Simple Woman's Daybook for March 30

 

Thoughts for Today, March 30th

 

Outside my window... It is sunny and snowy, and today will be about 3 degrees Celsius, not warm by any means, but creeping up there.  I heard some spring birds this morning, poor little things, not much for them to eat yet!

 

 

A brilliant blue sky!

 

I am thinking... About seeing a chiropractor for the tennis elbow which is getting worse, as well as some back issues.  I am nervous about it, as I did not have great experiences with the chiropractor I saw when I was a teenager into my early 30's.  Each appointment was very painful.  I know it has changed a lot and Mike and I went to a home show, and this office was set up there. We met the chiropractor ( female) and she was very reassuring).  Please share your thoughts about chiropractic treatment if you see a chiropractor , and how they have helped you!

I am thankful... I am so very thankful for the sacrifice my wonderful glorious Saviour made for me by dying for me, giving His life in my place, even though I am so unworthy of it.  So many times I screw up.  I get angry.  I worry. I don't mind my tongue.  But Jesus always loves me and sets me on my feet again, and helps me to do things better. 

I am wearing... Blue jeans, black tank top, long navy blue jersey knit sweater, Birkenstocks.

I am creating... I am working on an antique dough board which I am distressing and making prim.  I am not sure if I will paint a saying or a picture on it yet. Last week, I whipped up this stitchery being sent out in a spring swap.

 

 

 

 

I just love this button!  I hope I have more of them!

 

 

 

Button flowers.  I think I would like to make one of these for me! 

 

 

I am going... To work on my art journal, start another stitchery, work on sanding the dough board, make some bread, do school, and try to spend less time on Facebook this week. Yes, wish me luck on the Facebook thing...

I am wondering... If spring is actually coming.  What about the birds that are starting to come back, and the animals coming out of hibernation?  What can we do to help them.  Goodness I hope the bears don't come back this spring, that was pretty scary last spring and summer!

 

 

We had another snowstorm last night!  20 cms of snow this time!

 

 

Beautiful morning!  We shoveled snow in just our sweaters!  This is a trebuchet my son in law made, it s quite an amazing thing!

 

 

Waiting to be plowed out.

 

 

Ughhhh, so much white!

I am reading...Several books on keeping chickens! And how to build a chicken coop.  I think we must be insane, we are creating free chicken dinners for the fox and coyotes and coons in our area!

 

THIS is a fairly detailed book, and has plans for a couple of coops you can build, how to sell eggs, how to hatch eggs etc. 

 

 

I have only briefly flipped through THIS one, but my hubby likes it so far!

 

I am hoping...That my hubby feels better after his scare last week with chest pain, and a visit to the hospital.  It turns out he sneezed while sitting in a contorted position, as he has a slipped disk in his back and he was trying to not set that off.  That caused a nerve to be pinched which caused electrical jolt type pain in his chest, and neck.  He has two long weeks of working 12 hour days while his lead hand is on vacation, we all need to stay healthy, especially him!

I am learning...That I need to get my family more rest.  We are going to bed too late, and it is not good for anyone.  I need to ignore those , "But I'm not tired" voices...and just get my son and all of us to bed at a decent hour.  Like 7:30 PM! 

In my garden... Why, SNOW of course! But, I have a really good start on the horse chestnut trees, and the geranium cuttings are starting to take, and that is exciting!  We went to the home and garden show yesterday, and we picked up some seeds to try out this year, some are Devin's, as he has his own garden.

 

 

Last year we tried purple carrots and red ones, this year we will try yellow ( those are Devin's selection)

 

 

 

 

 

Yes.  This is my veggie patch.

 

 

The wind and ice were not kind to my antique weather vane, I hope I can fix it!

 

 

In my kitchen...Devin and I are making bread today, and hopefully cookies, ham and scalloped potatoes are on the menu for Easter.  As for tonight, I think it is stuffed chicken breast with cheesy mashed potatoes and broccoli.  Of course that can always change...

 

In the homeschool room... We are back to work this week, but I thought I would share some photos of the LEGO creation he made for a recent LEGO competition at a library.  He was very creative with it this year.  He didn't win a prize, but he really had fun with it, and it was the most original one there.

 

Here we have a popsicle, a can of Coke, a vanilla ice cream cone with a cherry on top, a cup of iced tea, lollipops, a hot dog, a strawberry, french fries, and a T Bone steak dinner!

 

A close up of the steak dinner, complete with mashed potatoes and peas, and a parsley garnish!

 

 

A favorite quote for today...

 

 

A peek into one of my days...

 

My grandson, Nathan came to visit this week, a few times actually!

 

 

He thought my garbage bags needed to be rearranged.

 

 

 

Here is Nathan playing with his uncles!

 

 

Nathan with Uncle Devin.

