BRRRR, we have snow, we have ZERO degrees. Thats 32° below freezing. Baby it’s cold outside. MUSICA for a snowy day.
Even the snowflakes are dancing. I think I know why God gave us the gift of winter, it’s a healing time for Martha’s Vineyard after the busy summer, but in a way, for us too. It gives us a good reason to stop the go-go-go, and just be. Lots of people don’t like snow and move to Florida to escape it. But after growing up in Southern California, and now experiencing real winter, I would miss these quiet, introspective days.
The whole world is muffled in this blanket of white. Our old house is “anchored,” as Gladys Taber would say, “like a ship in a still white sea.” No cars go by, no noise gets through, only the popping of embers of a fire, and the bloop-bloop-bloop of the chicken stock that’s simmering on top of my stove and making the house smell cozy. It’s a world all its own.
Time seems to stand still, just us, the birds, the squirrels, warm sweaters, shawls, socks, furnace-vent-warmed slippers.
Every so often, I peek out the window. Yup, it’s all still there! Not a daffodil in sight. Thank goodness, I am not ready to give up on all this quite yet.
When I got up this morning and looked outside … and there was our Wolf moon — It’ll be full on Saturday night.
Inside the house, it’s cozy, with quilts draped over everything making us feel warm and happy!
Joe has been making fires every morning . . . I can see the fireplace from my art table, so I look up, Jack is draped on the back of the couch, there’s a fire beyond … girl is on the pillow in my studio. And I spread watery green paint onto a new piece of paper. . . clock goes tick-tick-tick, and I go, thank you.
We turn on the radio to the classical station, and I count my blessings. How lucky we are to have this warm house safe from the storms.
Yesterday we had pancakes on the sofa front of the fire. Could a person ask anything more from a little egg, milk, and flour? And Vermont Maple-tree juice? No, I think not. We have it all just like Bogie and Bacall.
This is one of my favorite photos of Joe. I see happiness in his eyes. If I EVER catch him lying down when the laundry comes out, he gets “the treatment.” Full body warmth from dryer.
But it’s not always quiet around here . . . We get visitors …. Lowely (my BFF and girlfriend who lives only one door over) came for tea the other day and provided lots of entertainment . . .
She came in the door and drama ensued almost immediately. Her scarf is caught in her zipper. She can’t get out. What do I do? Grab the camera of course! See the zipper being pulled up at the bottom? Her scarf is firmly in there.
So, a little bit of strangulation is taking place. Am I helping? Yes, I’m recording it for posterity! And laughing too hard, which is why these photos are not in focus!
Oh, the humanity.
She’s given up on trying to loosen the zipper grip on the fabric, now she is just trying to get the scarf off, but it is hopeless . . . she is trapped.
We are laughing so hard! There is no rhyme nor reason to that scarf! This is when I came to my senses and put the camera down and HELP her. She got out, probably without my involvement . . . but we are crying laughing. Then we had tea and a nice visit at the kitchen table. And I forgot to take a photo of the normal Lowely, so you can see how pretty she really is.
But here she is with Joe — we’re at her house, for one of her wonderful parties! See those yummy Clams Casino in the foreground. I would like one of those right now! (Thank you Lowely, for letting me use these photos and for the constant wonderful entertaining YOU! ♥)
There are so many good ways to celebrate this magical time of year before it gets away from us and becomes part of the past. Above is a little picture I painted of me in my chair, with William T. Aristocat III, my book, my blankie, my sippies, and of course, my singing bird (doesn’t everyone have one of those on the back of their chair?) This is what I call the good life. Speaking of which, if you haven’t already seen it, there is a really charming movie called Cranford — they have both part one and two, available in a set on Amazon, you will love it if you haven’t seen it; it will get you in the mood for England. Because we went to that darling village where it was filmed and there will be photos in our new book! Have the movie with a cup of tea, some cinnamon toast, warm slippers . . . the perfect thing for a winter day.♥
Sun is coming up right now, gorgeous blue-sky day and freezing sunlight putting a silvery outline on the tree branches loaded with snow . . . this is what I love, my kitchen, early in the morning, and the bloop-bloop-bloop of the chicken stock . . . Off I go, more pages for our book will be coming out of my little art factory today. There is a pinpoint of light at the end of the Fine Romance tunnel, girlfriends. Remember to
Do one little special thing for yourself today — such as this, bubbles, hot water, book! You can start having a special day right now, with a great big deep breath. Aren’t we lucky? Oh! And by the way, I want to make sure . . . did you get your Valentine bookmark? That’s for your book, with love from me, and for you to pop into an envelope to give your girlfriends . . . spreading a little sunshine as only you know how! Bye for now! Thank you for all your wonderful comments. We are the mutual admiration society! Happy weekend! XOXO
And she is waiting for her sugar daddy to bring her a bite to eat — she waits, off to the side, on a little branch. Isn’t she pretty and fluffy?
Jack’s eyes never get normal, it’s all too exciting. His head whirls from one side of the room to the other, one set of windows to the other.
And why not? I’m excited too! Isn’t this wonderful? By far the best photo we’ve ever gotten of a cardinal. I would like to feel that little topknot on his head.
Look at that face! This must be where punk rockers got the idea for their hair. Right? Everything from nature.
Jack doesn’t limit himself to the kitchen window . . . he is at every window in the house. I sneak up on him and put my mouth next to his ear and he rubs against my cheek and we talk about what we are seeing out there.
Joe doesn’t limit himself either, he was so excited with that lens that after he got done with the birds he went to take pictures of the hibiscus! You must be wondering where we would get a hibiscus! At the end of the summer, Joe brought a big pot of hibiscus in from the porch and put it in an upstairs window. Look what it’s doing for us in January!
Today I’m going to paint a new page about tea. With Beatrix Potter figurines and English teapots for my muses. Happiness. 
