Winter Survival Stuff Here at the Wooden House

Lately our footsteps from all the days before are visible like small ruts in the snow. Melting and freezing enshrined them, then more snow has softened their look.  We pass the pond every day and I always think of the turtles and frogs marooned in their mud heaven far beneath the frozen snow covered surface. Most likely the same turtles I held in my hands last summer.

Keeping warm is important to me. I suffer from cold toes and fingers...the first parts to feel frozen, sometimes even when I am not particularly cold if you know what I mean, so I am a bit fussy about what covers them.  All my life when shaking hands, I'm the one who has to say sorry cold hands but you know cold hands, warm heart.  So when you say to me stay warm, believe me, I am.

So I naturally think of this when winter starts.  If there is an investment in my wardrobe, it is in the warming things.  Cozy sweaters, turtlenecks, down vests, anything fleecy, my bed socks.

Younger daughter and I both took advantage of the Boxing Day online sale to order this Columbia down filled coat and I'm enjoying it. The link is here if you're in need of a long down coat.



                              

Lined leggings- what an invention for us northern folks! This article in Good Housekeeping rated the 8 Best Fleece Lined Leggings. I have a pair from Under Armour that have actual fleece on the inside and they are the best for our outdoor walks.

I survive the winter by encouraging my plants to survive. ☺
When I think of an indoor garden, I think of a house I used to pass in one of the towns I've lived; it had a large porch on the front with a row of windows. Geraniums and ivies climbed to completely cover the window space and there were always flowers showing here and there.
  My claim to indoor gardening is a bit sketchy but I continually love to give it a go. I have ten or so plants most of which sat in the outdoor pots during past summers. With no sun facing windows, I feel like I'm just keeping them alive- barely, in these winter months. It's wonderful when we do see the sun so I move those that enjoy it to the patio door area to soak up a few rays.

Geraniums never let me down even to sending out the odd bloom mid winter.

I guess hobbies also include watching and recording all the critters around me which continues in winter....including this black squirrel below hanging off the bird feeder and can't miss really because look at that tail. How in the world did it get that distinctive missing fur ring?  He is a little aggressive with the smaller squirrels; did the tail suffer damage in a skirmish with something more aggressive than him. It reminds me of an old fashioned bottle brush my mother used to keep handy under the sink.

Other Hobbies too because creativity is good for mental health and staying busy is good for the mind and body especially when freezing rain is keeping us inside. We have had more of that these last two winters.
The Stitching of course -this week I've been working on this...
Getting the last of the Dresdens stitched into manageable panels.

And the first sandwiched ....the backing I've picked is this pretty blue with polka dots which are something I love. Pleased to have this project to this point.

But don't have quite enough of the blue so maybe I'll use a panel of this white with grey polka dotted fabric that I've had out of the bin for months to remind myself I have it.
                    
And hand stitching blanket stitch around the appliques for the Little Cabin in the Woods.

Which leads me to the last of the survival stuff for this post which is great TV viewing while stitching which makes my winter nights fly by.
Lately we've enjoyed this one...Vera, played by the wonderful Brenda Blethyn, is back with another season.  I love how she runs her hands through her hair and dresses seemingly willy nilly.  But make no mistake, her clothes are high quality...I've spotted several Liberty blouses and her shirt dresses are beautiful. Brenda says Vera has the clothes but doesn't know how to put them together exactly.
   
She's most famous for her hat and coat which are Barbour...and cost a pretty penny.

When teaching, I used to find January a long month but this one, the first of 2020, seems to have flown by. Surviving quite well in that case, I guess.  Hope you are too!
Linking this post with Not Afraid of Color, Alyciaquilts, From Bolt to Beauty , It's a Small Town Life, Floral Passions, Floral Friday Fotos, In the Jesh Studio, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Viewing Nature With Eileen, Quilting is More Fun Than Housework and Elm Street Quilts.
.
.