Goodbye February, don't let the door hit you in the butt on the way out.

Today I'm posting this picture of the zinnias I grew in my garden last summer. I needed to remind myself that spring is almost here and that summer WILL come back.  The days are getting longer here (finally) and it is light until almost 7 pm which is a huge improvement from darkness by 5 pm in December.


I cut a few forsythia branches on Saturday and brought them in the house to see if I can force them to bloom inside.  Outside they are bare and grey and won't blossom until the first of May.


There are a lot of birds at the bird feeders, the sun finally has some warmth in it and we plan to start tapping the maple trees on the weekend so maple syrup  making time is almost here.  Looks like I'm going to make it through another winter....although it still looks like this outside;

Happy Bloggiversary

Today I noticed it has been one year since I started this little blog. It is still a secret to my friends and family.  Actually my husband and sons know I have a blog....I just haven't given them the name or web address so they haven't read it (I think).  My sisters, mother, aunts and friends....have no idea.  I'm still unsure if I should come out of the "blog closet" or not.  I love that I don't have to censor anything I write....but it would be nice to have more followers.

I have to admit...I'm a bit of a comment junkie...I check for comments...a lot.  Is that needy?  I love to read them just as much as I love to read the updates on the blogs I follow.  I think about this blog a lot during the day (sometimes too much).  As I go about my day I try to think of things that would make interesting blog posts...and my camera is always handy.  I may, in fact, be a bit of a blog-nerd.  

I leave you with this photo of my youngest and his Chemistry Lab partner. I stole it from his facebook....

If he knew this photo was on my blog...he'd kill me, hence the reason for my "secret" blog..ha ha

Around here

I'm back to work in the studio again, getting a head start on spring orders.

This is where I'm spending most of my days, working away while listening to CBC radio.

Behind that little bench/table  to the left is my pottery wheel and the kiln is the large ufo-like thing on the right.  It is a tiny studio so I don't try to keep it tidy.

  January's break was lovely but I didn't get everything accomplished that I wanted to.  I did get the mudroom painted and some of my photos organized and a bit of book work done.  I didn't get my Etsy shop up..(but I haven't entirely given up hope of this happening later this spring).  

I'm posting a couple of shots from my studio...because frankly my house with the dog hair and dust is not currently blog worthy.  Oh if I could only have a wife (male or female) to keep the house in order and cook lovely meals for us while I'm working...sigh.

I've got this Kale + Sausage soup made for supper tonight but I'm still waiting for someone to come over and vacuum and dust.

Molasses is sexy?

Since today is Shrove Tuesday I've got beans baking in the slow cooker to go with tonight's pancakes.  I use Crosby's (a local company) Molasses in my beans and I have to share their new ads with you.  Apparently molasses is not a sexy sweetener....and the folks at Crosby's are out to change this.  I present to you...their new advertising posters....these are on billboards and in bus shelters all over Saint John where the company is located......they crack me up......

Just in case you need more entertainment, check out grandma's sticky buns video, it makes me blush.

Update

These appeared last night.....I had to share after this post.  Scott had an appointment for an eye exam and I got dropped off at the grocery store while he was at his appointment.  When I met him later at the car these roses were in the backseat .  "They were 1/2 price" he exclaimed excitedly...."Mmm, I wonder why" I replied sarcastically.  We went out and had a lovely dinner at a very uncrowded restaurant....I guess celebrating Valentine's Day two days later has its perks.

After we had dinner we were planning on going to a movie...as we waited in line for tickets at around 7 pm...I said "Do you really want to see a  movie...or should we just go home and get caught up on Downton Abbey?".  We ducked out of the line, got a $1.00 latte to go at Tim Hortons and were home before 8....we're exciting like that.  

Yarn Along February 15, 2012

Today I'm participating with Ginny of "Small Things"  in Yarn Along  where you take a picture of what you are reading and knitting.

I knit a beer cosy with a "B" for the Boston Bruins hockey team.  It will be a funny little gift for a friend's surprise 50th birthday party this weekend.

As for the book...oh my.  I was not sure if I was impressed or horrified with the parenting philosophies of the author.  It made me feel like the slackest mother ever....and also explained why instead of my two sons playing Carnegie Hall (like Amy Chua's children) they quit both piano and violin lessons.

Valentine's Day...whatever

If you are basking in the glow of two dozen red roses, or bloated from consuming large amounts of imported chocolates or giddy at the prospect of the last-minute trip to Paris your Valentine just presented to you...this post is not for you.

If you have a  husband that you adore the other 364 days of the year (except Valentine's Day)....read on;

Scott is a loving husband, father, son, brother, friend....he is in fact a  much nicer person than myself.  A plan-ahead type person...sadly..he is not.  Adding to this dilemma is the fact that we live almost an hours drive from civilization (in the form of malls, flower shops etc.) so there is really no possibility of "last-minute shopping".  Do you see where I'm going with this?

Now I know what you're thinking...it's not about the commercial stuff. He could have made me a home made heart shaped cake, or a delicate red paper heart garland, but remember ladies...he has no idea what Pinterest is.

