Sprung?

Despite a passing shower this morning it is even nicer out today than yesterday. The temps are supposed to hit 63 degrees this afternoon. Yayy! Since I am working closing shifts all week I have the morning and early afternoon free. Emma and I will definitely head back to the park today.

It was even warm enough to sit outside with my coffee this morning. I was greeted by a couple of robins in the sugar maple, and I was happy to see a male and female bluebird popping in and out of the nest box. And… my tulips and daffodils have started coming up!!

All of these things seem like miracles to me every year, but especially this year, after the challenging winter we’ve had. Do I dare believe spring has sprung early??

February Walk

It is 40 lovely degrees out this morning, the warmest weather we have had in quite awhile. Since it’s been a long time since we’ve walked, I put Miss Emma in the car and headed to the park.

She’s never quite sure what the car ride is going to be, and was overjoyed when we pulled into her favorite parking lot!

It was quite messy in some spots so we were careful to stay on the path. Well, at least I was.

There were a few other people at the park today. Miss Emma forgot her manners and told a couple of people off, and she wanted to sniff EVERYTHING, but I gave her quite a bit of leash since she’s been cooped up in the house all winter.

I loved the way the sunlight reflected off this tree.

We did just two laps today, but enjoyed every minute of it. The weather is supposed to play nice, at least for this week, so I plan to walk as much as possible. Do we dare hope the winter weather is finally over??

Appleseed Cider Mill

This cold weather we’ve been having has made me even more of a homebody than usual. There’s something about temperatures in the teens and low twenties that saps my energy. After working all day, I don’t feel like doing much of anything. I’m not a TV watcher. Thank heavens for books and puzzles! After I finished the Bear and Butterfly puzzle on Sunday, I went through my stack and got out a fun, 300 piece puzzle that I could do quickly. I finished it in just three sittings.

I loved all the small details in this puzzle.

The little white church, the quilts hanging on the clothes line, the people going about their day.

Little glimpses of Americana that made my thoughts drift to a simpler time in history. And gentler weather!

A little boost

I haven’t been feeling that great the last few weeks and thought a visit to the salon might give me just the boost I needed. Turns out I was right. I’ve been coloring my hair since I was sixteen years old. I’m just done. For the last several months my stylist has cutting away the last of the color. This morning’s visit took care of most of it and one more good cut around July should do it. I’m pleasantly surprised that there isn’t more gray. The streaks I have, I can live with. At least for now 🙂

Another One Done!

A few weeks ago I raided my sister’s puzzle cabinet. It was well past Christmas, but we were in for some snowy weather and this one was cute, so I brought it home and started it, thinking it would be fun. I was wrong, lol. At least at first.

This is what my sister and I refer to as a “piece an hour” puzzle. You know, the kind where you stare at it and manage to fit in about one piece every hour. I don’t always finish these, but I decided to give it a chance. I have a hard time giving up on books and puzzles. This one did a thing I hate. It had flat edged pieces that appeared to be edgies but weren’t. I finally gave up on putting the edges together and worked on the barn instead. It took four full sittings for me to find my groove with this puzzle, but I’m glad I didn’t give up on it. After I finally connected with it, it did turn out to be fun 😊

But I’m done with cold weather puzzles until at least November. Next up, Black Bears and Butterflies…

January, a month of challenges and blessings…

January 2025 has come to an end, and it certainly was a month of challenges for me, but also a month of blessings. An unexpected snow and ice storm made getting out and about rather difficult this month, but with a little help from my friends, I got everywhere I needed to be 🙂 With this week’s warmer temps and today’s rain, I am finally seeing more driveway than snow, yay! A nasty bout of cold and flu has also knocked me down this month. I went for a checkup yesterday and discovered I have a double ear infection. My doctor prescribed a strong antibiotic, so I am hopeful that I will finally start feeling better soon.

I set two goals for the month, No Spend and No Sweets. I did surprisingly well with both and was able to make a double payment on one of my debts this month, which was such a good feeling!

I read five really good books in January and am very close to finishing a sixth, which is about twice the number of books I normally read in a month. I am also working my way through the Old Testament. I am currently reading the book of Numbers. This is a challenging book and one I have not spent nearly enough time in. I am struck by how hundreds and hundreds of years can pass, and yet human nature remains the same.  I think of the Bible Greats as being superheroes, but reading their stories reminds me they were just regular people, chosen and enabled by God to do amazing things!