One of my favorite things... Chuck Taylor high tops! Heck, any kind of Converse shoe! I cannot wait until it is dry and the snow is gone and I can wear mine outside again!

 

 

 

From the board room... I absolutely LOVE this pin, but cannot find the original source ( if anyone knows it, let me know and I will post it here!)

 

Post Script...Camp Wander is a website I use often for information about essential oils, how to use them safely, and for recipes using the oils.  I have several I really like, one for headaches, and some for anxiety.

 

Please stop by Peggy's blog to read more Daybook entries and to participate! 

 

Friday Letters

 

 

 

Dear God, Thank You so much for taking care of my hubby this week.  It was a scary night on Wednesday, and also the morning on Thursday, but you protected Mike and gave us a real peace that could only come from You. I felt pretty anxious and afraid, and I am so grateful and thankful for taking care of us all. And for putting the right people in my path to encourage me.  Also for helping Jeremy to get well, he was so sick but You were right here the whole time.  Thank You!!!  ( My husband, Mike was having chest pain and pain going into his neck and side, and he decided to go to the hospital and get it looked at.   He left after waiting over 6 hours, though he had an EKG which was normal, but he was not seen by a doctor.  He saw our family doctor on Thursday, and we were relieved to learn it was because he sneezed and it pinched a nerve which was responsible for the shooting pain.  He has been much better now, thankfully.)

 

Dear Weatherman, We have had some rain, and it has been above freezing ( barely) for 3 days.  And now we are getting 10 cms of snow tomorrow ( or more!)  ARE YOU SERIOUS?????  I give up. 

 

Dear American Robin, You might want to consider flying back south for the soring and summer, I do believe you may have taken a wrong turn!  You looked awfully cold the other day!

 

Dear Holly, my hair stylist, You are the best!  I love it when you cut my hair, it is great!  Thanks for coming to my house today to take care of my hair and my daughter's, so it was easier to look after my grandson at the same time. 

 

Dear Municipal Government, Thanks for the property tax bill.  Really appreciate it!  Thanks for not accounting for the money we have already paid off it!

 

Please visit Paula's blog to read her letters this week!

 

 

Simple Woman's Daybook for March 23

 

For Today... March 23, 2015

Outside my window... It is sunny and very cold, and the wind is howling, making the wind chills feel like -20 C.  The roads are icy and the snow banks are snow mountains.

 

 

BRRRRRRR!  Cold!!

 

 

My arm muscles are huge now!
 

I am thinking... That is will be posting more spring and summer photos. It is bad enough I see this snow out my window, but to see it on my blog all the time is depressing!

 

 

My feelings about the beach entirely!  Devin was jumping into the icy cold water.

 

 

 

 

Crescent Beach, South Shore.  Amazing long beach which you can drive on!

 

 

 

Hirtle's Beach, also on the South Shore. Glorious!

 

I am thankful...That my son Jeremy is on the mend.  He has had coxsackie virus, and has been sick for a week.  Now he has ulcers and blisters all over his mouth and throat.  Coxsackie is in the family of hand, foot and mouth disease.  You don't want it, trust me!

I am wearing...  Blue jeans and my teal green jersey knit shirt.

I am creating...I finished my feed bag pillows this morning!  Working on a spring stitchery to send in a swap, it is going to Hungary!

 

 

Burlap is tricky to sew, make sure to use a zig zag stitch!

 

I didn't sew the top, I tied it with twine.

 

This one is more faded.

 

 

A bit too big for my sofa, do you think?

 

 

They are on my bed for now unless I find another spot.  What do you like best?

I am going... To do a fitness walk after lunch, vacuum, and hopefully get the majority of my stitching done.

I am wondering...If getting chickens is a reasonable goal this spring, as we do not have a chicken coop yet, and when we do build it, it needs to be like fort Knox! We have too many fox and raccoons, and also coyotes and bears!  Am I just wasting my time even thinking about chickens?

I am reading... I am in between books, But I am reading Country Life magazine and Canadian Gardening magazine.

 

I am hoping... For SPRING!!!!  At this rate, Devin will be hiding unpainted Easter eggs in the snow banks!

I am learning...To wait and follow God and not try to drag Him along and fit Him into my plans.

In my garden... Snow.   NEXT!

 

Beautiful dahlia we spotted in Mahone Bay.

 

In my kitchen...Devin is going to help me make muffins, I really have no clue what we are having for supper though.  Maybe haddock??  I need to get meal plans done, it would save me so much time and money. 

 

In the homeschool room...We are taking an extra day off after March break.  It is a snow day for public schools, and I am trying to get this house tidy after a week of sickness.  Devin is enjoying playing Minecraft, and digging forts in the snow banks.

 

A favorite quote for today...

