The Stone Rabbit

A GIFT TO ME. . . FROM ME !!!!

 

 Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.- Victor Hugo

 Our first "dusting" of snow this winter was December the 6th, but we had our first measurable snowfall on Wednesday night, making THE STONE RABBIT a very happy guy!!!  He had waited anxiously for morning to come so he could get out and hop around!  Rabbits love snow and cold. 

Actually the Grand Dog beat him out the door.....can you see her little paw prints ?  I believe I heard we got something like three tenths of an inch.  Last year, and the year before at this time, we were BURIED under several inches of snow.

I have loved the weather this winter.  Our temps have been so mild and our form of precipitation, until Wednesday night, has been rain!  I absolutely hate the cold, so when I walked out with the dog and THE STONE RABBIT, I was quickly reminded of just exactly why I feel this way. . . 

 

 

at 16 degrees. . . .it's just plain miserable.  On the plus side of cold. . . it doesn't take the dog too long to do her business. . . sniffing and circling for the perfect "spots" just don't seem as important as they do when the weather is decent.

As the morning wore on, we watched a variety of birds hang out in front of our living room window. . .all with their little feathers "puffed out"  to help keep them warm.

 

  The robins were dining on the few holly berries they had left on our bushes after nearly stripping them clean last fall.  They were just as sad about the cold weather as me . . heck, just the day before, they were still pulling worms out of the ground.  .  . and now, they were eating berries.  Guess it was a good thing they left a few for later.

I put together a batch of beef stew in the slow cooker. . . it was, after all, a stewy kind of a day. . . .then I worked on a variety of projects around the house, but even while wearing several layers of clothing, I just couldn't get warm.

By the time it was my "nap time/aka General Hospital Break Time" I decided it was the day I'd been waiting for since August.  

In the heat of that month, I found a bargain at our local Old Time Pottery store. . . .and stashed it away. . . until the perfect time!

YES, YES, YES!!!  It was the day to pull out my PINK Snuggie!!

When I saw the display of these little beauties last August, I let out the teeniest of shrieks!  They were PINK and they were on SALE!!!  

Actually, I couldn't believe that I hadn't already received one as a gift. . . my family and friends know how much I love PINK and how much I love to be warm!!!  That was OK. . . my wait paid off with a bargain!  It didn't bother me, either,  that it was "last year's design" as plastered on the package.  This one would be perfect!!

On the box, it says "one size fits all". . .  Well, Snuggies are VERY long. . . you can see little TWIGGY standing on the part that hit the floor while I was wearing it. . . .  and so are the  sleeves. . . but in comparison to their length, they aren't that huge around.  With that said, the body type that it would fit the best would be someone well over 6 feet tall, a bit on the slight size and with long arms.  Does that sound like you?  :) 

Actually, Snuggies probably are not meant to be "worn" and walked in. . .they are a  throw with sleeves. . .your backside is pretty much exposed, and with the loads of fabric in the length, it could be a tripping hazard, especially for short little Snuggie owners.  Basically, their claim to fame is that they are meant to be used while sitting on a sofa or chair that has a big back.  :)  

With all of that said. . . 

 I got all cozy on the sofa and ottoman, sporting my Snuggie for it's inaugural wearing, and concentrating on my beloved General Hospital. . .and then I realized. . . 

just how really warm that Snuggie was making me feel!!!

 "OOOOOH".....I said aloud......"I'm LOVIN' my Snuggie!!"   That's when THE STONE RABBIT hopped up on the ottoman and joined me in watching my soap and a little Snuggie Love, too!  :)

 

 

 

 

 

Brrrrr. . . this morning, as I finish the post, it is now 13 degrees!!!  And YES, I'm wearing my PINK Snuggie!  I have made steady PINK Snuggies Progress, too!

I have found that if I turn it around,  like a robe, it keeps me warm while perched in my computer chair which doesn't have a big cushy back.  PLUS, I've even learned that I can carefully hold up the bottom of it and make it into the kitchen for more coffee without having to take it on and off!  

