Merry Christmas

I'm running behind times as usual but let me wish all of you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.  I hope you all are still safe and warm. 

We had a white Christmas here on the hill.  It's not unusual for us to get a bit of snow at some point during the winter but this is the first on Christmas since we've lived up here.  About 3 1/2 inches total.

Our neighbors walked up the hill past our house to see the view over town with the snow and took this picture near the end of our driveway.  

And this was the view from the porch.  Needless to say, with temps no higher than 20 degrees all day and a wind chill in single digits, I went no further  toward the outside.

The birds were really active today.  Lots and lots of them vying for space on the feeders.  They were all flummoxed by the snow blocking their places to light on the railings.  The snow will start melting tomorrow when the temps head up to the 40's and will likely finish off on Sunday.   It's really pretty to see it like this but I'm done with it now.  It can go away.  

I think all of us are looking forward to 2021 and the hope that it will be better than this year has been.  Please stay safe and warm.  We will get through it one of these days. 

Y'all take care

Today's Treasure

Every day there's something that strikes me as wonderful.  It's time to make note.  Yesterday's unexpected  treat was the sight of three pileated woodpeckers flying over, most likely parents and a juvenile.  

Today it was the sight of a scarlet tanager flying over.  

I've also been seeing an indigo bunting at the feeders almost daily for several weeks now.   

Indigo bunting on left

These weren't taken this week but over past years.  

I also had the treat of a bobcat in the yard a few days ago.  It's the first time we've seen on here and the first I've seen at all in many years.  Don't think hubby has ever seen one before.  These are lousy pictures.  It was a very cloudy day, I didn't have the good camera handy at the time and they're also through the windows and screens. But, it marks the moment.  

Bobcat slinking across driveway toward squirrels 

Good stuff here in the hills.    

Y'all take care.

Mish Mash

We had one of these lovely sights this afternoon.  I scrambled to get the camera but the conditions changed so quickly that the colors had faded before I could get back upstairs.  This one is from a year or so ago but same location. 

The trees are beginning to have the faintest hint of green on them.  I bet within two weeks, they'll be totally different than now.  

Hubby and I went to a blues concert on Saturday night.  Saw Mac Arnold , an old time blues man who has played with all the greats over the years.  He's up there in age but he's still going.  His bandmates are fabulous musicians.  If you ever get the chance to hear them, jump on it. 

The goldfinches are singing up a storm outside my house these days and there's lots of them.  The pine siskins are heard occasionally but I figure they'll be all gone quickly.  It is that time again and I think some birds are migrating early this year. 

My quilting has been lagging for months now.  I'm actually working on a top but it is taking me far longer to get it finished than it should.  I just get distracted by anything and everything.  This is the original pattern. 

Original layout 

I didn't like the way that looked so I changed it up to this following. 

Final layout

I didn't have a background fabric that I liked and when I went shopping the local store didn't have what I wanted either.  I wound up getting the pale green and thought it would work fine.  However, not as good as I expected but once its finished and quilted I think somebody will enjoy it. 

Y'all take care 

Winter's Here

Winter's here in the mountains.  We're having snow today, lots of tiny snowflakes coming down steadily.  The ground is just about covered now.  We're expecting only a few inches from the whole system.  Due to the cold temperatures, it'll be sticking around for a while.  We aren't expecting temps above freezing for two or three days.

This from a week ago but soon to be again

I'm sitting here this morning watching the birds outside.  They never cease to amaze me.  There's juncos, sparrows, doves, wrens, goldfinches, white breasted nuthatches, chickadees and titmice regularly.  Others stop by as the mood strikes.  Such a peaceful scene. 

I'm trying to get back into my sewing and quilting.  Somehow its been very hard for me to get motivated to do it of late. 

Last year when the mountains got a dose of real winter in late February, I was in Hawaii and missed the whole thing.  Not so this year but that's okay.  We don't usually have anything severe and it'll pass  soon. 

Y'all take care

Time Flies

Twenty-five years ago today my Daddy died.  I can't believe it has been that long.  Where does the time go? 

Daddy at granddaughter's 3rd birthday

Look at those hands in the picture.  That's my brother leaning on the back of the chair.  I'm amazed at how much their hands look alike.  

