen.  And we have lots of lovely seasoned tomato sauce.  We added garlic, oregano, thyme, basil, pink celery leaves, and peppers that we grew last summer in the garden.  

 

I hope you did something fun.

 

 

HAPPY WINTER!!!

 

The Big Storm of 2026 missed us.  There was a lot of build up, and predictions for a real mess;  but we live in a "bowl" here in the mountains, and the storm slid right past us.

 

This is what we got this morning:  a little snow.  It is cold, though.  Not supposed to get up to freezing today.  So I guess it will be another inside day for us.  That's OK, we love it.

 

 

HAPPY WINTER!!!

 

Using mostly the same fabrics as the aforementioned placemats, I made this quilted hot pad.  I love this pattern.  It takes about a yard of fabric, because all those triangles are double folded.  This thing is thick enough to use as a trivet.  And I will, because I think it is gorgeous.  I love these colors.  Now, THIS makes me smile.  

 

 

HAPPY QUILTING!!!