Toe That Line

In any weather, at any hour of the day or night, I have been anxious to improve the nick of time, and notch it on my stick too; to stand on the meeting of two eternities, the past and future, which is precisely the present moment; to toe that line. ~Henry David Thoreau

Oh if I had words to adequately describe this week when everything ground down to the present moment and there was no past and there was no future; there was only this. That's so how it has felt and blast if someone hadn't said it better. That Henry! The only forgiveness I give him is that he was a New Englander, too. Perhaps that affliction and long New England winters are what gave him the time to ponder such things.

Thus concludes my musings on winter and the way it can suspend time. Maybe. At least, we are back out of the deep freeze for now. How about you?

Watching Smoke Curl

*Let’s learn to love the icy winter moon, or moonless dark and winter constellations, Jupiter’s glow, a slow, incoming plane, neighbourly windows, someone’s flickering screen, a lamp-lit page, drawn curtains.*

At the risk of ticking off a few more readers...on such bitterly cold days as these have been when the wind is howling and the furnace is going full-tilt, life closes down to the essentials. I have enjoyed watching smoke curl.

I tried to emulate Jill and didn't succeed. Just can't get the camera any closer or the image crisper with the limitations of my camera. (By the way, Jill offered some great tips for capturing those snowflakes and frost patterns right here.)

~frosty windowpane~

Think that I'll bake a cake today per Cait's *recipe.*  It's one that won't be too tempting for me.

Where is that gal's scarf? (I'm just noticing.) Everyone is pretty bundled up these days. Had to snap this photo of my daughter and her new winter hat.

Stay warm now...

Pondering Chores and Projects

Cold winter days can be such cozy affairs. Every day when John comes home, I tell him the same thing: I didn't do anything today.

Obviously, that must change so this post will be short. The dog should be bathed except that it's much too cold for that so I'll put it off for the weekend. Still, there are rooms to dust and vacuum. Some tweaking of this or that.

The sewing room was cleaned last week so it beckons. When it is a mess, I hate working in it. There is a quilt-as-you-go table runner nearly finished and hanging from the end of the ironing board. There are bags of projects that I'm going to sort through eventually, deciding which I really want to do and which I don't care so much about and can let go.

The Christmas decorations were finally sorted last week and put away, all except for the Christmas angel spelling out December still sitting on the bathroom windowsill. She was overlooked, though now I swear that "December" flashes like a neon sign.

I look at the chippy paint around here and stress a little that I've not opened a paint can. Have you seen *Penny's beautiful blue?* It makes me want to repaint the bathroom that was just done...well, not just. It only seems that way. I've even written down the color in case.

Guess that's it. Your turn. What projects are you working on or what projects do you think you should be working on?


Photo source: Dover Publishing

Is it Mid-Winter Yet?

Brrrrrrisk here. How about there? The weatherman did warn us that this week and next are known for having the most brutal temperatures. I was hoping that we had reached mid-winter, but no. That's because February 3 or 4 marks mid-Winter.

~watch out, little lady, looks as if your friend may want to lop off those pigtails~

While shopping in a bookstore for the grands' birthdays (No, they're not twin-twins; they're Irish twins) last Friday, I found the sweetest book of Valentines. I decided to treat myself and have some fun punching them out.

I'm hoping that Lavender Dreamer will take note and be pleased that I took her advice. You know her advice, don't you? Never forget to play!

I made a very simple garland and hung it over the top of the other one and called my Valentine's Day Decorating done.

Stay warm and cozy now...

The Importance of Punctuation and Other Stuff

Well, I was quite convinced yesterday that I had nothing to share so didn't post. Funny how that goes...

I do have a bouquet of flowers from my sister to share. She and her husband were in town for the weekend and we had a fun time visiting, going out to eat, going to church, the usual. These flowers were a gift to mark the two-year anniversary of our mother's passing. I must try to remember to do this for my sister as she seems very taken with the idea. 

It was a very cold day when the flowers arrived and I was upstairs puttering in my sewing room. Translation: It took me forever to get to the door. This may have resulted in the posies getting "touched" on the edges.

***

If you find grammar and punctuation stale, dull stuff, you would so enjoy this book. I laugh out loud reading it. The premise is that the very same words can mean several different things depending upon where the punctuation is placed. One can find proof all around. I did!

***

Okay, this may be the real reason why I am ambivalent about blogging. No stats again. Site Meter seems to be having ongoing difficulties. I know that I should be an adult about this, but Site Meter is the best when it's working. When it isn't, it is just depressing. 

***

For those who wondered why the vibration setting was off when using a tripod. This is the tip for my camera. Do you have a vibration setting on yours? Do your directions tell you the same thing?

So, how are you feeling this January day after the Inauguration about blogging?

Isaiah 40

Can you tell that I am much enamored of my eagle and, in fact, have looked at this picture over and over and have thought of the final verse of Isaiah 40 that is so familiar to us: But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

"My" eagle simply raised his wings and took one step forward. There was no lift-off until he first stepped off. His tail feathers are completely off to one side providing balance, his head is cocked to one side prompting my niece to ask yesterday, "Why do eagles have that smug look on their faces?" Ha! Perhaps they look self-assured. There is a glint in his eye as if he knows that he is up for the challenge.

Time: Two Minutes Eight Seconds

All this prompted me to go looking for a little clip I remembered from Chariots of Fire. I didn't find the one I was looking for; I found one better. If this life is a race, (and the Apostle Paul does liken our lives on earth to a race) then we are like the runners in this clip—battered, bloody, sometimes beaten. However...!

A blessed Sunday to you!