Speaking of Superheroes… my new book is on track for a 2025 release! I got my cover art last week and as usual, it is gorgeous! I will share it when I have a firm release date. Unless I decide I can’t wait, lol. I know I say this every time, but I’m so excited about this book. Having worked for many years in Special Ed in the public school system, and having a nephew with special needs, I have always wanted to feature a special needs person in one of my stories but struggled with how to do so with dignity and gentleness. As I sat down to write Superheroes, my hero’s younger brother, Ollie, came to life before my eyes and I knew the time had come. He is loosely based on my nephew, who loves Superheroes and coloring books. By the time I finished writing the story, I had fallen in love with Ollie. I hope my readers will too 😊

So I have set a couple new goals for February. I want to keep saving as much money as I can and keep being careful about sweets. I am hoping the weather will shape up enough that I can get Miss Emma down to the park for some walks. I have a to-do list of appointments and tasks I have put off for far too long, so I want to knock at least a couple of them off my list.

How did you do with your January goals, and what are your plans for February?

Candles and Coffee

I didn’t break my No Spend January goal this month, but I bent it a little by buying a baby gift for a friend from church. Between the weather and my work schedule, this was the first chance I have had to go and see her baby daughter. My friend does not allow photos of her children to be posted on social media, but trust me, she is gorgeous! The only problem was, I had to deliver the gift to my friend’s place of business. A candle shop. Oh, my…

After sufficiently oohing and aahing over the new baby (Who can resist a beautiful little bundle, fresh from the hand of God :)) I took a moment to look around.

They make all of their own candles and have every scent imaginable! I was good though, mostly…

I couldn’t leave without getting my fix of fresh ground New York Maple coffee (A little taste of home!) and my favorite Reiter Ridge meltees, Frankincense and Myrrh. I have both going right now, and the house smells like heaven!

Candles and coffee are two of my favorite things, so I don’t feel too bad about a little splurge. Especially with more freezing temperatures on the way next week. These items will go a long ways toward warming heart and home 🙂

Muffins and some cats

We got another couple of inches of snow on Saturday, so I caught a ride to work. I could probably have gotten my car out, but it was a closing shift, and I was afraid that with new snow sitting on top of what we already had, I might not see my path in the dark and might have trouble getting back in the driveway. (During a snow a couple of years ago I ended up in my neighbor’s yard, lol.) Since I had yesterday off, I spent about 20 minutes shoveling , just to knock down the high spots. I have chronic back problems, so 20 minutes was plenty. Before I went out, I made a batch of Banana Nut Muffins, adding some of the blackberries I had put in the freezer from last summer. With a cup of coffee, it was a nice little reward when I came back in from shoveling!

Our library had another puzzle swap this week. I had planned to go but with the weather being what it has, I never made it over there. The cold weather has definitely put me in puzzle mode, so I pulled this one out of my closet and started it. It’s very cute, but the pieces are a little smaller than I like, and a lot of the cats are similar in color and markings so it may take me awhile to get it done.

But hey, I have all winter, right?

First puzzle of the new year!

I finished it in just over a week. It has been quite some time since I’ve tackled a 1000 piece puzzle but the different squares made it easier than scenery would have been.

I got this at a garage sale last summer, so I was pleasantly surprised all the pieces were there. It was kind of silly, but a fun way to pass a few hours on some cold, snowy days.

Now I am anxious to start another. It’s quite an addicting hobby!

The park in winter

On Sunday, overnight our little corner of the world turned very white and very quiet. I think we got just over a foot of snow, which was not unusual in my home state of New York, but is not very common here in Southern Ohio. Pretty, but I forgot how much I don’t miss it. Not when it comes by the foot. I have spent the last couple of days dealing with snow removal and trying to stay warm. They had warned of power and Internet disruptions and I am thankful that didn’t happen. I thought you might like to see a pic of our park blanketed in snow.

The Sheriff’s Department closed the roads to unnecessary travel for two days. It was strange to see Main Street so still. I saw this meme that morning and had to chuckle, because it seems so “me!”

I didn’t go for coffee, but I did have to go to work that day.

What’s the weather been like where you are?