Learning to endure Winter well.

Do you ever wonder why we sometimes long for Spring when we are amid Winter, and

why we wish for Autumn when the Summer is hot and long? 

Human nature I think. 

Always wanting what we can't have.

Never looking for the gift in the present.

Always trying to rush things.

The photos in this post are from my 2011 garden.

I have never enjoyed a Winter as much as I have this one.

I found myself wondering why that was, 

and have come to the conclusion that is has a great deal to do with all of you
 whose blogs I love to visit.

I have come to discover that I get strength from you.
I love the attitude of so many of you.

I find more contentment in the Winter because so many of you are content.
I couldn't have said this before.

I was a 'winter whiner'.

 Have you ever noticed that those who live in the very northern countries
make an art form out of enduring Winter well?
I never hear them complain that Winter has been too long
or that they have too much snow.

So this year I decided to take a page from your book.

I'll be honest though, Winter has never done it for me.
I'm a sun loving person and the lack of light that this season brings affects me.
I usually just put up with Winter, but not this year.
This year I made a conscience choice to love it.
I planned out many activities to busy myself with and to fill my days
with things that I love to do, but because of the garden,
don't always have the opportunity to accomplish in any other season.

Dale loves this time of year because he enjoys Winter sports and he also
uses this time to work with his horses.
I posted a winter cattle drive he went on in January on my garden blog.


Some of the things I have been doing to stay content this season are:

lots of sewing projects
some re-dos, un-dos-and over-dos
rearranging the living room and studio (over and over : )
taking Landon on drives around the valley to see the Winter landscape
spending time with my daughters
entertaining friends
leafing through beautiful books and magazines
researching new plant stock for the garden
and of course, making long lists for Dale  : )


From reading your blogs I know that you do the same and
stay more content in whatever season you find hard to endure.
Some of you have long hot Summers that just sap the strength
out of a body, and many of you, like me have long cold Winters
that can have an adverse affect on our moods because of lack of light.

I've decided to keep myself busy by making Winter the season of
productivity
instead of the season of pouting, and stomping my feet because I want WARM!

Now I am beginning to realize that I need another month of Winter
to do more of these things.

Now that's something I never thought I would hear myself say.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Don't you just love decorating for this day????

Hearts everywhere!!!

Little hints for our sweethearts,

and

little hints to ourselves so we don't forget our sweethearts.  

 Nothing prettier than hearts in the snow! 

 How could Dale possibly miss these?

A few little Valentine things about the house

                                               Valentine's Day is such a good excuse to decorate.

That's what I love most about this day.

 That...

...and the huge box of chocolates I hope to get  : ) 

And a Happy Valentine's Day to all of you!!!!

hearts~hearts~hearts

I'm going a little crazy with the hearts I think.

I can't seem to stop.

I make them by the dozens.

I do things like this all the time.

Go overboard making things I love.

(you should see me with baking cookies) I just can't stop once I start))

Using all the pretty vintage laces, new and old fabrics and bits and bobs 

that I have been collecting for years.

You have no idea how hard it is for me to use my little stashes of pretties.

I am a hoarder of beautiful things and I have a hard time parting with them.

I like to keep them in big glass jars and just stand and stare at them.

So this is BIG. 

Really BIG!

                                             I have been making them for friends and family for 

Valentine's Day.

And true to form...

                                                                I just keep making them.


                                                  Like the sachets I made before Christmas.

Once I got started I

                                                                       just couldn't quit.

Sewing and stuffing~

and stuffing and sewing.

At least a platter of these have a lot less calories in them than the sugar cookies 

I've been wanting to bake.

And they will last much longer too!

Cookies?

I just may make tomorrow  baking day after all and give the sewing machine a break.

I will be sure to leave a few for Valentine photos (maybe : o)

The little cherub graphic came from Karen at the Graphics Fairy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I want to thank the assistant editor of Romantic Homes Beth Livesay

for asking me a couple of months ago if they could feature my blog in their March issue.

Of course I said YES!

I can't wait to get my own copy and see the page myself. 

I really appreciate being asked to participate in such a lovely publication.