~Pieces of the Afternoon~

 Today has been one of those dark-cloudy-rainy-mixed-with-slush-and-wind-days. Damp and yuck to put it mildly.

That being so, I'm loving bright spots of color wherever I can get it!
Enter my wonderful little red-flowered plant for $2.49 from Trader Joe's. 
I have no idea what it's called (other than little red-flowered plant), but it's making me very happy. :)

After a morning of teaching I got the bread-to-be in the bread machine for dinner, took care of some urgent emails/phone calls and picked up a wee bit in the basement. 

Upstairs I found the Youngest settled under the quilt with a good page-turner. Seeing him cozying-in for the afternoon lead me into a little relaxing time for myself:

Some winter puzzling . . . 

and some afternoon tea.

Oh! and a few heart-shaped cookies may have added to the afternoon's enjoyment as well.

I turned on some Frank and while he crooned I enjoyed a good hour of winter leisure.

Earl grey; a bite of cookie; another piece interlocked into the growing mosiac.

Yes . . . it's the simple things. :)

I finally have my own copy of Brambly Hedge's 'Winter Story' by Jill Barklem. One of my all time favorites. I've always had to check it out from the library year after year and it's so nice to just have it around for cozy perusing. Kind of funny that I had the matching teacup before I even owned the book!

It was a pleasant afternoon for sure, but don't think it was all roses.

Real life came back in full swing with a bad cat peeing where he shouldn't, school application messes to fix, a pointless school info. meeting to suck the life from me, and 'mount ironing' beckoning.

All to say, the afternoon playtime was all the more appreciated. :)

I hope everyone is having a lovely Tuesday so far and that bits of afternoon leisure await you as the week plays out.

Cheers!

9:17 PM - By Unknown 0

~Wintry Sunday~

We went out into the frosty cold, wintry world. The four of us.

On a Sunday afternoon.

There was blue sky and thick frost all mingled together.

The Oldest thought licking ice-covered leaves was good entertainment.

 The Youngest just wanted to run free ahead.

And I wanted to capture the wintry world around us all.

And I paid the price with freezing fingers. 

Home again, and how sweet it is after bone-chilling cold! 

Nothing fits the bill for belly warming like hot, homemade bread, salad and . . .

made-from-scratch tomato soup steaming in a bowl; melting down the cheese; melting away the cold.

The evening was right for a treasured family tradition:
Snowflake Making.

The Oldest helps cut the white squares. I create the awards. The funnest part is picking the categories.

We all take part. Scissors snip. Bits of white fall to the floor. As they are unfolded exclamations are made . . . some good, some not so good.

 And then the windows are adorned with white. And every flake is indeed different. 

We pay tribute to our handy work.

And next morning, as the sun streams in . . .

we have unmeltable reminders of our wintry Sunday.

Cheers!

6:44 PM - By Unknown 0

~Bits of Winter~

We are in full-blown winter around here . . .

So very cold, but the only snow seems to be coming from my imagination!

Kitties are curled up on quilts for twenty hours a day . . . preferably in my coziest chair.

And in the very few moments they are not about the business of sleeping, they are out to take care of business as quick as a flash and within moments are yowling at the door, "Let me in- it's freezing out here!"

 If they (and us) are extra lucky there is a fire blazing and a vacant rocking chair nearby to lounge in.

 Earlier last week we said good-bye to the remains of Christmas and did our annual tree-burning in the fireplace.

 Topped off with a family game of 'Trouble', it was a fine evening. But how vacant it feels without all the extra trimmings around.

Still, there are bits about to warm the winter days . . .

be it a spot of decorating. . .

or finding inspiration from something unexpected.

There have also been lots of steaming mugs of tea to keep our hands warm.

 I've been especially enjoying my fabulous new bird mug- a birthday present from my mother. Isn't it cute? Just the thing for these chilly days.

Tea and a muffin . . . possibly the very best part of winter.

 And as for the least enjoyable part? Probably this rotten cold I'm fighting. Good thing I have black elderberry extract to add to all that tea. It keeps the worse at bay!

May these January days find you and your household healthy and enjoying all the bits of winter (or summer if applicable!) that come your way.

Cheers!

8:10 PM - By Unknown 0

~Feeling 'Bear-ly' Here~

Some bears hibernate for the winter. 
Other bears are used as fat to line the stomachs of females longing to hibernate for the winter. 
This bear is from the latter group. 
So is this female.

Cheers!

4:16 PM - By Unknown 0