The hummingbirds are swirling around like leaves outside.  There must be 10 to 15 of them diving and swooping.  

Keeps me busy refilling feeders.  I don't fill them all the way up so that I can keep them fresh.  The weather is such that the sugar water will mold easily if left in there for more than two or three days.  

Y'all take care.  

A Room With a View

It's that time again and I'm loving my first spring as a resident of the north Georgia mountains. 

View from the front deck/porch

Hubby is suffering from the pollen levels but I'm not having too much trouble with it.  We both agree that its a small price to pay, however, for living in a place we love. 

The azaleas really put on a show.  Too bad the don't last longer. 

The hostas seemed to just burst from the ground. 

Hostas on April 9

Hostas on April 21

With spring comes the migration of little feathered friends, too. 

Flying little pigs 

First Rose Breasted Grosbeak of the season 

We're having a good number of Indigo Buntings but no picture worth sharing yet. 

Yesterday I counted fifteen different species of birds from either my sewing studio or the living room upstairs.  And I wasn't even looking toward the feeders farther out in the yard. 

Y'all take care. 

Sun and Surf

I'm back!! 

We were fortunate to spend a couple of weeks in Hawaii and missed the whole winter storm affliction for our area!  We've had a very mild winter, actually, and it was merely a fluke that we were gone when the only bad weather of the winter came to town. 

Instead, we spend a lot of time in the sunshine.  It sure felt funny to put on sandals and capris instead of jeans and sweatshirts.   But, after a day or two it felt just right. 

Hubby in the surf

The first week, we were on the big island of Hawaii and stayed in a condo.  It was nice enough but it did not have air conditioning.  Since it faced due west and the daily temperatures were in the high 80's, it got hot in there every afternoon.  Thankfully, it did cool off at night and we slept with the windows and sliders open every night.  Loved that. 

We had wonderful birds come right to the edge of our patio and I added a couple to my life list. 

Saffron Finch

These guys are truly this bright and there were lots of them around.  I also saw Java Sparrows but could not get a picture of them.    In addition to these two, I saw Pacific Golden Plovers on several occasions. 

Pacific Golden Plover

I also saw Gray Francolins but, again, no pictures.  That made four life birds for me on this trip.

I'll be back with more.   Y'all take care. 

Exploring

A couple of days ago I took a drive over to Franklin, NC to check out a couple of quilts shops.  You always want to know where the good ones are.  I visited A Stitch in Time where I bought a new book by Kim Brackett and a couple spools of thread. 

I've been browsing through the book and I'm finding several patterns that simply call to me.  I have a tendency to only make bed sized quilts.  I guess its a throwback to the fact that Mama only made utilitarian quilts for our beds.  I'd really like to make smaller lap quilts and throws, even some wall hangings.  I've got the perfect place for a hanging quilt rack and I'd really like some things to put there.  If you're a quilter, take a look at this book.  I think you'll like it. 

I also went to Deb's Cats and Quilts and I LOVE that store!  I'll definitely be visiting there again.  I found a batch of fabrics that just called to me and insisted on coming home with me. 

from Deb's Cats and Quilts

Black fabrics don't normally appeal to me but there's two of them in this bunch.  The one on the end has tiny, muted red flowers in it.  The other one has brighter colors. 

I've also been taking classes in a program called OASIS this winter.  It's a community outreach program through a local church and its huge.  There must be 200 or more folks in and out of the building on class day.   I'm taking beginning basket weaving which I absolutely love.  I've finished one basket and am well on the way to finishing another one.  Here's the first, called a napkin basket, but I'm using it to collect half square triangles down here in the QK (that's quilting kingdom).

napkin basket 

This basket still needs to be stained but that's a project for another day.  I'll wait until the market basket is finished and do both of them at one time.   

I'll definitely be signing up for more basket classes.  I am amazed at how much fun they are. 

I am also in a painting class/workshop.  Mostly we just gather and work on whatever we want.  We have a couple of "instructors" who are available to answer questions and help out, but mostly we're on our own.  I'm definitely not talented when it comes to painting but I've done one little piece that I'm okay with.  I think its going to my Birdlady friend, since the loves the picture that this is adapted from. 

