I stood out in the snow and cried

It's snowing here in the northeast.  Who's been dreaming of a white Halloween?  Which one of you was it?  Well, it's come true.

Pumpkin seeds roasting on an open fire...

Doesn't have quite the same ring to it, eh?

The snow will probably all be gone by tomorrow, but it is beautiful to look at.  I love the snow.  I love watching it fall.  It is very soothing.  Like watching fish swim, or horses graze out in the fields, or sun shining on your face.  Yes, watching snow fall makes me smile, just as much as that first sun-shiny day after a bitter cold winter.  Is it because I am a gemini?  I like winter and summer.  Fall and spring.  Snow and sunshine.

Today was a grey, miserable day.  It rained all day long.  We spent our day running errands and dodging raindrops and loafing on the sofa watching TV.  Maybe it wasn't so grey and miserable.  But, in terms of weather, it was grey and miserable.  And then, just a few minutes ago I looked out and saw snow.  Actual snow flakes falling from the sky.  It was magical.  I ran outside and looked up.  It was beautiful.  And, then I looked over at Hoss' tree.  Yes, he has a tree.  Or, had...  He passed away a few weeks ago.  I miss him every day.  I look at Hoss' tree and it makes me smile and cry at the same time.  I guess that is the definition of bittersweet.  Whenever Hoss was out back and wanted to relax he could always be found lounging under his tree.  I think he liked the shade of it on a warmer day and the soft buzzing of bees gathering pollen was probably soothing to him.

As I looked up in the sky and watched the snow flakes come down and felt the coldness of them melt on my face and land on my hair... in that moment I knew Hoss was in heaven.  Who else would be sending me down gorgeous snow flakes this early in the season?  Hoss was hanging out with St. Francis and was thinking of us.  He wanted to let us know that that he was thinking of us.  I felt him all around me.

Snow was Hoss' absolute favorite.  Just as much as he liked to lounge outside under his tree on a sunny day he loved to lie outside in a blizzard and chill.  Hoss was the king of chillaxing.

We could all learn a thing or two from a St. Bernard.

I anticipate this winter being quite a bittersweet one.  And, so, I stood out in the snow, turned my face up to the falling snowflakes, and cried.


I love you my darling.

I miss you.

What doesn't happen when it snows...

There is no al fresco dining:

no sunbathing:

no reading outside in my chair:

But, that's okay.  I love the snow.  I sit by the windows and watch it fall.
It's better than going to the movies.  Isn't it?

Plus, my dog loves it.  This is his kind of weather.

If it weren't for Hoss we would never get the back deck cleared of snow.
He's our canine snow plough.

US & OZ: Day 5

From OZ:

This morning I made myself a coffee and the girls joined me for "baby chinos." The coffee shops here offer frothed milk with some kind of treat (marshmallows or gummy worms, etc) and serve it in little espresso cups for the kids, calling them baby chinos. 

How cute is that?  I love their little backpacks.  I also like that the doll's head is peeking out of the bag lest she suffocate.  That little girl is obviously a very thoughtful mummy.  

Kate has told the peeps at our local coffee shop about baby chinos and they might pick up the idea.  I know my daughter would love to try them!

Back here in the colonies it finally stopped raining and the sun actually peeked out.  It was a welcome sight.  Most of the plants were okay, but some of the more delicate flowers took a beating.  

Look at these little guys hanging on for dear life:

Their spines are broken, but not their spirit.  They want to provide the world with beauty and nothing will stop them.  

Also, in this picture there is proof that we own a hairy St. Bernard.  Can you spot it?  

On the First Day of School...

...Mommy sobbed and sobbed...

Yes, it's true, I am emotional. I cry at Kleenex commercials, which makes me reach for a tissue...hey, I think I just figured out their marketing strategy! clever clever

Anyhoo, back to the matter at hand...

There she goes.

Off to meet the big yellow bus.

The side pony-tail she did herself.

She's very fashionable this one--she knows what's up!

I can't believe 5 years have come and gone so quickly.

I was not ready to let her go.

I always hold her hand when we cross the street.

She comes with me to the supermarket.

We go to the park and then the diner together.

And now...she's leaving me!!! What's up with that?

She walked up those gigantic steps into the bus ALL.BY.HERSELF!

She walked down the aisle of the bus ALL.BY.HERSELF!

She buckled her seatbelt ALL.BY.HERSELF!

I was surprised I got a photo that was in focus because of the water in my eyes.

There she goes.

Bye my little darling.

I'll be in the fetal position on the sofa until you get back.

This guy, on the other hand, is an old pro.

See ya, Ma. Please don't even think about crying.

I'm still not even sure it's him when he's speaking.

His voice keeps getting deeper and deeper...

Where have my babies gone?

Come back my little ones.

And let's not forget dear ole Hoss. He was wondering where his kids were going.

He even tried to get on the bus.

Now, I wish I had a photo of that--it was pretty funny!!

Who is going to rub my belly all day long??

Who is going to give me treats at random times throughout the day??

These are the important questions that need to be answered.

I Heart Dogs

I have a friend. Her name is Christine. We were friends in high school and she could stuff a whole cupcake in her mouth.

This is why it is so important to stay in school, kids. How else would you learn which of your friends could stuff a whole cupcake in her mouth?!??

Drop-outs don't learn this kind of stuff.

Every year, on her birthday, we would sit in the cafeteria and sing the requisite song and then Christine would proceed to stuff a whole cupcake in her mouth. We were very dignified young ladies. The first time she did it we all gasped. The second time she did it, we cheered! And thus cemented the high school tradition of trying to stuff a whole cupcake in your mouth (a la Christine) on your birthday!!

