The January Thaw

Just as each fall brings an Indian Summer, each winter brings a January Thaw. Today the temperature made it up to the mid-50's and I was outside in shirt sleeves, enjoying the warmth of the sun.

The colors on the farm are still winter (not spring) colors: mostly brown tones, with a few greens mixed in where some plants are trying to get an early start.

The sun is still low in the south, casting its golden glow over brown fields at the end of the day.

The top layers of frozen earth have melted, leaving the driveways soupy and requiring the wearing of boots.

The creek is full from the combination of recent rains and melting snow and ice - and the occasional item picked up by the current from some neighbor upstream.

The setting sun creates stick-figure silhouettes from the neighbors' trees. Another couple of months and the trees will leaf out and spring will be here again.

What "an ice" surprise!

We are constantly surprised and amazed by the natural beauty that surrounds us. My latest surprise had to do with ice. I didn’t find 50 different types (like the Eskimos’ 50 words for “snow”), but I did find some interesting variety while I was out with my camera last week.

We have a creek that cuts across our acreage behind our barn.

It froze over in stages during the couple of weeks of cold weather we had over the holidays. It seems like, depending upon the weather when it froze, it produced different types of ice or frost crystal structures. I’m sure someone has scientific names for them, but I just think of them in terms of the shapes they remind me of.

In this picture there are three different ice forms. There are the ones that look like someone grabbed a white chicken and pulled out a handful of feathers. Next to (and underneath) them are some spiny looking “sticks” of ice. Finally, at the top of the picture is something that looks like grainy snow or frost.

On the banks, a little away from the running water, we see this “pipecleaner” ice form. Here the water crystals condensed around stalks of grass.

Finally, I saw something that was a little like the feathers, but really looked more like little puff balls.

Sometimes several would appear together as here, where the spines and feathers are interleaved again and normal frost coats an ice shelf that hangs over the creek.

Or here again, where there is a little pocket of open water surrounded by different kinds of ice.

The beauty of the ice forms lasts such a short time! Within days it melts with increasing temperatures or it may get covered with snow. The pictures serve as a reminder while the original gets wiped from the workbench so that some new surprise can take its place.

Christmas 2016 Retrospective

On their way to the airport.  "Over the river (and mountains and deserts)...to Grandmother's house we go!"

Little seasoned traveler

Waiting at the other end for their arrival

Snowman  - target for bow and arrow practice

X-Wing Fighters

Micah wanted to learn to cross-stitch.  Settlers of Catan is his current favorite game so he's stitching CATAN.

My brother Mark

Our great-nephew Memphis

Another wonderful Christmas!

New Year, New Sewing Room

Ever since the move last April my sewing supplies, craft supplies and fabrics have been stored in boxes in the basement, stacked and jammed under the basement stairway.  I'd pulled a few things out over the months but to find anything was daunting to say the least.  We were too busy outside all summer and fall to think about much handwork but I was really starting to miss having my sewing space.  Now however, the south bedroom upstairs has been freed up - this bedroom with all it's lovely natural daylight was earmarked for my sewing room.  Bless Pete's heart for carrying all the heavy boxes from the basement up two flights of stairs.  He also bought four sets of cubicle units for organizing fabrics and crafts.  It's amazing how much stuff I need for all my interests!  Here are a few pictures of the current status.  It will evolve over time but for now, there's a place for everything and everything in it's place.   I'm over the moon happy about it!

Here's where the heavy work gets done.  My sewing machine on the left, my serger on the right and all my threads out where I can access them.  It might look messy but believe me, there's a method to my madness in this space!

Inside this armoire is my embroidery machine and embroidery supplies.  There's also shelf room to store the WIPS (works in progress).

Half of the whole-wall closet is now filled with fabric and patterns.  Yes, I've signed the paper allowing my family to commit me to an asylum if I bring home more fabric!

Fabrics are sorted according to color and application.  Loosely sorted but I know where to look when I need something.

What is it about cats and baskets?  Whit walked in and in two seconds claimed this one for his own.  It's not even comfortable in there but he had to try it on for size.  I MIGHT have enough fabric to make him a comfortable cushion...

If I need to re-charge in the middle of a project I can catch a few winks on the twin bed!

Now we can finally get to the boxes of art and wall hangings that were buried behind all the sewing boxes.  The walls are crying for some art up here.

I have a small office upstairs and Pete put two sets of cubicles in there for more of my craft supplies.