 

SNUGGIE LOVE!!

 

Something else I love. . . PINK SATURDAY!!!  Kudos to our faithful hostess, Beverly, for making it happen for us every week!!

Please visit her blog, HOW SWEET THE SOUND, for a loooooong list of other bloggers who have PINKS to share this week, too!!!

Keepin' warm in my PINK SNUGGIE.....DANA

BOXING UP THE MOMENT

 

 

Sometimes I just want to pinch myself when life is so momentarily sweet.  Those times don't seem to happen that often and when they do. . . I just want to box myself up with them. . . so they'll last a little longer.

Like this morning, for instance. . . .

I had a super duper full day planned, but I wanted to spend some time taking in the gift of our amazing Missouri morning before the rain (which our lawns will more than appreciate) rolls in.

 

I positioned myself at the far end of our patio.....the part where there is no roof.....and just stared up at the blue sky. . . watching a buzzard circling south of our house. . . then hearing the drone of a small plane and eyeing the sky til it popped into view.

 

 

The noise from a nearby high way was gone, now that rush hour was over, and all I could hear was the wind picking up . . . bringing in some dark clouds and causing the plants on our patio to rustle and the big trees in the yard behind us to stir.

 

 

I wanted to use this quiet, alone time to jot down questions I have for a little "interview" I'm doing with a fellow "elder runner" and . . . 

 

 

to read a few more pages in THE HELP.  I've vowed I will not see the movie til I finish reading it.

 

Once in a while, I've been letting my kitty Twiggy out on the patio with me, too.  I can't trust her to "stick around" like I can my older (and a bit brainier boy cat, Frankie), so I put THE STONE RABBIT in charge of watching her while I wrote my questions and read in my book.

 

 

It was such a rare and peaceful moment we were having and I have to say, I was totally absorbed in my writing and reading. . .when  I was jolted back into reality by the sound of loud squawking Canada Geese. 

 

I heard the sounds, then saw five air born, and ENORMOUS, geese bodies barely clearing the roof of the house across the street, then zooming between our house and that of our neighbor's . . .at a very, very low level.  

Now, we have lots of geese sightings (and ducks) around here because of the pond on a nearby golf course, however, I've NEVER seen them flying over so close to the ground. . . and my head!!!

I wish I had been quicker thinking to grab my camera and snap a photo of them, but I was literally shocked at how fast they came out of no where. . . .  so loudly and low flying, to their next stop.  

This was little Twiggy's first experience with a goose....let a lone five of them.  Once I saw that they were so close, I quickly looked for her, wondering if she was gonna head for the door or make a dash for it off the patio,  but she didn't do either.  Instead, she took the "how small can I make myself look approach" and flattened out on the patio floor. . .doing everything except putting her little paws over her eyes.

 

When the noise stopped, she rose up and hesitantly looked around. . .trying to determine the current safety level.  :)

 

So, while my "quiet time" had been quickly turned upside down, I had to appreciate the moment. . . even when nearly dive-bombed by some noisy, low-flying geese. . . it was a pretty spectacular moment getting to see them up close as they made their way to the pond.

Another thing I appreciated this morning is how most of my plants have survived this crazy hotter than usual summer we've had.  I've had to have most of the pots pulled under the roofed part of the patio or they would have fried for sure.  This weekend, I was able to place them back in the spots they belong.

While I tend to be  a "glass half empty" gal who does strive  to be a "glass half full" person. . . I'm always better off when I sip my morning coffee from my beloved Mary Engelbreit Santa cup.  I find that if I can keep focused on "BELIEVE"  that my mind is in a happier, brighter place. . . at least until the geese take me by surprise again!  

 DANA 

A VERY BLUE MONDAY

 

I am linking with Sally, of SMILING SALLY, for Blue Monday this week. 

Yesterday, I was looking forward to coming home from church, taking a little Sunday afternoon nap, then finally potting some of the many plants I'd recently picked up. 