I took the picture of the thrush on our trip to Texas in April of 2012 and she put it on the front of our trip photo book.  Looks like we'll be trekking to Texas again this year.  Yippee!!!!!  This will be four or five years in a row.  

My fireplace in the KQ has been so nice this winter.  I turn it on in the morning and get the place warmed up and then its usually off until the evening when the space cools down. 

Y'all take care. 

Fall in the Air

The skies, they are a changin'.  It truly feels like fall is fast approaching here in the hills.  We woke to 50 degrees this morning and it was glorious.  We're being blessed with dry, sunny days with temps in the mid 70's.  I am just so tickled about this wonderful weather. 

Hubby and I took a ride up to Brasstown Bald the other day.  It had been years since we were last there.  There's been some "improvements" made such as a general store, bigger restrooms and more parking areas.   

The Bald is the highest point in Georgia and from up there you can see four states from the 360 degree view.  Supposedly, in the fall and winter when the weather has cleared out the haze, you can actually see the skyline of Atlanta over 80 something miles away.  

Also depending on which direction you look, you can see a couple of small towns and Lake Chatuge and Lake Nottley.   It sure is pretty up there and I figure we'll make the trek back up there in about to a month to take in the colors from that perspective. 

I'm excited to see what the colors look like from our house, since we are surrounded by trees on all sides and we have long range views of mountains in two directions.  

The trees have been home to lots of little birds these days.  Every morning brings a new batch of migrants of some sort.  Some of them I can identify and some I can't.  Where's my Birdlady friend when I need her?  These little guys just don't stay still long enough for me to get a good look, note important markings and then dig out the bird books to identify them!!!   

Any time you have windows you are likely to have bird strikes.  A week or so ago I was sitting here and heard this "whump".  At first, I thought it was upstairs but realized it was too loud.  Went over to the other side of the fireplace and looked out that door and there on the deck was this little guy, totally stunned from his smack into the glass door. 

He sat there at least 10 minutes before he was able to fly away. 

Every day we are treated to hummers jostling for their feeding territory at one of the seven feeders outside.  They are constantly buzzing around out there.  We're enjoying them immensely, knowing that it won't be too long before they're gone for the winter. 

I'll do my best to be back much more regularly.  I do enjoy reading everyone else's blogs, so I guess I need to return the courtesy by posting something for you guys to read, huh? 

Y'all take care. 

Oh, What a Beautiful Morning

Oh, what a beautiful morning!   Oh, what a beautiful day!

Can't you just hear that song now?   And the bluebirds singing??

Its another gorgeous day here in the mountains.  There's lots of foggy mornings, but it usually burns off very quickly.  I just came in from replenishing a hummer feeder.  The little buggers eat voraciously.  

I've been hoping to see critters here and a few nights ago I got my wish. 

We had just finished dinner when I happened to look outside and this is what we saw.  I've seen does with twins before, but this is the first time I've seen triplets.

Pileated Woodpecker 

A week or so ago, I was sitting outside with my coffee and taking in the the morning when I heard pecking.  I got up and looked around the end of the house into the trees and saw a pileated woodpecker.  What a treat.  Then, to my amazement there was movement a few feet away from that bird and there was another one!!!!  Obviously a pair, or at least I hope so.   I've heard them frequently and seen them flying but that's the only time I've seen them so close up.  Just thrills me to know that they're in the neighborhood. 

I feel like I'm living in a tree house.  There's trees all around, except for my wonderful views, and up here on the main level I don't see tree trunks much.  It's all branches and leaves of all kinds.  I haven't unearthed my tree book yet so that I can start identifying the ones I don't know.  Hmmmm....wonder what box that thing is in?

Anyway, I'm one happy camper right now.  Hope all of you are the same. 

Y'all take care. 

New Digs

Hello dear blogger pals.  It has been a whirlwind, let me tell you. 

From June 25 to July 26, we went under contract on a new house, negotiated the sale of our old house, closed on the purchase of the new place, packed up our 15 years of accumulation and MOVED 450 miles.

Needless to say, this has consumed all our time and energy. 

Somehow, the pile of boxes doesn't look so big in this picture.  Maybe that's because we were busy unpacking the ones in the kitchen at the time. 

