Christmas and the Gift That Keeps On Giving - Round 2!

We had another Christmas here  - going into our tenth year without Rye and we still arent great at it - even when we try really hard - which we sometimes do, but sometimes we give up about Thanksgiving since that holiday also kicks our asses too. 

I told you all about the last Christmas Gift that keeps on Giving and the year of "Blind Dates With A Book" that my Nephew got me as a gift.  You can read about the first part of the year with that HERE!

It was one of my favorite gifts of all time and each month was such a fun surprise and it was also fun giving the family an update once a month on what the new book was and how I was doing on the reading.  One of the things that I have found that Loss Mothers have in common is that after the loss - for a good long while- it is nearly impossible to read and retain anything of what you have read.  The Grief brain fog is brutal and incessant.  There is really nothing to make it shorter or to "fix" it! It just takes time - as do all things loss.

Isnt this fun?  One of my books has some sort of treasure map or something - it could be math but math is not my friend, so I prefer to say it is a treasure map, with clues instead of map lines.  I loved getting this one!  Not all of the books in my gift were new and I am so OK with that!  How else would I get a fun treasure map?!

So this  past year I read ten of the twelve book (so far).  I had not read any of the twelve books and I have a couple of new favorite authors that I am following.  Some of the books are now my friends too and I have passed a few of them along so others can enjoy them! 

Seans Mom had me for Christmas this year - and...... a new marvelous gift that keeps on giving!

When I first opened it, I thought it was books again and was very excited....but this is just as good!  Its a Quilt that gets made one month at a time!

A Quilty gift that keeps on giving!  Woohoo!  I like quilting maybe a little more than I like reading even, and my budget still doesnt support books or quilting right now, so these are so much fun for me!

Arent these beautiful fabrics?!  Almost too beautiful to cut!  Laugh if you want but it happens!

Those fabrics were in this box as the first month!  I have not actually started it yet, as I have a couple things that have to get finished first or they will never get done and I have a deadline.  I get it out about 3 times a week and drool over the fabrics and I cant wait to start.  Im already behind!  Wait - What?!

Isn't this fun?!  Each little month is a part of the quilt and I am so excited to get it started and get caught up!  Im not sure Ill wait if I get started I might run through the year - I almost opened all the books one month too!  Haha!  I held out though!

And then there is this..... just the sign I need to hang on the sewing room door so I can get caught up and start this fun gift that keps on giving!

Ill keep you posted as I go......Stay tuned.....Of course1

May you have a easy way forward to Spring, and may you have time to do things that feed your soul and excite your passions!

Blessed BE!

 

And.... We Ride it Out some More!!!

The Burg has been testing us this winter so far....... We have had multiple storms and been declared a Disaster area due to hurricane (unnamed) force winds, a blizzard, and now extreme cold!  Hubby and the whole family is wondering........

This is a post by the Principal at our school - Mr Martin.  He understands the assignment!  In order for us to live here and get this and .....

This......

We have to have......

This......

And This!  

Both of these thermometer pictures were taken within about three days of each other and it never has really warmed up yet still today!  Sometimes people will ask "are you really living if the cold hurts you when you breathe it?"

Yes I can say that we are still living....

The dogs are hesitant to go out as their feet freeze to the dry ice and hurt before they can even get across the driveway to do their business!  Yes - I have booties for the dogs somewhere - they are in a really "safe spot!"

In the beauty that is our cold we also get this..... birds of all kinds hunkering down with us!  These are Cedar Waxwings roosting in the lee of the house where the wind can't hit so hard.

The Chickadees and the Spruce Hens hunker down in the Blue Spruce along the driveway.  We rarely get to get close enough to get a picture, but these guys werent in the mood to do much moving out of the warmth of the branches in the sun!

I have not wanted to go anywhere either during this terrible cold!  I have been getting some home things done while I get to be home.  Things that make living better! Some are things I forgot to do in late fall and am just remembering.....

Strip the dried herbs and store them for easy use!  Left photo is oregano that I dried since September/October when I let those plants go to the cold - they dont love to winter indoors so I dry and harvest Oregano.  Right photo is the garden window and the two Rosemary plants that I can use fresh (I also have Sage, Mojito Mint (also does not love wintering indoors), and a lone Thyme plant that has almost gone by as well. 

Left photo stripping some Thyme and right photo - perusing seeds and catalogs to see what I need for Spring - Dreaming of Spring!

I have been able to finish some quilts that needed binding - and it keeps you warm while you do the hand sewing for the binding!  More to follow!

Bake up some deliciousness for ourselves and to share with neighbors.....

It helps warm up the house as well!

Last but not least is to relax with my wonderful slippers, a lovely quilt and some hot Fireweed tea! 

I know I say "stay tuned" a lot, but one of my goals for the New Year is to once again write regularly - so stay tuned for the Fireweed tea process, and for some upcoming post Christmas Posts, ( I have another gift that keeps on giving), and some fun ones as we head into Spring too.

May you be Well and Happy into the New Year, warm and healthy, and may you always have enough!

Blessed BE!