Words of Hope

 

As the long, freezing cold days of winter tick by, one by one, there is always the hope of spring's arrival.

That was emphasized yesterday when I received the card shown above in the mail.

It was from a very dear cousin.

It has beautiful flowers with sparkles on them and three little chicks, too.

More flowers and a sweet note was inside.

What a warm, heartfelt message to receive in the middle of the heart of winter.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO WARM UP SOMEONE'S WINTER DAY TODAY?

Homemade Beef Stew on a Blustery Day

 

A snow and ice storm, complete with freezing temps and heavy winds, has proven that we are in the heart of winter in western Massachusetts.

It has definitely been blustery.

This is the perfect weather for homemade beef stew.

Yesterday, I kept a pot of it going on the stove for several hours.  

Otherwise, the beef chunks are too tough for my liking.

I prefer them to be soft and fall apart when touched with a fork.

 Also added were chopped onions, carrots, and celery that had first been softened in a little canola oil.

This time, some elbow macaroni was added, too. 

Flour mixed with cold water provided the thickening for the stew.

Honestly, it turned out delicious, a perfect dish for a not-so-perfect weather day.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO COOK ON CHILLY DAYS?

Ice on the Branches

 

This is an "icy" day so far, in western Massachusetts.

There was a fairly small amount of snow that fell but today there is plenty of ice.

Ice is scary.

There is always the danger of slipping and falling, without the ability to get up, not to mention breaking a hip.

So, it's better to wait until the temperatures warm up a bit before trudging out to clean off the snow and ice-covered car.

I imagine the branches of nearby trees are ice-covered, too.

What do the birds do in that case?  

Do they just hunker down in their winter nests, like humans stick to their homes?

Hmmmmm.  I'm not so sure of the answer to that one.

I hope everyone has a blessed Sunday.

How "Sweet" It Is

Old-fashioned, glass and crystal sugar bowls, the fancier the better, have always attracted attention.

They are so very beautiful and reflections of  Victorian times. 

My decorating style has always been very similar to that era.

So much of Victorian decor has disappeared around here, due to the smallness of my apartment and the need to downsize in a huge way.

Many crystal, patterned sugar bowls collected during the years are now gone, mostly given away.

But a few of the retained ones have been given new roles----that of mini-vases for  tiny floral bouquets.

They are so darned cute!

Just like humans, decorating items have to go through changes, too, and they are not always unpleasant.

Now, when I see one of my crystal sugar bowls turned into a floral vase it's easy to just say, "How sweet it is."

Living in the Pink of Things

 

Pink is a favorite color around here.

There are touches of pink everywhere.

It's a happy yet gentle color that lifts the spirit.

 While buying a few things in a (more than) dollar store, a lighted pink rose strand of lights stopped me in my tracks. 

What an adorable idea it was to take white lights and illuminate pretty pink roses.

 Despite downsizing hopes, I succumbed to the lighted roses which are now on the top of my late maternal grandmother's china hutch. 

I love them!

They blend in nicely with my "surround one's self with beautiful things you love"  philosophy.

WHAT IS THE PREDOMINANT COLOR IN YOUR LIVING SPACE?