 

While I am not a gardener, I find potting plants in the Spring something that brings relaxation.

 

 

 

It's a process that gets my mind off my own concerns or worries.

Working with the dirt and the plants and the pots and water. . . kinda mindless. . . thoughts are bouncing all over the place. . . plans are made. . . or not.  

 

While I was working away on the plants. . . our neighbors about an hour to the East of us in Waverly, MO, had just experienced some tornado damage.  

I was thinking how lucky we, in our Kansas City area, have been so far this Spring.  Just the night before, folks in Reading, KS. (West of here)  had a tornado come through.  One person lost his life.

Then, THE STONE RABBIT, hopped up sporting this BLUE deflated mylar balloon that had just landed in our yard!

Somewhere, a graduation party was minus one balloon.  

Of course my mind went to graduation parties we'd hosted for our kids. . . what happy times. . . what milestones.

Anyway,  while I was so involved with trying to "de-stress" my mind by playing with my plants,  I didn't know it, but our friends in Joplin, Missouri, just three hours South of us. . . 

 

 

 

were being pounded by a huge tornado.

   As of this morning, about one third of the town is destroyed.  Eighty nine people are confirmed dead. . . dozens are still missing.

To make matters worse, they are  experiencing another bad storm this morning.

 

 

                                               Photo from YAHOO home page. 

 

 

                             *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

The news has reported that a hospital took a direct hit, as did a Walmart and a Home Depot.  Places full of people.

I wondered how many graduation parties were in full swing when the tornado hit.  .  . or how many folks were working in their yards or just taking a Sunday afternoon nap?

 

One thing is certain. . . my worries are now so small and insignificant when compared to those in Joplin who have suffered so greatly and lost so much.

My prayers are with them. 

 

 

 

DANA  

 

Note:   They are telling us on the news that we can make donations at redcross.org 

SPRING. . . . Hurry Up, Please!!!

 Last April, the weeping crabapple tree, located in front of our bay window, was blooming away!

 

 Yesterday morning, that sweet little tree was starting to collect snowflakes.....one more time.

As I looked out the window at the wintry scene, my mind started thinking about. . . .

 

 the flowers I would be planting around that tree in a couple of months.

 

One of our maple trees was starting to show a collection of flakes, too.

 

 However, before long, the snow stopped and the RAIN started!!!

Yes, it snowed, then it rained!!! 

Note the robin in the MIDDLE of the street. . . in the cold rain!!!! Why???

OK. . . so as I looked at our yard, which was now brown and cold and covered in a snowy, slushy combination,  my mind wandered back to. . . .  

 

 

 last summer and our lush green grass. . . and my stint on the John Deere as my hubby was taking a fishing trip to Alaska!

 

The  rain was now starting to FREEZE on the trees, unlike the rain . . .  

 

 we enjoyed on warm summer evenings when we would sit  on our front porch with little lanterns blazing away.   There was no freezing involved at all with that rain. . . 

 

 

but now our rain had turned to SLEET!!!  Yep, the little rocky bits of this winter precipitation were piling up everywhere and covering. . . 

 

 

the very spot where Izzie and THE STONE RABBIT soaked up the warmth of last summer's sun.

 

The sleet continued and it was clearly now sticking to our sidewalk.

 

 

 Even THE STONE RABBIT is getting antsy for Spring to arrive.  As he sat in the front flower bed yesterday, he was recalling. . . .

 

 

how much he loved to settle in that same little area when it is warm and filled with fresh greeness and pretty reddish PINK flowers!!!

 

 

Later that morning, a robin was perched in the weeping crabapple tree. . . .puffing those feathers out in an effort to keep warm.  

 

At least he (or she?) wasn't in the middle of the street.

 

It continued to rain, sleet and snow all day.  However, by late afternoon, the snow won out and started to make its presence known on driveways, sidewalks and streets.

 

 

It wasn't so long ago that our Grands were enjoying a fun afternoon on that driveway. . . playing with the water hose in the warmth of the day.