She was the only one who could ever successfully do it.

Hip Hip Hooray!!

Christine is also a wonderful artist.

You're either born with it, or you're not.

I was not.

Christine was.

A gift indeed. The gift that keeps on giving.

I wish I had been blessed with that gift, but enough about me, let's talk about Christine.

She started her own business. A pet portrait business. Guess what she named it?

I Heart Dogs Studio.

Isn't that a great name?

She has painted other species of pets, but dogs are her main focus it seems. Which is a good thing because she is really good at it.

(and I wish I was, but enough about me...geez!!)

Some time last year Christine came up with an idea she entitled '30 in 30' which roughly meant she was going to sketch (just sketch) a dog every day for 3o days. 30 different dogs in 30 straight days. Hence, 30 in 30. Once those 30 days passed she was then going to spend a week on each sketch--turning it into a portrait of the dog (she mostly does oil paintings, but she was going to do a few different mediums with this project). This would take 30 weeks.

I just thought...maybe she should have called it '30 in 30 in 30'. I'll have to discuss this with her at a later date, and probably ask for a cut of the profits...it's only fair! No? oh... hmm...what was I saying...oh yes..30 in 30 (in 30...ahem).

This was quite an undertaking. Even for an accomplished artiste. So, to help a sister out I sent her all the photos I had of dogs. I had quite a few because most of my family members and neighbours have dogs and I like to take photographs.

So she is really lucky to know me.

Oh, ahem, sorry, I don't know where that came from. Quite rude if you ask me. humph!

Christine ended up choosing about 5 dogs out of the million photos that I sent her.

One I gave to my darling friend, DeeDee. It was a portrait of her dog, Penny, whom we all refer to as 'the barn dog'. This dog has the best life. Penny went from the pound to a 70 acre horse farm in the blink of an eye. I can't wait to read her memoir.

Another was of my sister's late, great dog, Ceili. Ceili had passed away the previous year, so when I presented this portrait to my sister at Christmastime there were tears. We all still miss Ceili. 16 years of memories that will never be forgotten.

AND...can you tell I saved the best for last?? Oh boy oh boy...she even chose my big, hairy, slobbery St. Bernard. My darling Hoss. I just got the painting from her today. She did a wonderful job (as she always does). I am still searching for the right place to hang it. Right now it is perched atop the piano (and looks quite good there), but I'll let you know where I put it once I decide.

Every time I look at the beautiful painting of Hoss I will think of Christine. And then I will remember how she could stuff a whole cupcake in her mouth. And then I will think how she is so lucky to have such a wonderful talent. And my grandchildren will tell their grandchildren that 'this here painting was painted by a girl that could stuff a whole cupcake in her mouth! That's what Granny always said (but she was always a few cards short of a deck).'

Art. It truly is the gift that keeps on giving.

Hoss likes it too.

Pinecone Birdfeeder

My daughter has been dying to make a pine cone bird feeder ever since she saw it on one of her shows.

She likes all that DIY stuff!

We found a pinecone at the park and brought it home and had at it.

peanut-butter:

hello!!! save some for the pinecone!! sneaky sneaky!!

bird seed:

All you have to do is smear peanut-butter all over the pinecone and then dip it in the bird seed.

This is what it should look like:

Easy peasy lemon squeezy...

Make sure you tie some yarn/string around the tip of the pinecone before you start the smearing of peanut-butter.

Then find a branch and tie it around nice and tight!

Sit back and let it swing

Then, after you've taken a few photos of a swinging pinecone bird feeder turn around and catch your daughter letting the dog clean off her peanut-butter

yum! can we make another one??

my little helper

You've met my dog, Hoss. He's awesome!

He's gorgeous!

He's my lovey-dovey-wubby-pie.

He is also hairy and sheds like a...well, like a...

big ole hairy St. Bernard!

When you have a hairy dog you have hair EV.REE.WHERE.

It's like little tumbleweeds blowing through your house.

ugh, excuse me while I go vacuum...

When it gets windy and rains a lot

your outdoor mats will look something like this:

Oh, Lord bless us and save us

I am going to have to sandblast that thing to get it clean.

Do you see that wet matted hair?

And those things that blow off the trees?

They make my no good lousy husband sneeze and get all stuffy.

Oh, boy, are those fun days around here!

Well, as I was surveying the outside and trying to convince myself to get outside and clean that mat and the rest of the deck and just get it over with for crying out loud I saw this little gal helping me out:

Isn't she just the cutest?

She is picking up that hair for her little nest.

To make it nice and comfy for her little babies.

I am pretty sure that is what she is going to do with the hair.

I mean, can you think of anything else?

Well, I can't clean it now.

She might come back for more!

I wouldn't want all the birds in the area to have uncomfortable scratchy nests.

no sirree bob.

I really think I should leave it

for all the birds in the tri-state area.

I mean, once word gets out in the bird community

(I am sure they will tweet about it--oh ho ho ho ha ha ha sorry, just a little bird humor)

that there is tons of St. Bernard hair

just lying around for the taking

the birds will just be flocking to my little mat.

I am amazed at how much she can hold in her beak.

She doesn't drop any

and keeps bending down for more.

I bet she is going to be a great mom!

HOSS

Hoss is our dog. He is a big, beautiful St. Bernard.

Don't you think so?

I thought I should introduce you since I will post about him periodically.

He does some pretty interesting and funny stuff. Just you wait and see!

Today will just be about introductions though.

Hi, I'm Hoss.

I like long lies on the deck.

or on the grass

or on the driveway

What can I say? I like to lie about.

It's a tiring world out there for a St. Bernard.

Talk to ya later, I gotta catch some zzzzzz's...