This morning I was not awakened to heart-shaped pancakes served in bed....I was awakened, however, when the dog farted in our bedroom.  That's the kind of Valentine's Day I'm talking about.

So while I love him dearly and he does kind things every other day for me, my warm, fuzzy Valentine's memories are scarce. 

I just got finished baking some heart shaped sugar cookies, I noticed that if I turn them upside down the top of the heart looks like buttocks....which may come in handy if I need to moon someone later.

Happy V-Day.

PS:  If the joke is on me and he pulls out a surprise later today  I'll have to retract this post...but don't hold your breath.

Out and About - weekend edition

After Friday's beautiful weather (where I was out for a run in a long-sleeve t-shirt and no jacket) we were hit with a snowstorm on Saturday.  It left behind  6 inches of fresh powder which made my husband deliriously happy...hence the picture below of me wearing my designer shoes snowshoes.

I have to admit, it was beautiful in the woods and I may have taken a shameful amount of pictures

I'm sorry there a just a few more......

Before and after the storm we managed to make it to  Isaac's hockey games....there were 3 of them.

Apparently hockey players do some form of yoga to warm-up

As a bonus Tim Horton's (the uber-popular Canadian coffee shop chain) started making lattes...and they are only $1 and they are delicious...suck it Starbucks.

Today it's Monday....and the temperature is a ghastly -24 C (-10 F)...and my husband is still giddy about winter.....I question his sanity.

Simple Things Sunday

I'm linking with Rebecca at "Simple as That" for Simple Things Sunday

Winter garden

As you can see there isn't much green in my garden in February, but this morning I noticed this dried up hydrangea blossom poking up through the snow and the beautiful blue winter sky in the background.

10 on the 10th February 2012

I'm joining with Rebecca at A Bit of Sunshine for 10 on the 10th where you take a picture every hour for 10 hours.

#1 Little bird at my window early this morning

#2 Husband hard at work in his home office

#3 The never-ending laundry 

#4 Our son's retro (1978) snowmobile...he named it "Delphine"..for some reason?

#5 Calvin out for his lunch hour walk

#6 Feels like spring is on it's way today

# 7 Made a quick trip to our neighbors to buy eggs

#8 And a stop here to get the mail

#9 Out running this afternoon when I had to stop on my way home and snap a pic of this barn

#10 New magazines in the mail = Tea break

Yarn Along February 8, 2012

Today I'm joining Ginny at Small Things  for Yarn Along, where you post a photo of what you are reading and knitting.

These little felted heart rings are just perfect for Valentine's Day.  I got the pattern here from tiny owl knits.  I'm almost through "Virgin Cure" by Ami McKay and it is not quite as good as her last book "The Birth House" but still very enjoyable.

I should note that the first time I wore my felted heart ring...my son said, "did you cut your finger?" because I guess he thought it was a bandage...not really the reaction I was looking for.  Maybe the ring would be best in another colour choice?

California dreaming....

I'm not a huge fan of February...the only consolation is that it is better than January...and it's a short month.

As it seems everyone around me is headed on a beach vacation (except moi) I tried to channel my inner Californian...and put avocado on my breakfast sandwich Saturday morning.  It was yummy... but did not fulfill me in the way I'm sure a sunny destination would {sigh}

Instead...I indulged my husband (the biggest winter fan I know) and went cross country skiing with him and his friend Don.

Skiing on the frozen lake...that I will be swimming in in 3 short long months.

Look at all those nice little beach cottages on the shoreline...all closed up waiting for May.

Some crazy people were kite skiing...I passed on that one...I'm thinking February + broken leg = major depression.

Scott and Don getting the fire started.

Success!

Hot dog cookout...why are all campfire foods so unhealthy?

Don and I getting warmed up.

The fire was so nice we stayed out in the woods until it was dark and the moon came up.  In fact I had to wear a headlamp to ski home.  It wasn't the beach....but the hot dogs were yummy.

I'm too sexy for my long underwear

Tonight Isaac had a hockey game at a nearby town so we let him take one of our cars and a couple of his friends to the game.  Scott and I took our other vehicle and went out for dinner at a new restaurant then went from there to the hockey game when we were finished eating.


As we were sitting at our candlelit table at the restaurant Scott leaned toward me and said, "I bet we are the only two people in this restaurant wearing long underwear".  I said "Is that your attempt at talking dirty?", then we lost it....we are too sexy for our long underwear...that is a fact.


You see it gets VERY cold at hockey games....and you have to dress warm....and in February warm trumps sexy.

Reality bites

Last night I had a dream about this...

When I woke up and looked out the window I saw this.......


Since it is ground hog day our local groundhog "Shubenacadie Sam" came out of his little house...did not see his shadow...and proclaimed an early Spring.  I felt hopeful, then I remembered...a couple of weeks ago I saw a deceased groundhog on the side of the road.  He had been hit by a car......which made me question the intelligence of groundhogs...even Shubenacadie Sam.