On Friday we finally got all the boxes out of the living room and got the furniture arranged.  My great niece and her family were stopping in for a short visit yesterday, so it was a great incentive to get it done.  

I know that as time goes by I will be rearranging things all over the house.  I haven't even begun the process of putting the downstairs half of the house in order.  

My stepdaughter and her husband (who helped us move) started the repainting project down there but just didn't have time to finish it before they had to leave.  Hubby will be finishing it up this week. 

When the company was here, I snared the two young men to move some of the furniture around downstairs and give me a head start when I finally get to the unpacking down there. 

I'm sitting on my front porch right now listening to the raindrops dripping from the many trees nearby.  The clouds are forming, changing and disappearing over the mountains in a never ending dance.  Try as I might, I haven't gotten a good shot of the view.   Yet. 

cloud/fog layer in the distance

There are tons of ruby-throated hummingbirds coming to the feeders.  The other small birds are around but haven't quite gotten used to the feeders yet.  The prior owners left in October for the winter and due to circumstances, never came back, so the birds have to learn the routine again.

I have longed to live with hardwood trees, rolling hills and four seasons for nearly twenty years.  Even when we built the house in Florida, it was a stopgap measure until a later date  Then, when the agreed upon date came and went, health issues for hubby cropped up and delayed the move for a few more years.  Finally, it was just time to do it or forever relinquish that dream.  I couldn't give it up, so here we are.  

I sure hope all of you are having a wonderful summer.

Y'all take care 

Our Winter Storm

We truly did have a winter storm.  It was nasty no matter how you looked at it.  We got freezing rain first, then sleet and then a tiny bit of snow. 

The birds and squirrels were feeding at a feverish rate, trying to take in enough calories to help keep them warm. 

The first thing I noticed when the temperatures started dropping was the formation of icicles on the bird feeders. 

They finished off the feeders in one day.  When I went outside the next morning to refill them, I crunched on the ice the whole while.   Our temps stayed below freezing from Tuesday until early on Thursday.   The ice in my yard didn't all melt until Friday.  I recall times like that while growing up here in northwest Florida, but this is the only time it has been like this in the past fifteen years.

Now, its just cloudy and dreary but quite warm - in the low 60's.  You can bet if it stays this way, our plants will start springing forth in the next couple of weeks.  It's a few weeks early, but if we don't get any more freezing spells, it'll be okay. 

No other exciting news to share at the moment.  Hope my northern friends stay warm and safe with all these storms coming through. 

Y'all take care. 

YES, I'm still around............somewhere

I'm still alive and well, just on the road yet again and with no reliable internet service except intermittently.  So, I'm behind in posting and reading of blogs. 

Hopefully, that will change this next week.  Meanwhile, enjoy a few pictures. 

Tulip poplar blossoms, Missouri 

Does this look like trouble?

Purple leg tutu, anyone?

Back soon.  Meanwhile, y'all take care. 

Wonderful Waxwings

I had a wonderful treat the other morning on the way to water aerobics.  There are mature holly trees lining a walkway to the recreation center and there are other trees in the lawn that are now budding.  I heard the high pitched squeaks and chirps immediately.  I looked up and there in the trees was a flock of probably 75 Cedar Waxwings.  A friend and I stood there admiring them for a while before going on to the pool. 

When I was leaving, I heard an even greater chirping uproar and discovered that the flock had grown exponentially and there were HUNDREDS of waxwings in those trees.  I watched, just mesmerized, wishing I had my camera.  Then I thought, what the heck, I'll go home and get it and maybe they'll still be here when I return.  Home to change clothes and grab the camera and run back. I lively only a couple of miles from the rec center, so it doesn't take long. 

Cedar Waxwings 

There was no way to begin to capture all the birds in the trees and flying around. 

I've never seen a flock like this and will be lucky to ever see it again. Waxwings winter here in the south in small flocks but migrate northward for nesting and disperse throughout the countryside. 

Hubby and I noted our seventeenth wedding anniversary this week. No great celebration but amazement as to where the time has gone. It's also time to figure out where our summer travels will take us.  Such a dilemma!  

Y'all take care.