First Anniversary

Today marks the first anniversary of this blog! I entered the blogging world with no idea what I would write or how it might turn out. I decided to write about my home, garden, pets and life in general. It has been a blast. Some posts are better than others, some I almost go back and delete. Some make no sense to anyone but me, but that's OK.

Sometimes the urge to blog is almost a compulsion. I guess that happens when you have stuff to say and nobody to listen....you 'talk to yourself' on the pages of your blog and hope someone else will read and understand. Take tonight, for instance. I've been up a long, long time. But, I wanted to get an anniversary post up bright and early on Shady Hollows anniversary day.

To my follower's and occasional visitors, thank you so much for taking time to read my ramblings. I hope you at least get a chuckle ever so often. I'm looking forward to my second year of blogging and what it may bring. The frustrated writer has finally found a home.

Blessed Be.

Longing For Spring

I don't mean to complain to the Mother, but enough with the snow already! I'm longing for spring right now, warm breezes and new growth. I want to see a hint of green in the landscape instead of gray, brown, and white. I miss my flowers. I miss trudging up and down the hillside tending the plants. I miss shoveling dirt and compost. Shoveling snow does not have the same meaning to me. Shoveling snow is work, shoveling in my garden is a labor of love, its fun.

I want to sip my coffee and write my blog posts from the front porch or the deck. Not inside looking out as a cold wind blows snow around.

As each new morning breaks the sun rises a bit earlier and the days are getting longer. Soon winter will loosen its grip on the land. I know that. I just want it to hurry up!

More Snow at Shady Hollow

It was absolutely beautiful as it fell from the sky. The tiny flakes glistened as they fell past the window to settle onto the remnants of the previous snow. This morning a glance out the window shows a winter wonderland scene. Tree branches with a beautiful coat of white stand out in the ghostly glow the night time takes on when the landscape is covered by fresh snow. I stand and look out at the beautiful scene. I whisper to the Goddess of Winter, "OK, we get your point, enough is enough."

Yesterday it was reported that every state in the union except Hawaii had snow. It isn't over yet. We still have the rest of this month and then March (remember the Blizzard of 1993) to get through before snow danger is over. Of course, Mother Nature doesn't use our calendar, I can remember a 4 inch snowfall that occurred in April about 29 years ago. We may be building for another of those late Springs, if the weather pattern holds.

We are all snug and content at Shady Hollow. Jim has a bit of cabin fever and I'm itching to dig in the dirt. It's much more fun to shovel compost than snow as far as I'm concerned. Everything in its season is the rule of the game that has existed since time began. Maybe we'll get out soon. Jim needs a change of scenery. I need new florescent lights for my grow room and a big bag of potting soil. I have the seeds already.

Be Blessed.

Why?

Why do my cats have a path from the bed to the dresser that includes a leap to my computer desk, followed by a stroll across the keyboard, and completed by a jump to the dresser?

Why do they insist in using this path while I'm trying to type?

Why do a select few of them think the mouse is a nice item to sit on in the middle of the night, causing the computer to come to life and awaken me from my few hours of slumber?

OK, I know why; its because they are cats and that is what cats do. Sigh.

Monday Morning and Back to the Grind

It's Monday, again. I had an unplanned four-day weekend due to the weather and managed to be about as lazy as one-woman can during that time. Other than normal household chores I mainly buried myself in a history book I'm reading and let the world flow by on its own.

Maybe I needed the downtime. I don't even feel guilty at not doing all those things I might have done. We had the ice storm that I had foreseen back in December. Lucky for us, the main blast hit on the other side of town. People over there had up to an inch of ice and some are still without power. Farther north, the storm reached epic proportions and made history with the amounts of snow it deposited in the mid-Atlantic states. Some of my northern friends are still digging out.

Today I'm up early. It only takes a few days for my body clock to revert to normal time vs. second shift time. That's a good thing today. I have things to do and places to go that I couldn't do last Friday.

Now that my inner voice says its safe, I have some potting soil to buy and seeds to start in my plant room. Spring is just around the corner, you know.

Be Blessed!

Hope

After 3 above average snowfalls, and below average cold weather that lasted for a longer than average length of time; I am ready for some sign of Spring. A ray of hope, just a small one will suffice.

And the Goddess said, "OK. Here you go."

"How about two?"

The daffodils and iris are working hard at making their way up through the snow, responding to the returning light and other forces only they understand.

There are more, peeking out of their fluffy blanket. I didn't want the wet shoes and cold feet that would have incurred to take their pictures. I think these are enough.

What I am really watching is the Flowering Quince. It still has it's buds folded tight. Once those cheerful blooms burst open I will know that Spring at Shady Hollow will not be far behind.

Be Blessed!

The Scratching Post

Jim made the scratching post around 19 years ago. The construction was simple: a birch log attached with screws to a stained board base.

We had tried many store-bought scratching posts and pads, some covered with carpet others with sisal rope. None received a passing glance from the queen-in-residence. She much preferred the trim on the kitchen cabinet doors. When he brought it upstairs and placed it in the dining room, Miss Pretty fell in love at first sight. The cabinets (and the marriage) were saved.

Over a span of 19 years and 11 cats the old scratching post has developed plenty of character. It wears long deep gashes from years of claw sharpening. To my husband and I, it is a piece of art, carved by our beloved pets and wearing the autograph of each and every one.

Waiting for Daylight

I woke up at 5:00 a.m. wanting coffee and to know what the weather was doing. The coffee is delicious, but it's still too dark to tell much about the weather. Since the outside temperature is holding at 30° I figure at least part of the rain that's falling is freezing on contact with everything. I do know that the little white pine looks ice laden; I can see it in the glow of the outside light.

Over the years, Pa has teased me for walking the cottage during storms of any kind. First going to one door to look out, then over to the other, then various windows in a never-ending circle of watching. After I got home yesterday evening, I watched him do the same thing. From front door to back door, he got in his exercise. I settled in to watch TV and play on the laptop. How things, and roles, have changed around here, I thought.

I hope the weather forecasters miss on their dire predictions of up to ½ inch of freezing rain today. Freezing rain is scary when you live under as many big, old trees as we do. I think that is what prompted Pa's watchfulness last night. We were both praying for it to continue to snow with no changeover.

The weather report says our temps will fluctuate around the freezing mark all day. I'll have to make the "go-to-work or not" decision at some point. I think that stresses me out most of all.

I think I'll get another cup of coffee, check outside both doors and well, keep waiting for daylight.

Be Blessed.

Under The Weather

I was sick yesterday, but still managed to get Tigger to the vet. I stayed home from work though. Factory work can be rough when you're sick.

I'll get back to work tonight and try to get my ducks in a row here today as well. One day of almost total down-time takes me about 2 days to catch-up and make right. Pa helped a lot yesterday though, bless his heart.

Today will be a catch-up day here and at work. Tomorrow may be another go to the store and stock up for the next winter storm day. We'll see. I have yet to catch a long range weather report.

This post is one of those with no real news, no insightful comments, no mind-boggling revelations, nothing. It's just to let you all know that Shady Hollow is still covered by snow, is getting rained on at the moment, but is still standing. Her inhabitants' are hanging in there and doing well.

Be Blessed!