Ft. Ward

This weekend Beulah and I visited our local Civil War historic site. Ft. Ward historic site and museum is right down the road from us and was a lovely place to spend an afternoon. It helped that the day was absolutely beautiful!



I enjoyed seeing all the historic remnants and soaking up some of the sunshine streaming through the trees. Beulah liked rolling in the leaves...




We sure enjoyed ourselves!

pitter patter

This morning the puppy and I awoke to the soft sound of rain on the windowpanes. We stepped outside for the morning walk and were greeted with something that hasn't happened in a while.... warm(ish), humid air and gentle rain!! It feels almost like Spring is starting to get here, slowly but surely. I'm ready for it!

at least his feet will be warm

President's Day weekend here was full of knitting. There are a few projects I had started that I need to finish already!! Soooo, I buckled down and got to work. Here's a quick knit I whipped up this weekend upon realizing that I had nothing for Jason for Valentine's Day (when he gets back to town). This is my prototype for the slippers I plan to whip up for the grandparents this next weekend. I have to admit... I almost just made them in my size and got him a card! They look comfy and warm, perfect for this terrible weather we keep having.

knitting by the fire

It was so nice to have an extra day off today! Although we had big plans here, Beulah and I ended up doing just this. You can't see her, but she's asleep with her head on my lap in this picture... It was rainy and the temps started to drop, so we made the most of it and hunkered down.

Sweater pics coming soon!

first snow

I came across this video of Beulah's first snow day and thought I'd share! She didn't know what to do with herself!

making plans

I've decided this year I'm going to plant a garden. Regardless of the fact that I have only a patio at my disposal, I'm going to do it. I'll just load up on pots and soil and make my merry way!

The thing is, I really have very little experience when it comes to the practical sort of gardening I want to do. But really, how hard can it be?? For the last few weeks I've been mulling over what I want to (attempt) to grow. Here's the list so far.... keeping things as reasonable as possible.

• Tomatoes
• Kale (lovelovelove kale)
• Garlic (you can never have enough garlic)
• Morning glories (or some other sort of climbing, flowering plant for the fence)
• Geraniums
• Herbs including, but not limited to: basil, mint, cilantro, parsley, rosemary
  
• Maybe broccoli??
• Hot peppers
  

Any suggestions? I can use all the advice I can get. I'm thinking some of this I'll try from seed and some I'll get the plants already started for me. Maybe I'll start the herbs this weekend, and pick up a farmer's almanac....

cutie pie

Just in case you haven't seen enough photos of this little fur ball.... She wakes me up in the morning with her wet nose and wagging tail for a long walk and puts me to bed with pretty much the same after a long walk. The little beast chews on her toys, my hands and my shoes and will eat anything but her food. She insists on attention at all times and drags me outside in all kinds of nasty weather.

Hey! At least she doesn't shed! (Did I mention I'm crazy about her?)

new beginnings

This past month or so has marked some new stuff in my life; new place to live, about 15 new knitting projects (started and not completed!), new commitment to living lightly!! This year is shaping up to be yet another set of surprises and challenges. That's life, right?

Anyhow, I set a small goal for myself for the month of Feb. I need to finish this blanket for Afghans for Afghans, as well as the sweater I've undertaken. Both are pretty close. I just have to sit down and do them.

I figure if I keep my projects close to these daffodils (my favorite flower) I will remember to work on them!

beautiful day

I woke up this morning to a light sky and warm(er) air. It was so beautiful, I knew I had to take advantage of the day while we were lucky enough to have such lovely weather!

So, Beulah and I drove around a found a random little nature park in the middle of the town. We parked and headed out into the unknown, just wandering around, soaking in the bare trees, damp compost on the ground and little rushing stream running through it all.

I noticed these little growths on the trees and thought you'd like to see them.

Beulah had fun running in a "canine exercise" area and plunging into the stream headfirst on the way back to the car.

It was so nice to get outside!

i need a secret garden

Right now, the world outside my door looks pretty much like this:

Grey and lonely. With lots of random black birds swarming above the tree tops.

To keep the winter blues away I've been trying to embrace the grey, dismal out-of-doors. Yesterday at the library I picked up "The Secret Garden," by Frances Hodgson Burnett. My parents have me a beautiful illustrated copy of it at home and I remember reading it for the first time thinking how neat it was to have a little hidden garden. It's now been years since I read it, but the mood of the book is set in what seems to me to be exactly what I see out my window right now. Grey and dismal. I need a secret garden of my own.

radio silence

Whew! It's been a hot minute since I've written/taken photos/much of anything else to do with this little corner of the universe. Let's just say, I've been a tad bit busy. Big conferences and goings-on at work PLUS moving house has made for a couple of weeks with no energy to tell you about it.

I'll be back here in a day or so with updates!