Bits and Pieces - Is it Spring, Yet?

A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME THAT SPRING IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER

It was a beautiful, sunshiny and warm day today. YAY!  Unfortunately, it's not Spring, yet, but it felt like it.  It was great to be able to go outside without fear of getting frostbite. My car's thermometer read 65 when I left church. Wonderful, wonderful. 

I spoke with my Virginia brother-in-law earlier this evening. They received 14" of snow at their place in the suburbs of Washington D.C., but didn't lose power, so all was well.  He was able to clear their rather long  driveway with a snow blower and get out to the grocery and pharmacy in his 4-wheel-drive vehicle. Sister kept the birds fed, so she was happy.

Missy kitty is much improved. She was a wonderful patient for the first week of her ear drops; entirely compliant, totally unlike  Sweetie Pie, her daughter, who used to fight me tooth and claw when she required ear drops. What a difference! I gave Missy extra "crunchy munchies" as a reward for her good behavior, and now she expects them every day just about the time I would have treating her ears.  Didn't take long for her to catch on.

I will have granddaughter-sitting duty several days this week while her mother prepares for the State Garden Show, which will be held this coming weekend. She is much involved in the several days long preparation for this event, working behind the scenes and also designing and creating her own floral arrangements to be entered in various judged categories. Although she'll be exhausted by the time it's over, next Sunday afternoon, she loves it.

That's about it.

Tomorrow is a also a day.

Cat

Missy

Missy and I have just returned from the vet's office.  She has an ear infection that I have treated at home for a week or so, but the problem has not improved to my satisfaction so it was time for professional attention. 

Missy, my one remaining cat, is (as you might imagine) my cosseted baby.  What is it, I wonder, about old ladies and their cats?  She definitely rules the roost around here. It might be better to say that "I am owned by a cat" rather than "I own a cat."

Although the streets are clear, there is still ice on vegetation and utility wires. The temps are still below freezing at this writing but I won't complain: My Nebraska daughter called me yesterday to report that it was -17 at her home place -- and that wasn't the wind chill! Double "brrrr!"

Tomorrow is also a day.

ICE!

Warning: Run on sentence!
Although Tuesdays are my days to volunteer in the church office, this morning, after opening the curtains, looking outside and observing the ice glaze on plants, trees, driveway and street, and icicles hanging on utility wires and roof edges, and remembering that my Mama didn't raise a fool, I made an executive decision to stay home!

Perhaps I shall bake bread and make a pot of soup, instead.

Tomorrow is also a day.

Candlemas Day

Disclaimer: Yes, you've seen this post (or much of it) before -- if you've been following my blog for 5 years! The following first ran on 2/2/09; I thought I'd blow the dust off and give it another go.

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Today, February 2, is Candlemas Day, the day upon which the season of Winter in the northern hemisphere is half over. The end can't come soon enough for a lot of folks.

An old English folk song declares:

If Candlemas be fair and bright
Come, Winter, have another flight.
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Go Winter, and come not again.

This day is also known as Groundhog Day (lots of information), and here in the U.S. we direct our attention to Punxsutawney Phil. He popped his head up to bright sunshine this morning, and left us with a dread of six weeks more of Winter to come. For more information on Phil, go here.  (Current note:  The information about Punxsutawney Phil is still true. I just checked.  Brrr!)

In addition, February 2nd is celebrated as the Pagan Festival of Lights, St. Brigit's Day (Ireland) and in the Roman Catholic church, the Purification of the Blessed Virgin and The Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple.

* * *
New Stuff:  The photo above is a new addition, courtesy of The Daily Office East, a devotional service to which I subscribe.  From this post I learned that Candlemas Day used to be the day upon which all the beeswax candles in the church were blessed. 

As the weatherman projected, the balmy temperatures of yesterday have fled.  The thermometer currently reads just above the freezing point.  Skies are heavy, leaden and primed to dump some winter mix upon us before the day is out.

Stay warm and dry!

Tomorrow is also a day.

It's Already February?

This image has nothing whatsoever to do with this post. 

It's a card I made years ago with one of my whimsical rubber stamps. 

I post it just because.

How time flies when one is having fun!  January was full of computer work, reports, filings, etc., just part of the work I do as the volunteer treasurer for my church.  I'm always quite relieved when the month is over and I've managed to get everything finished. 

It's a balmy 60+ degrees at this writing, but it won't last long; we're due for 1"-3" of snow by Tuesday of this coming week.  Weather!  Bah!  Ah, well; we can use the moisture!

Tomorrow is also a day.