SHORT SUBJECTS...

 

This will be my last post 

of the shortest month 

and it will be a short one too.

  Where did this month go?  

The days are flying by

 and before we know it spring will be here. 

 Though spring fever has been lurking around the corners of this month

 for awhile now, 

we are not there yet.  

Maybe that is a good thing. 

 Maybe our "wishes" for 

something different 

should be kept deep in our pockets

 and not taken out 

until the time is just right.

  Let Mother Nature

 play out her own game. 

 Spoiler Alert:  She will anyway!  

But we are human beings after all,

 so that is probably never going to happen.

  I am as guilty as the next person 

but every year I say

 I am not going to wish time away 

and then I always do. 

 With all that being said -

 here we sit in the middle of Winter, 

with Winter doing what Winter does best,

 on Two, Twenty Two, Twenty Twenty Two,

 on a Twos-day. 

 It is all a bit Two much!

Since finishing the cleaning of the library, 

I have been taking advantage of it. 

 It is so nice to come into the computer 

and not have to trip over

 any and every thing 

and to sit at the crafting table

 and spread out.  

I had ordered a couple of

paint by number small canvases

 last summer 

and just now have gotten started on them. 

 They are a folk art style, 

not a lot of work and fun to do 

and above

 is the result of one of them...

...this is the second one 

that I still have to finish. 

 It is not looking very pretty to me just yet 

but that always seems to be 

how these paintings look 

before they are finished.

  It remains to be seen.

A friend recommended

 a watercolor art book to me 

and I ordered it 

but it was no longer available 

so I chose another that looked like

 it might be helpful. 

 I have read it through 

and will try the techniques used

 and somehow 

I may be able to master 

the art of watercolor. 

 I won't lie, it is very intimidating to me,

 but I will keep trying. 

 I would love to learn.

I did finish the kit that I got for Christmas, 

but I started taking it one step further

 and adding little flowers to the wreaths. 

 I am using it as kind of a practice painting 

and trying to perfect one

 that looks somewhat reasonable.

I promised you short

 and now you've got it. 

 Life is marching towards spring 

and it is something to look forward to. 

 Hope you all enjoyed

 a wonderful February 

and are ready to see March 

come in like a lion 

and go out like a lamb, 

or whatever that old saying is.

...Judy...

Sharing today with:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda

WELCOME TO THE HEN HOUSE...

 

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

TO YOU 💘💘💘

The weather here has been beautiful.  

The days are very spring like.  

It is warmer outside than it is inside and the sunshine is so welcome

 peeking in through the shutters. 

 It puts me in mind of those long ago days 

when  chickens were 

scratching and picking out in the yard 

or maybe that was robins...

...the only Robin I have seen lately 

is one that would still rather spend her time 

under a warm blanket, next to a flat duck, 

than anywhere else.

However, getting back to 

the spring like weather, 

mostly I will join Robin, 

but it does get the juices flowing and the feelings of "spring fever" are

 coming on strong. 

 With  the memories of chickens 

scratching in the yard, 

I decided to play around in the kitchen 

where all of my chickens reside.

I started with this sweet little wreath

 in the window over the sink. 

 It just looks like springtime to me

 with its soft and pretty 

whispy green leaves...

...and the matching garland is draped 

over the top of the old kitchen cupboard. 

 I ordered them from Marmalade Mercantile and I just love the look of them. 

 Every time I see them on their website,

 I order another.

  They can be used all year long,

 just like they are, 

or with something pretty 

entwined between their dainty leaves.

It is too soon for me to bring out

 the bunnies and the colored eggs, 

but I thought these fresh brown eggs 

were a work of art 

sitting on the counter, 

sunny side up!

I set the table with a combination of 

black and white, for now,

 as spring hasn't exactly sprung.  

The pastel colors will come later on 

when the little chicks and bunnies make an appearance.

This brings me to the end of my

 chicken scratchin'. 

 Thanks for taking the time to stop by. 

A lot of states are going to lift 

the mask ban soon, if they haven't already, California included.

