In the Heart of Winter

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Temperatures here in the east have been very freezing.

The sun still peeks out, from time to time, but it sure doesn't elicit any warmth.

That will change come spring.

For now, it's winter so freezing temps, snow, and even icy windshields that need to be melted before driving can begin are to be expected. 

 What helps get through the winter is finding things to like about the season.

Each person is different and will find things that personally suit them.

Around here, covering up with a soft, electric throw at night is a warm and comfy delight, while working on the lap top or watching a movie on the television.

So are lighting at least four candles each evening. They are the kind that have fake flames but look extremely real as they flicker away.

Feeling the freezing wind on one's face and inhaling the bitterly cold air actually invigorates.

Planning to dust off the frost on the poinsettias and place them in the "charity box."

Draping pink crocheted blankets along the backs of the sofa and a remote chair; seeing a Christmas cactus in full, lush bloom;  eating bowls of Hungarian cream of mushroom soup or steaming, homemade beef stew; looking out the window and seeing millions upon millions of snowflakes falling down from the sky; and baking cookies or a small cake that fills the apartment with delicious baking fragrances---all of these are delightful parts of winter.

Also, pulling the bedroom black-out curtain aside and seeing the brightness of a newly fallen snow landscape delights.

Feeling cozy, safe, snug, and warm, in one's space is a gift beyond amazing. So many people do not live with such a luxury.

Thinking of the poor souls who lost their entire homes in the California wildfires tears my heart in half.

 Now, time to go clean off the snowy car and begin the busy day.

That will require trudging through the snow carefully to avert falling.

Uhhhh, how many days until spring?  

An Amazing Amaryllis

 During the Christmas holidays, there was a stop at a beloved Trader Joe's.

That's a favorite market around here but it requires an hour drive to get there so visits are infrequent.

Among all the favorite items piled into the shopping cart was a kind of unique plant.

At the time, it resembled a large, shiny tomato covered with paraffin.

Most presents purchased are for other people but this time, it was decided to buy the amaryllis for myself.

There was a sign near it cautioning DO NOT WATER.

"Now how the heck is the plant going to survive without water?" was the question that ran through my holiday frenzied mind. 

Could there be water already inside the container in which they were growing?

For $8.99, I was going to find out.

Amaryllis fared marvelously.

She jutted out of the red "tomato" and, little by little, two stalks grew taller and taller each day.

Speaking to them and encouraging them, it was still a gamble if they'd really flower. Added were tender little kisses.

They did bloom and did so prodigiously.

When the first deep red blossom popped out, it was cause for great joy. Then another one came, and another, and another.

There have been no less than eight to ten showy red flowers on that baby.

Now it's mid-January and three of the flowers are still surviving.

I read that amaryllis, a native of South America, can be saved and bloom again in the future......in this case, all without adding water.  

Deal.

HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF A PLANT YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO WATER? CAN ANYONE ENLIGHTEN ON THIS AMARYLLIS?

Memories of Childhood Doll

A frequent suggestion of how to find happiness in decorating is to surround one's self with things that one loves or is attracted to.

One Christmas in recent past years, my daughter found online an exact replica of my childhood doll (obsession?), Tiny Tears, for me.

My Godmother originally gifted the first Tiny Tears and I named  the dolly, "Michele."

For the next several years, she accompanied me to just about anywhere I went.

Little Michele  was a faithful and immensely loved companion.

She never argued, just loved. 

There is no recognition as to what happened to her but when I opened up the Christmas present and saw the Tiny Tears doll inside, it thrilled my heart.

I felt like a kid again.

"Michele" now sits on my maternal grandmother's buffet in the small apartment living room, seven decades after she first came into my life.

Nearby are a few of her sister dolls.  

Does she bring happiness and wonderful memories to me?

Absolutely "YES."

WHAT IS ONE PLAY THING FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD THAT YOU LOVED?

Peace Angel

 

On this deep freeze Sunday in January, it is my wish that everyone reading this post will feel peace in their hearts.

The little white peace angel with the silver wings, shown in this post, has been previously shared on this blog.

However, her message deserves to be repeated a million times.

She's so darned pretty.  

A niece gave her as a Christmas present in 2023.

Peace angel is a permanent fixture on my bedroom dresser and gives me a reason to smile daily.

WE ALL NEED PEACE IN OUR LIVES, IN OUR HEARTS.

There is so much turmoil in the world and catastrophic things happening. 

Peace can elude us unless we make a conscious effort to delvelop it. 

So, may the message of the little peace angel come to you and bless you and give you some peace, blessed peace, all the days of your life.

Angel Restoration

 

The thought of restoring an angel has never crossed the mind.

However, during the the Christmas holidays, while perusing a Goodwill thrift store, a most potentially glorious angel stood out.

She was on a top shelf that contained all kinds of junk.

 There was just something about her that drew her to me.

Angel has no chips or cracks. 

 She's be drop dead gorgeous if painted a bright and shiny gold.  

Her left hand must have held a trumpet at one time.

Does anyone have such a trumpet from junk jewelry or tree ornaments they would like to part with?

She needs a trumpet to play.

In the meantime, the kind of paint needed will be researched; maybe even gold leaf?

We cannot have any fallen angels around here.

 She needs a magnificent restoration and I'll keep you posted on the progress.

HAVE YOU EVER WORKED WITH GOLD LEAF?