Happenings Down On The Farm!

Yesterday was supposed to be in the mid 30's. The highest it got was 28 degrees with a wind chill of 16. It was COLD!! Our only heat source is our wood stove. I am not always diligent about remembering to check it for wood. :) I start to get cold and then it hits me. I had the kettle on top of it singing yesterday. We got snow yesterday morning and it stuck.

Today, it is 36 degrees with a wind chill of 31. The snow is melting as the sun hits it. You can see in the first couple of pictures that the snow is moving with the shadow.

The sun is shining which is a blessing for here in Ohio in winter. Many days are gray and overcast.

Most all the leaves are now off the trees. Some of the oak trees cling to their dead brown leaves for most of the winter.

The inside of my house is experiencing that "transition" look. I took down and put away all my Autumn decorations and got out the Christmas and winter ones. However, they are not all where they are supposed to be. I have many old or special-to-me decorations that I love to have out. This is the top of a small bookcase in my living room. The bookcase is filled with children's books. I have this small plastic Nativity set that we got when Joshua was very small. I wanted a set that he could handle and set up. The crocheted Christmas tree was one that my Mom made me. It is crocheted rings of increasingly larger sizes put down over a candle. I think my candle is bent though. I need to check that.

These are fragile glass and beaded ornaments (many of them are icicles) that a couple of my Sister-in-laws made for me. I hang them from the beam in my main living area. The two stars have beaded hangers, but they are punched metal.

On the beam at the other side of the room are some snowflakes that I have made over the years. These are my favorites and I keep them from year to year.

This little choir graced the mantle of my home when I was growing up. They are little candles. My Mom had a couple more little elves and some deer, but I don't know what happened to those.

This is a wooden cut out that a friend in Florida made for me. I sit it in the window.

This is my main Nativity set. I would love one of the large ones to put under my tree, but this is what I have, so I use it. I got this when Joshua was a baby, so it is 24 years old. The candle to the back and right of the stable is one that Joshua sold one year to raise money for his school. He only went to school for 1st - 3rd, so it is old as well.

I have been going through my ornaments. I am getting out all of the ornaments that are Joshua's and a couple old ones to give to Joshua and Brittany for their tree. The pink one in the picture here, was on my tree when I was growing up. The darker pink one was from my Great-Aunt's collection. I don't have a tree yet, so I can't put them on as I go through them.

I was trying to remember when I made this afghan. I think it was when we lived in our little beach house in Daytona. Joshua was 3-5 years old when we lived there. There is a quilt behind it, so it looks sort of weird.

I would like to do a couple of new things, but not sure what I would do.

My 50th birthday is next week. I am sure I probably look like I am 50, but I wonder when I will feel 50 inside. I am not old enough to be 50. :) I have been asked to make a list. I really had to think hard to come up with things. I jokingly put a computer on the list. Ours is only still going by the grace of God. However, a new computer is not in the picture. I should think of things that an "OLDER" woman would want. :) Any ideas out there?