 

The snow continued throughout the night, covering our neighbor's drive which. . . 

was the scene of a rollicking garage sale a few months back!!!  This guy didn't last too long. . . I was so tempted to bring that PINK faced fellow home with me, but someone beat me to him.

 Our neighbor cranked up his snowblower around 6:00 a.m. this morning. . . clearing his drive and sidewalk.

 

It wasn't so long ago that the Grand Girl was sprinting up and down that same sidewalk on a delightfully sunny afternoon. . . without a thought of snowflakes or freezing rain.

 

Our front walk and steps were now covered with a fresh blanket of snow, but. . . 

 

I remember the day the Grand Boy enjoyed crawling around on that same area. . . trying his hand with sidewalk chalk. . . barefoot!

 

 While today, the porch is frozen and the black metal chairs are still. . . 

 

 

there was a Summer day when the Grand Girl eagerly watered all of my plants out there and sat with me on one of those chairs.  We rocked and chatted and enjoyed our time together.

 

 The view out the bay window was a snowy one this morning. . . 

  and the robin had found it a fine place to be for a bit.



 

 Yes, while THE STONE RABBIT eagerly looks forward to warm weather, he decided to make the most out of another cold and snowy day.

He built a snow fort and made lots of snowballs. . .  and  he waited for his buddies to come by!  :)

 

        

 

Please visit Beverly at HOW SWEET THE SOUND. . . .you will have a ball checking out all of the PINKS other bloggers have to share with you today!!

 

 

HAPPY PINK SATURDAY!    

 

 

 

DANA

D R E A R Y

Yesterday, this is what we saw.  ANOTHER "dreary" day waiting for us!!  Actually, that made three days in a row of clouds and cold and . . . .

RAIN!!

 

The weather conditions have made it hard to work in the planters. . . mulch has been waiting for me to spread  for days!!!
 

The grass was still so wet, I had to wear my "garden shoes" just to take. . . .
 

my grand dog Izzie out to do her thing. 

Izzie REALLY doesn't like getting her tootsies wet, either, so her outings in wet grass are challenging.  However, she's still very selective  about the "spot" she chooses to do her business, even in the damp yard.

All of this rain makes it necessary to keep dumping the water out of my pots. . . and I'm not always so great about remembering to do that.  It's a good thing the plants I have in them are hardy!!

 

THE STONE RABBIT always manages to see the bright side.  He reminded me that at least we haven't had to deal with flooding or tornadoes or earthquakes.  Heck, we haven't had to us our air conditioner either!!  Now that's a real plus!

THEN, before the morning was over, our sky looked like this!!!

The temperature climbed, too!! 

Izzie and THE STONE RABBIT decided to get outside and enjoy that surprise break in the weather. . . .cuz it wasn't predicted!!

Perhaps the ground  will dry up a little, after all, and I can plant this tray of flowers  I purchased last week!
 

While I was thinking about where I was going to place the plants, THE STONE RABBIT, reminded me that this would be a good time to . . . .

dump the water in my potted plants.  Yes, he was right......it wasn't raining at the moment and now would be a good time to do that!  He's so good about keeping me focused.
 

Then Izzie said, "I'll be right back!"  and she darted around the corner to the back yard.
 
 

Now that the grass was drying out a bit, finding her perfect "spot" would be lots easier!!!  

Bet you thought those orange lines and flag might be where Izzie has actually "marked" her previous spots, don't you?  No, we are hoping Comcast Cable will finally finish burying two cables that have been draped across our back yard since last OCTOBER!!!  This makes the second time Dig Right has come out to loacte lines and paint our yard so Comcast could do their job.  We're keeping our fingers crossed that very soon, they will do just that.

Yes, Izzie and THE STONE RABBIT had a great afternoon. . . .
 

basking in the sun and I'm sooooo glad they did because. . . .
 

we're back to this again today. . . with rough weather predicted for later!!!  :(

It was good while it lasted!!

 
DANA