My Current Biggest Dilemma

Lots of folks in Dallas this weekend have weather related dilemmas. 

Do I try to drive?  Even though few in Dallas know how to drive on ice?

What do I do if I am working, and I am hit by a rolling black out and I lose all my work product?  How upset am I allowed to get?

What do I eat if Papa John's is not delivering?

Who can I call when the nearby country club golf course lightning siren goes off repeatedly at 4 a.m.?  Nevermind that (a)  nobody golfs at 4 a.m. regardless of lightning; and (b) it does not lightning in a blizzard.

My dilemma?  My counter top compost pail is full and look where my compost tumblers are -- way back in the further-most corner of my yard.  Now that, my friends, is poor planning.

UPDATE:  I finally vowed to take care of business.  I cleaned out my fridge, gathered used coffee grounds, soup prep vegetable peels and my compost pail and trudged out to the tumbler.  Spun it around to get to the end that opens -- covered myself in snow in the process -- joy! -- only to figure out that it was totally frozen shut.  I should have predicted that.  Clearly I am out of practice in winter things.  (That pleases me.)

A New Configuration

Here's another new arrangement that has emerged.  This piece used to be in my dining room, with my laptop on the top.  Not exactly asthetically pleasing, but it was close to my one working phone jack; necessary for my modem.  This is now in my guest room.  I'll have to figure out a new plan for my laptop...

I collected the crystal candleholders from various thrift shops.  The sketch behind them is of my house!  My realtor commissioned a local artist to sketch it for me as a house warming gift when I bought my house -- how thoughtful was that?  Thank you Carol McCracken of Ebby.com!    You and Ebby rock!

Cozy Corner

Didn't this little entry corner get a cozy transformation?  Once again, a neighbor's work with things I had on hand.  The painting of the owl is by Red's maternal grandmother, Ella.  It's just perfect and I love it against the cedar planks!

Crysanthemums - bloomed!

I finished painting the dining room wall last week. I bought a second shade of bronzy-brown paint for the overlap burst, and used the original paint color for the smaller burst up above. Considering I did some of the painting in the wee hours of the morning, I am pleased. (Or it may be I like them because I did them in the wee hours -- a new perspective...) :::;grin:::: The lighting is a little wonky -- sorry about that.

Back Steps Update

James emailed me this week!  The stairs are done save for painting!!  He wants me to come out and look at them before they paint.  I think this is my opportunity to add hooks and maybe if I am really lucky, spikes for a garden shoe rack.  I was going to go today -- until I awakened to 6+ inches of snow.  (It takes me an hour to get to his place as it is.)  I am contemplating tomorrow, but fear I would get caught in Super Bowl traffic.  I think Monday afternoon on the way home from the airport is looking pretty good.  I am so.  excited.   I'll take photos...!!

Natural Party Decor

I had a party at my house this past Saturday; a baby shower.   We fit about 30 people into my tiny littler house!   It was my first party in my house since I moved in, and I had such fun decorating and planning for it. 

My next door neighbor is exceptionally crafty and talented, and she created beautiful decor out of things that I had around the house and in my garden shed.  I don't have all the photos back yet, but here is part of one of the centerpieces:

Natural, organic.... peaceful.  I can't wait to show you more soon!

Super Bowl Snow

I'm home from work again today due to weather; this is the 3rd day this week!  I've burned through (pun intended) probably three-fourths of my wood pile.  I've had cozy fires all day every day.   Tuesday and Wednesday we had an ice storm with ridiculously cold temps and high winds.  There are even state wide rolling black outs due to the cold, although they have not thus far affected my house.  Red had 3-4 of them on Wednesday.  It made working from home... challenging.  

Tuesday I made a big pot of soup and had 3 neighbors over for lunch -- we were all stuck at home. 

Wednesday I had such great fireplace coals that I called a neighbor with girls and they came over and made living room s'mores.  We threw down big floor pillows, made skewers out of coat hangers and had a little s'more party.  It was awesome! 

Yesterday I went into work briefly but did not drive myself... and this morning I opened my roman shades to reveal this scene!

I have two more photos but for some reason Blogger won't upload them... hmmm..

I finally took Greta out for a walk this morning -- we hadn't been out since Monday!  She loved the snow.  Me, not so much.  I am forced to admit that it is pretty, though.  I've been filling my front window bird feeder every day -- the cold has given the birds quite an appetite.  I've been watching hairy woodpeckers, ladderback woodpeckers, tufted titmouse, cardinals, finches, chickadees, sparrows and blue jays.  So awesome!  Today I took a big pine cone, covered it in peanut butter, rolled it in bird seed and hung it in a tree with twine.  It was an instant hit!

I can only speculate that the weather is wreaking havoc with all the Super Bowl pre-game-day activities and travel.  Um, yes, well, did anyone tell you that weather in Texas is predictable?  Right.  I didn't think so.

I plan to spend the day working on an indoor project, and probably make another pot of soup.  Red is coming over tonight.  Ahhh.  Friday night.

Hopefully the weather will right itself by next week:  I have company company from WisCONsin, and I would sure like to show off how balmy our winters are.  Last weekend it was 75 and I had all my screen doors wide open! 

SHOUT OUT:  Hello to my sister and her husband who scurried out of Cairo during the night Saturday night.  Be safe, we love you!