  In reality, it seems that it 

never existed anyway, 

or at least it wasn't enforced around here. 

 Don't make any difference to me. 

 I imagine I will get some stares as you only have to wear a mask if 

you are unvaccinated.  

So, probably I will be seen as

 an unvaccinated person, 

since I will continue to wear a mask even though I am fully vaccinated and boosted, 

and will become boosted again,

 if necessary.  

We are not  out of this mess yet
 and if anyone thinks we are 

they are sadly mistaken. 

 The hard and true fact of the matter is   

there are still those 

who have no intentions of protecting 

their fellow human beings

 so we must look after ourselves.  

Have a great week 

and stay safe.

...Judy...

P.S. 

 I post my blog every Tuesday, 

but I usually start planning 

for it a couple of days in advance. 

As most things in life,

 it is changing constantly, 

so today our nice sunny  weather

 has turned liquid overnight 

and it seems that Robin 

might have the right idea after all.

 But my mind, however,

 it is still tuned into spring.

Sharing today with:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda

PROMISES KEPT...

 

My intentions are always so good.  

Many a night, before going to sleep, 

glorious plans are laid out

 and wonderfully amazing things are seen about to happen...

When the sun comes up 

one never knows who,  or what,  is getting out of that bed. 

 Just the slightest small turn

 can bury a whole boatload of good intentions:

"There are no scores for good intentions

 it either happened or it didn't. 

 Get to work." ...

Maria Kang

...and it did!

But, I did learn something very useful in the process. 

 I learned that you don't have to beat yourself up 

if you take more time than is expected to finish a job. 

 You can reverse the procedure 

and give yourself a pat on the back that you completed the task 

and still took a little time for yourself in the process. 

 Between start and completion of the library clean up 

there were moments of time taken 

to enjoy a few simple things that made the journey seem less formidable

 and the end that much sweeter.

A very big feeling of accomplishment.

I will admit that the room isn't as pretty as it once was,

 but it is functional and neat.  

Everything is put back where it should be

 and, with the Captain's blessings, 

I now have a place to paint and craft that is apart from the rest of the house,

 and he is very comfortable sharing it with me. 

 We both agree that a closed door,

 when necessary,

 can be for good as well as bad.

I started my water color painting. 

 There are four different studies in the kit and I took my least favorite one to practice on.  

I hope I can get the hang of it 

because it is such fun with a really pretty outcome. 

 I still feel more comfortable with acrylics because I tend to be more structured 

and can mix the colors just the way I want them, 

whereas with the water colors it seems to be more of a problem for me to keep them in the boundaries. 

 They have a mind of their own at times...

...the second one got a little easier.

 This little kit is really good for anyone who can't draw.  

The pattern is printed on the paper very lightly 

and it makes it easier for me to practice getting the colors right.

 Obviously it is still a work in progress.

So, promises have been kept, and now on to more of the same.

  I thought we just lost part of our crepe myrtle tree in this last storm,

 but it seems that new problems are showing up

 on the trees that overhang the Secret Garden 

so, in the future, 

it might not be so secret anymore.

Happy Week to you all.  

Stay warm and safe.

...Judy...

Sharing today with:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda

THE LABORS OF LOVE...

 

After one of the

 longest months of the year, 

 we start the shortest one

 with typical sunny California weather. 

Snow is still on the ground, 

even though none has fallen 

since the day after Christmas. 

 

I am still waiting for 

that one winter's day 

when it is chilly with rain, 

the house is clean, 

the lamps and candles are lit at 10 AM, 

and the fires burn all day long. 

 That, 

for me, 

is the love of winter

 and then it can be over!

The ongoing project 

of a clean library

 is happening

 behind closed doors...

Two sweet little felted mice
 with one big heart, 
tucked into a Christmas present 
from the kids.

...and a sprinkling of hearts 

are strewn around the Cottage 

to honor this month

 and the labors of love.

May you enjoy 

the fruits of your labors!

Happy February to one and all.

...Judy...

Sharing today with:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda