Polar Vortex

This will not be a post where I will whine about the cold and the snow

and the freezing rain

but I will talk about it just a smidge...

last Wednesday we had a blizzard ~ the visibility was zero

nada nothing

since it was doing nothing in the morning

I went into work

they came around ~ around the noon hour saying that whenever you feel like

you want to leave, just let us know and go home

well it came hard and fast right around 1 ~ I stayed a little but longer

and then hit the road

we left at a good time because it just got progressively worse as the day went on

by the time it was all said and done we had received 41 cm of snow

and in some places here in the Maritimes the winds were equal to

a category 2 hurricane ~ that my friends is windy!

this picture is taken out my front window looking towards my neighbours house

yup ~ nasty stuff

so we all got over that ~ it was back to work on Thursday

had mild temps and rain on Friday so any effort to get out to get some "snow pics"

were gone as the rain beat it down by half or so

not that I am complaining about that ~ really!

so Saturday it is gorgeous ~ temps above zero ~ the sun in shining

feels like Spring really is coming 

I bought a bouquet of tulips and daffodils from the Cancer Society

then Sunday we get this

stop shaking the snow globe!!

do you have the Timpehop app on your phone?  If you take pictures and post

to instagram, facebook or twitter ~ it will pull your history for that same day

how ever many years you have been using that social media site

last year this time my crocuses were up and there was hardly any snow

I know this because this morning as freezing rain was pelting on my window

it showed me these pictures from a year ago today

so today we have had freezing rain which turned to snow this evening

mass power outages all over the place

so that's enough of the northeast weather!

Good news is I am on vacation this week

and although I wish I could have jetted off to somewhere warm

I chose to stay home and get some things done around the house

and spend some time to just relax

I have a stack of People magazines I have been binge reading

most of the house is cleaned

dinner plans tomorrow night with my cousin with shopping

an afternoon planned with my Mama on Thursday

and Friday I am getting together with my girlies ~ it's home made pizza

and the Hunger Games kinda night

I love the idea of just doing things at my own pace this week

have been spending some time in the kitchen

and taking time in the afternoon to have a latte and a piece of cinnamon bread

Happy Monday!

Thursday Thoughts

I wish I could say ~ hello Spring ~ so nice to see you

but today we have had a rain-freezing rain-snow mix that is not very 

"springish" at all

I know for us here in the northeast ~ Spring does not truly arrive 

until mid April 

but after the winter that just won't quit 

I am looking forward to some green grass and warmer temps

I choose to live in this part of the country

because this is where I grew up ~ where my family is

well most of it anyway and where my roots are firmly planted

we talk time and time again ~ what if you could live anywhere

where would you go? 

would you build a house in an exotic local?

would you spend your summers here and winters in the south?

oh the places we could go

I never stop dreaming about them

but to leave this place ~ the 4 seasons

I do love them all ~ well maybe not "love" the one that starts with a w

but all in all ~ I am happier in the other 3

I have seen most of Canada ~ not extensively

but I do know that we have some beautiful places right here

in my backyard 

so with that ~ my what I have learned this week is

I truly love to read and have been dragging around the same book for over 2 weeks

why you ask?  I need to start putting my phone down at lunch and picking up my book instead.

Cutting a puppy dogs nail too short can cause "mother guilt" and more blood

than you can even imagine.  She is ok now ~ me... not so much.

While planning dinner for the following night ~ make sure you have all the ingredients

for what you are making.  It is really hard to make quesadillas without tortillas.

Watering your plants is good for their well being but 

once every 2 weeks is not working out so well.

An earlier bedtime makes me happy.

Friday Potpourri

via

Just when Spring was in sight ~ we only have to look to next week 

on the calendar and here we are knee high in snow

again

via

via

via

this week has been a hamster on a wheel type of week

physio for the shoulder on Monday

we were down to one vehicle so I had a chauffeur

there of course are pros and cons to that

but all is well and we got the truck back last night

looking all spiffy and newish

via

recipe

last weekend I tried a new recipe and we both gave it 2 thumbs up

and will make it again ~ you can find the recipe here

I whipped up a batch of our new favourite biscuits

I keep coming back to this recipe time and again

they are great with any soup, stew or chili

recipe

via

 this weekend will be laying low

caught another little bug so have to try and kick that to the curb

maybe a little project

and a sweet treat from the kitchen

we shall see

via

via

I have been spending some time on Pinterest

and found these ~ don't they look delish!

thanks Simone!

via

planning to get around to visit soon

hope you had a great week 

and that the sun shines on your smile this weekend.

From the Shadows

Hey ~ remember me

yes I am the one that has been lurking in the shadows

reading your posts

liking your IG and Facebook posts

and not doing much else

looks like I derailed right around Valentines day

so in all actuality it has only been 3 weeks

give or take

and I guess derailed is the wrong word

I just disappeared for a bit

so let's talk winter for a minute and how I am so over it

and snow and cold

I realize that Spring is just around the corner 

on the calendar

I fear we may not see our lawn until June

but I am just being overly dramatic now

mornings like this however make me thankful for 4 seasons

the fog over the river and sun doing what it does best

shine on

I have 3 Christmas cactus and all of them had blooms in the past 

couple of months.  One I have had for 5 years and had never bloomed

love a splash of colour on a cold February day

and then this happened

we have been having some issues since November

and chose to baby it ~ well someone dropped the baby!

we went laptop shopping a couple of weeks ago

honestly I am the type of person that will go to one store

see one I like ~ all the specs are there I want

sold!

yeah ~ not so much with hubby

so I am typing away on the same one tonight

we will get another ~ soon....

I am crazy for anything cable knit right now

so this pitcher and candle holder needed to come home with me

when I saw them on clearance in the grocery store

they match perfect with my little cable knit snowman I got

before Christmas when we were in Maine shopping

now I know that I have talked about my internet group here before

it is how I met Simone and Kim long before the blogging days

so every year we do a gift exchange ~ we used to do it for Christmas

like a secret santa but the last couple of years we have waited until after the holidays

and sent it out in the new year.  

I received my gift last weekend from Erin who also has a blog!

she made both the wrapped leather bracelet and the button monogram

she is one talented lady!

this is a tradition I love so much ~ I think I like buying for my recipient

picking out things I think she will like while staying true to sending out

things that are locally made.  Ironic since my gift from Erin looks a lot like

what I sent her!

last Sunday was a bridal shower for my God daughter Jillian

she got so many nice things ~ it was such a great afternoon

you may recall that we got together and made her invitations back in January

and I don't think I showed you one of the finished products

this is Mitchell ~ the bride to be's nephew

he is a-dor-a-ble

was the talk of the afternoon and learned how to wave

yes ~ I taught him how to wave ~ proud moment here.

I will be back ~ sooner than later

thanks for reading

xo