Carbs and sugar

Let's face it, sometimes we just need those carbs and sugar to get us through the dreary cold long days of winter.  I usually eat healthy but I must admit, I still have my cravings, especially in the winter. 

 

Today was one of those days.  I was in the mood for chocolate cake.  So I baked a chocolate cake with vanilla icing and while it was baking the whole house smelled good.  That alone can make one feel happy!  So I poured myself a cup of coffee and enjoyed every single sweet chocolately bite.

 

Then for dinner I made Stromboli with marinara sauce.  Carbs and cheese, yum!  I added a side salad for good measure. 

 

 

Do you crave carbs and sugar over the winter?  Maybe it has something to do with light and seasonal affective disorder (SAD). 

 

Well, tomorrow is another day.  Maybe I'll do healthy tomorrow.     



 

January cold

 

Hello my friends and family.  How are you?  I realize it has been a while since my last post, and here it is, mid January already.  Not very much has been happening at Mourning Dove Cottage.  The January cold has hit us and we have been having dreary gray rainy weather...day after day after day, but this morning, there it was, the sunshine!  What a nice surprise.  The months of January and February tend to get me down and I find I would rather like to hibernate with the bears until spring comes.  I filled the bird feeders and Otis and I enjoyed the warm sunshine for awhile. 

 

I am reading "The Shoemaker's Wife" by Adriana Trigiani.  Most mornings I curl up with a good book by the fire and a nice hot cup of coffee.  I've also been cleaning out and organizing closets and cupboards, and doing some redecorating after the holidays. 

 

Maybe spring isn't too far off.  I have hyacinths starting to bloom in a pot in the garden. 

 Until next time....

 

The fall garden

I wanted to snap a few photos of the garden this week while we still had flowers blooming and bees buzzing.  Sunday the weather changes for us and there will be frost on the pumpkin when we wake up on Monday morning.  

We had a fire in the fireplace this morning to warm up a bit and to take the chill off.  I guess this is what we can expect for November.  Enjoy your day!

Is anyone else tired of this crazy winter weather?

Looking out the window right now, the snow is coming down fast and furious.  We've had warnings to stay inside and off the roads because of icy conditions today.  This is North Carolina.  Crazy, crazy weather.  Yes, I know it's crazy everywhere, all over the US.  

So, what do we do while being confined to the house?  

How about sitting by a nice warm fire, reading to your hearts delight.  That's what I've been doing.  Catching up on some old Belva Plain books.  

And drawing in my sketch book.  
These birds will eventually end up on note cards in my etsy shop.  Next comes the paint.    

I hope you're enjoying whatever it is you're doing today!  

And I am wishing and wishing for warmer weather to hurry up and come soon!

Brrrrrrrrr

It's 32 degrees.  I walked outside this morning with Otis to check things out.  As you can see, the water in the bird bath is frozen.  Otis high tailed it back into the house already, no doubt, straight to the sofa and under his blankets.  

 Not a bad idea.  

I might just stay here 'till spring.  

What have I been doing?

Trying to stay warm, mostly.  It's been so cold the past few days I find myself (and Otis and Riley) sitting by a warm fire in cozy blankets.  I celebrated my birthday on Sunday and Galen bought me the most beautiful pink tulips!  They remind me of spring and I yearn for springtime weather and working in the garden.  

We had a bit of snow on the weekend and it was so pretty.  Big fat snowflakes falling from the sky.  It didn't last very long but it was nice to see.  My youngest daughter, Amy, and Bruno and Esmé (our NY family) are coming down this weekend to visit.  I can't wait to see my now five month old granddaughter, little Esmé!  I haven't held her since she was a baby.  We are all really looking forward to this.

So cleaning is on my list this week, along with some cooking and baking.  Isn't it funny how the house gets a good cleaning when visitors come.
Have a good week, everyone!

It's February

"February, when the days of winter seem endless and no amount of wistful recollecting can bring back any air of summer."

~Shirley Jackson

To brighten the gray days of February, I hung my valentine windsock on the front of the house ~ bright pink and red hearts and long streamers that blow softly in the cold wind.

February is such a dreary month ~ dead of winter..... so cold. I'm always happy when March rolls around and there is some hope of spring. And speaking of spring, this past weekend we enjoyed some warm temps around 70 degrees on Sunday. I spent the whole day outside puttering in the garden. True bliss.


Below is a photo of Otis that I captured of the morning sun, shining through the window and casting a pretty shadow on him while he napped.




Otis and Riley both, have been following the sun around the house looking for warm spots. They were basking in the warmth of the fireplace this morning.....and so was I.


Only 27 more days left of February. I guess that's not so bad.

The long cold dreaded grey days of winter.....

Ugh, Help! All I want to do is curl up in a ball under a big pile of warm blankets, close my eyes and sleep....and sleep..... and not wake up until spring is here. Hmmmmm, hibernating, I believe that's called.


The walls have been closing in on me this week, oh yes, ~ JANUARY, and cabin fever, but instead of feeling the need to get outside and walk or shop or just be around other living human beings, and the fact that it's way too darn cold to even go outside, please, just let me hibernate. So yesterday after lunch, feeling a nap coming on, I sat there for a few minutes and imagined things, like.......happy things, and my mind began to wander........green moss, and maybe making a winter terrarium, and painting with bright colors like purple and green...

well, you get the picture, so instead of taking a nap, I reluctantly dragged myself into the art room with my mug of hot coffee and sat down to paint. Would you believe I haven't picked up a paint brush since the end of November last year?

I looked around my art desk and saw the many projects which I started and never finished, a serving tray that needs painted, a marble chaser half painted, oh, and my mermaid that needs a coat of fresh paint.....I'll start with that...


I picked up my blue paint, the one that looks like the color of a beautiful blue sea, (oh, to be on a tropical island right now)....and painted my mermaid.

Ok, wonderful! The mermaid is finished and ready to go back outside.

I then mixed paint for a wooden egg that will be painted with a vintage Easter scene (which will go to the shop downtown in the gallery museum).

First coat done. Ok!

While that paint was drying, I started a new painting on canvas with the color purple.....





....and blue, and green.....






and here is the finished painting.





Seems appropriate for January somehow.....January blues.


In fact, I think that's what I'll call it.

january blues

8x10 acrylic on canvas board

Hopefully, now that I've pushed myself to start painting again, I'll continue, and maybe spring will be here before we know it.

Ice in the birdbath

I went out to fill the bird feeders this morning and noticed ice in the birdbath. It's still really cold here, 32 degrees right now. On Sunday, however, it's supposed to hit 60 degrees....looking forward to that.



As you can see, we still have some leftover snow mostly in the shaded areas of the garden.

Otis and Riley will find whatever little spot of sun they can.

They waited for me.....

while I filled the bird feeders.

Too cold to be outside today.