Up to my neck in snow!

Can't you just hear her say "Hurry up Spring!"
(Just like the rest of us!)

A little love from a potato sack...

Check out what I found in my bag of potatoes! How cool is that?

Groundhogs and the Will to Live...

I was going back through some picture files and came across these from a couple of years ago. Our dog, Maggie, is the great groundhog slayer! She does not appreciate groundhogs cutting in on her turf (which, by the way, is a lot of turf, a 100-acre farm). She has always chased and taken care of (if you know what I mean) groundhogs who happen to cross her path. Even though she is about 12 years old, she still can catch one occasionally.

Anyway, on this particular day, she treed one. I never knew groundhogs would climb a tree; however, this one had the strong urge to live, so it was motivated to try. Maggie sat under that tree for an hour or more waiting for it to come down. I never did see how the encounter turned out--can't remember why I wasn't around to see the ending.

Within a week, she had another one treed in the woods. Haven't seen it happen since. Now, if only she were quick enough to catch rabbits--we are overrun with rabbits this year--luckily, they haven't been too hard on my raised beds. They just corner too well for her to catch them. Maybe the groundhogs need to take some lessons!

That's our Maggie, our great protector!

How long 'til spring?!?!?

Ran some errands this morning...as I was unloading my purchases at home, I happened to notice my "Welcome" bear that sits by our garage door. It struck me as funny so I had to get the camera and snap a shot of him.

I am not quite tired of winter yet...I'm rather enjoying the snow. However, I know some of my friends probably feel like Mr. Bear does...how long 'til spring?!?!?

Bird Battles...

"I was here first!"

Just wanted to share a scene from my dining nook window on Saturday morning.
I was watching the birds at one of my feeders and happened to catch this cool photo--I haven't had time to download them til now--didn't realize I had this shot. Enjoy!

Smile awhile...

I came across some old almanacs that were store giveaways once upon a time. I was going to post them in my etsy shop, but then started to peruse them. I am a collector of quotes, inspirational thoughts etc. so when I found page after page of such things, I knew I had to keep them until I had time to savor the wisdom and smiles they have to offer.

Just wanted to share a few of the quips I found--in case you need a smile too!

• If you want to look young, hang around with very old people.
• Rudeness is having someone go right on talking while you're trying to interrupt.
  
• A person soon learns how little he knows when a child begins to ask questions.
• The reason ideas die quickly in some heads is because they can't stand solitary confinement.
• If you're wondering when middle age begins, it's begun.
• People will believe anything if you whisper it.
• Don't you hate to take advice from somebody who needs it himself?
  
• Smile--it doesn't cost anything and the IRS can't tax it!

Here's hoping smiles and sunshine fill your day!

Random thoughts...from one book lover to another...

Just wanted to share something that streamed by on the ticker tape behind my eyes (that's something my husband swears exists because of the random things I say at times--what can I say, I think a lot!)

Anyway, here's the thought...on New Year's Day (evening) my son, his fiancee, hubby and I were strolling through a local mall passing the time until it was showtime for our movie--Valkyrie. Most of the stores were closed. When we came to Borders, the gate was down at the mall entrance. However, I mentioned that there were shoppers inside the store. My son's fiancee said the outside entrance was still open. Well, my dear hubby could not resist and he told me they were all locked inside until the store opened up the next morning. My reaction was not what everyone expected--"That would be wonderful! All of those books and coffee too! I'd love to be stuck in there!"

What can I say--I loooove books--and coffee! Any books--just-for-fun books and books for "learnin'". I am usually reading 4-5 different books at any one time. Another quirk about me is that I love the smell of books and the feel of books. This may sound weird to some--another of my hubby's viewpoints--but what do you think? Maybe I should have been a librarian or owned a bookstore?? How 'bout you? Does anyone else relate to books in a similar fashion? I can't be the only one...come on, back me up, please....

Deer Season in PA

For those of you lucky enough to live in beautiful PA, you realize that today is an unofficial "state holiday". For those of you who are unfortunate to live elsewhere ;-), today is opening day of "Buck Season"--otherwise known as antlered deer season. This is a big deal here in W PA--the kids even get a day off school! (The school administrators learned a while back that most of the males 12 years and older (and some of the females) would not be in attendance anyway this day, so they realized it was easier to make it a "holiday".

That said, my three guys set off early this morning to "post" our farm in hopes of harvesting the really impressive 10-pt. they've been seeing around. At 8:15 am, Son #2 bagged a nice 8-pt. At 11:30 am, hungry and cold, Hubby and Son #1 came in for lunch. Son #1 had been watching an 8-pt. circling him for awhile, but it wouldn't come in close enough for a clear shot. Hubby hadn't seen anything other than doe. After some nourishing sandwiches and hot Thanksgiving Turkey Frame Soup, the two of them set off again for the afternoon--renewed and determined.

I haven't heard any shots since they left. However, the deer will probably not start moving again until closer to dusk. That's the time of day old 10-Pt. has been spotted roaming our driveway and nearby field. Hopefully, one of them will be lucky enough to bag him. Otherwise, I'll have to deal with two discouraged hunters being badgered by one cocky hunter!

Can anyone relate?

Just add laughter...

“A cheerful heart is a good medicine,
but a downcast spirit dries up the bones.” Prov: 17:22

☺He who laughs, lasts! --Mary Pettibone Poole

☺Laughter gives us distance. It allows us to step back from an event, deal with it and then move on. --Bob Newhart

☺The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. --e.e. cummings

☺Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine. --Lord Byron

☺You don't stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing. --Michael Pritchard

☺Laughter is inner jogging. --Norman Cousins

How's your day going? Is the sun shining outside? More to the point, is it shining inside? Do you know that you can change the way your day is going by choosing your attitude? Oh, you probably won't alter your circumstances, but changing the way you respond to what's happening around you will definitely change the way your day goes! Choose joy today...seek out laughter...if all else fails, find a mirror, take a good long look and smile!
Somebody will be smiling back--guaranteed!

(And if that's not enough, a side benefit of laughter is that you burn 20 percent more calories when laughing, compared to not laughing, according to researchers at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. You can burn up to 50 calories by laughing for 10 or 15 minutes a day. That means if you do this daily, you could burn enough calories to lose over 4 pounds in a year! Now isn't that a lot more fun than going to the gym!?!?)