 

 

A peek into one of my days...

 

 

Blue sky!!

 

One of my favorite things... Going antiquing and scrounging around for new to me treasures.  

 

An old barn turned into an antique shop.  A very pricey antique shop I might add!

 

 

 

 

I love oil lamps!

 

From the board room... I have had no time for Pinterest this week, but here is a peek at my journal.

 

 

Post Script...I just love to look at homes for sale across Nova Scotia, especially homes with character and a history. I love antiques and anything old. Last night I came across this beauty last night, it is named Overtheway, and was built in 1905.  It is gorgeous, and full of character ( and expensive!)  Click HERE to go to the web page, be sure to click on photos. 

 

If you like contemporary homes and want to live right on the ocean, check out THIS home.  Have a look at the solid marble bathtub, it looks like a big pebble!

 

Sambro Lighthouse, we can see this from the top of our driveway.  The oldest operating lighthouse in North and South America, and the Caribbean.

One of the remaining lighthouse keeper's houses. 

Can't wait to get my sunglasses out again!

Pop on over to Peggy's blog to read other entries and to participate with your own daybook!
 

 

Friday Letters

 

 

 

Dear Winter, In case you didn't get the memo, today is the first day of spring, and you are supposed to get lost!!!  I have had enough of this snow! We can't walk, drive safely, some people can't get out of their homes.  It is hard to even remember what spring is like.  And now another storm tomorrow.  Please go away!

 

Dear Jeremy and Devin, I really hope you are both feeling better.  You both have viruses I have never heard of before, and I hope you are much better really soon!

 

Dear Man at the beginning of the street who plows his snow into the street and leaves it there, Did you know it is illegal to plow your snow onto the street and leave it there?  I see someone spray painted a nasty note to you on your snow mountain this morning.  I wonder if that will get the point across?

 

Dear air jet bathtub, I am sore and achy from shoveling all week, and I am looking forward to a good soak!!

 

Dear Chocolate, I love you!!  That is all!

 

If you wish to write your own Friday Letters, please join us at Paula's blog!

The big snow!!

Well.  I don't really know where to begin.  We have had 60 cms of snow overnight and into today ( about 24 inches).  Since Sunday, we have had over 80 cms (about 32 inches) altogether, but I think it is closer to 100 cms.  Halifax was shut down today, no buses were running, no ferry service, very limited grocery stores, and people are being told to stay off the roads.  Roofs are collapsing in industrial parks.  People are trapped in their homes.  A state of emergency was almost called today, but they are banning any parking on streets at all times, keeping the buses off the roads again tomorrow morning at least and telling people it may be Monday before transportation is back to full operations.  And weeks before the snow is cleared. And....Saturday it is supposed to snow and rain!

Here in our little corner of Nova Scotia, we woke to piles of snow, piles and piles!  Our neighbour made one pass with his plow, so we could get out the driveway.  Thankfully Mike did not have to get to work today!  I am not sure our main highway has seen more than one plow today.  My daughter's house is swallowed up by snow drifts, over 50 inches and covering her sliding glass doors!

I did too much shoveling today, with Jeremy still not well, and my hubby with a slipped disc in his back, that left me to dig out cars, etc.  I am hurting tonight!  but I did find our cars again! 

We also went for a hike down our trail, through waist high snow in places!  My boots will never be dry now!

Here are some photos....

 

Our top deck had 2 feet of snow drifted on it!

 

 

You can barely see my car in there.  And behind it...is my veggie garden!!!

 

 

The front steps and well in the distance.  I only just got this shoveled out from Sunday's storm!

 

 

Looking out the downstairs door.  My back hurts just thinking about this!

 

 

Snow drift out the downstairs window.

 

 

Snow out the spare room window!

 

 

This is my craft room..our basements here are not really basements, they are above ground for the most part.

 

Geranium cuttings waiting for spring.

 

 

 

Me!  Up to my waist in snow!!We had just dug out the path to the door.

 

 

Yes, I admit it.  I seriously cried when I started to shovel the cars out.  Our neighbour plowed us in, and the snow was packed and hard.  Mike couldn't really help me, and I had to get them out.  So I did, but only with God's help!

 

 

 

I dug a tunnel to the shed too.

 

 

 

Devin on top of Mount Crumpet.  My daughter said we are like the Who's, and we should all go outside and yell, " We are here, we are here, we are HEEEERRRRREEE!!"

 

 

Honey, I found the cars!!

 

 

It sure was pretty in the forest today!

 

 

Quite the slog down the trail!  That round thing on the right, is an old bicycle tire, on top of a waist high tree stump!

 

 

This is our stream, it was a big cavern!  Usually we stand level with it!

 

 

Devin's fort, it looks like a gnome house!

 

 

 

Spring soon please!!