5 Ways to Combat February

Before I forget, the link to Ina Gartner's fabulous Beatty's Chocolate Cake is over on the right in the featured post. If you are a chocolate cake lover or have someone in the family who is, it is a terrific recipe...easy and delicious too.

Last weekend had me wearing my ice cleats on my boots and also doing some shovelling. The usual February mix of weather.  I decided to put out peanuts in the shell to lure the squirrels away from the bird feeders.  One small red squirrel found them first and had a field day.  Keeping myself amused with watching the wildlife and birds is definitely one way to keep February interesting. But if that doesn't turn your crank, maybe one of these ideas will.

 Hibernation is a great time to watch some great shows. 

We are currently watching these...

A Place To Call Home


                                      


Rosehaven





The Detectorists

Gentle and amusing...I love the inadvertent role the magpie is playing in Season 3.

Or catch these guys, the Grocery Girls, on Youtube. This one features the two sisters live for episode 52. I warn you there is a little melt down about menopause that caused Jodi to get a bit of flack from a viewer.

I love their enthusiasm and usually something gets said that makes me laugh out loud.

                             

Dress warmly but cute.  

The warm part is easy for me.  It's the cute part that is hard for me; I'm not sure what is cute/appropriate/ nice etc. anymore. Do I have to consider my age in this as well??? Perhaps this is why I shop for clothes less and less and catch online sales at my safe places...LL Bean, Coldwater Creek and the like.
But I'm sure there are many of you out there who are nailing this one. Me not so much.

At least I know my socks fit the bill.

Ogle beautiful patterns and Dream about stitching them. (Cost: Zilch) 

Sigh, such an easy one for stitchers. There are always beautiful patterns. But look at this one younger daughter gave me for Christmas... Wow.  What an excuse to start fabric looking/shopping.
Yes, THE Caswell Quilt as designed by the talented Corliss Searcey. Each block can stand on its own as a little picture. Now this is a project to take me into my 70's.

Keep busy...keep the fingers stitching or whatever

For me this one is a given.
I finished my January page for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project.

My block got shown at the site- Crazy Quilt Journal Project on Wednesday and there are some beauties to behold there.  I'm not crazy(lol) about the over the top embellishments on some blocks tho' I do admire them. I am happy that I can still lay a half decent satin stitch but I was a little disappointed that my block turned out so conventional in the end.  Perhpas since this project will last all year, I will get more creative and inventive as I move along.

I also finished the second part of the Kathleen Tracy Friendship Garden Mystery stitch along.  It involved putting strips around the center block. I could do that. ('Scuse the wrinkles.)

Continuous Small Treats

Iris Murdoch put it so nicely... I love the "continuous small treats" idea.
I learned to appreciate little things first way back when I began my teaching career in an isolated village.  The irregular but so anticipated mail would bring me so much pleasure... for instance I remember how happy I was to get a box of Earl Grey tea bags a friend sent me.
 ( Oh, I'm such an old fogey!)





I have lost count-hope I've given you 5! To combat February I employ all these and so much more!

And it is always a perk to read how others are making their way through February combatting either heat or cold, finding things to love, or projects to stitch.  Check out how folks are doing that at Not Afraid of Color, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Just  Julie Lou, Super Mom No Cape and Em's Scrap Bag.   .