Harbinger of Spring

Or Prophet of Snow?

On Friday we noticed large flocks of birds in the yard... cardinals and robins, mostly, feeding on the ground and flying up into the pear tree. I exclaimed, "Oooh... harbingers of spring!!" My husband wryly said, "Nope, predictors of snow." Sure enough, that night snow fell, albeit not much, just enough to make everything pretty with a powdered-sugar coating. Yet some of it remained on the ground throughout the weekend since our temperatures stayed mighty cold.

Yesterday morning I noticed much movement outside the window beside my computer desk, and there, filling the two persimmon trees were more robins, joined by cedar waxwings, feasting on the last remaining persimmons in the top-most branches. (Our dogs have enjoyed the fruits that have fallen to the ground for the past several weeks.) So, again the question... harbinger of spring or prophet of snow? Alas, it's not spring yet. Snow is falling again today; weather predictions have varied, so I'm simply waiting to see what happens throughout the day and tonight. But in the meantime, I know that the birds are out there and that spring can't be too far behind!

Solstice and Lunar Eclipse

It's going to be a very special night, y'all! The Winter Solstice begins at midnight, and it just so happens that this year there will also be a lunar eclipse at the same time. First time since 1378! Looks like my West Coast friends will be swamped under cloud cover from a winter storm so they probably won't get to see this ultra cool event. But here in NC, we should have fairly clear skies.

Here's what the moon will look like early in the morning, and here's what one website has to say about it:

See for yourself on Dec. 21st, the first day of northern winter, when the full Moon passes almost dead-center through Earth’s shadow. For 72 minutes of eerie totality, an amber light will play across the snows of North America, throwing landscapes into an unusual state of ruddy shadow.

The eclipse begins on Tuesday morning, Dec. 21st, at 1:33 am EST (Monday, Dec. 20th, at 10:33 pm PST). At that time, Earth’s shadow will appear as a dark-red bite at the edge of the lunar disk. It takes about an hour for the “bite” to expand and swallow the entire Moon. Totality commences at 02:41 am EST (11:41 pm PST) and lasts for 72 minutes.

If you’re planning to dash out for only one quick look -­ it is December, after all -­ choose this moment: 03:17 am EST (17 minutes past midnight PST). That’s when the Moon will be in deepest shadow, displaying the most fantastic shades of coppery red.

I don't know about you, but I plan to get out of bed around 2:45 and have a look... with my little camera in hand. It'll be well worth it.

Monday Moments

While the snow no longer lies on the tree branches and the sky has turned a pale December blue, our weekend snow prettied things up for a while. It began falling on Saturday around noon and continued into the evening hours. On Sunday morning, it was a silvery-blue delight.

Signs of Spring: Tuesday's Treasures

Surely it can't be much longer, not when you go out in the melting snow and find daffodil shoots seeking out sun and warmth, as I found on Sunday afternoon. Definitely a welcome sight!

After our last round of snow and ice on Friday and Saturday, we were without power for just shy of 48 hours, the storm wreaking havoc on our county and the ice covering the pines and hardwoods all throughout our area and especially on the tops of the mountains. All over these country roads you can find evidence of the pine trees really taking a hit; many of them fell across the road and will now become wood for campfires for the upcoming hiking and camping season. Here are a couple photos from our brief excursion on Sunday, before we went out to collect more firewood:




But... what I really wanted to show you today are these wonderful pieces from Etsy shops, all of which give us hope that spring will surely arrive, and it won't be too soon for me!

A beautiful altered photograph by dahliahousestudios...

Metal art and wallhanging by frivoloustendencies...

A happy little painting by loveartworks, who typically works in clay...

Ah... bicycles are surely a sign that warmer days are coming, by studio1212...

And finally, fun flowery earrings by wildwomanjewelry...

Until next time, remember to buy handmade and shop Etsy!

A Curse or a Blessing?

We just can't decide. Fresh new snow is always a gorgeous thing to behold: magical, mystical, quiet, refreshing. But what does it become after a couple of days when you are tired of cold feet, wet dog tracks on the floor, and grey, grey skies?

This morning we awoke to another layer of snow, this time covering the trees as well as the ground. Our last snow... just one week ago... was very dry and those ten inches had begun melting with a nice warm sunny day on Wednesday, only to be topped off with another 5 or 6 inches today.

On Wednesday, John and I trudged up the hill to collect some oak to be split for firewood. Flexible Flyers are not just for sledding!





So we've got some splitting to do, but it won't be today...



Tomorrow there is a 60% chance of more snow showers. It's so unusual for North Carolina, and I'm not sure I like this new side of winter 'round here!

Sunlit Sunday

Last night when I climbed into bed, it was still snowing. It'd been snowing on and off all day, sometimes with a little sleet mixed in, sometimes hard, sometimes gently, but it was definitely a grey, stormy day through and through. Though I was hoping for some clearing so that the full moon would shine and light up the night, that didn't happen... not until some time in the middle of the night.

This morning dawned cleared and cold... about 15 degrees when I got up at 7. What was the first thing I did, after dressing? Go outside in the ten-inch snow and try to get a few photos. So here you go...

Looking into the woods towards the lake...

Moore's Wall...

Our heavy-duty brake-rotor windchimes...

Amd just for a little artistic measure... a black and white...

Snow is a'falling

And somebody is very happy about it! Just look at that smile! Our grandpuppy Empi knows how to have a good time and enjoy the world around her.

Here is a photo of the sky on Thursday night. It was full of clouds and a pretty ring around the almost-full moon... according to the old wives, the sign of coming snow.

And come it did. It started last night around 8... small pinpoints of dry snow coming done in the moonlight. It covered the ground and was deepening by the time we turned out the lights around 11. This morning... there's about 8 inches on the ground and it has now turned into a wintry mix with snow and sleet. So it will be a good day to sit by the woodstove, enjoy a good book, maybe watch a movie, maybe play a game of Scrabble, eat popcorn and chocolate, and feel okay about not really doing anything at all. And oh yes... the chance to listen to the extreme quiet that always accompanies this kind of weather.

Fortunately, yesterday John split the oak that had been in the shed, so now our woodpile is larger and we're all set for the cold that we'll have for a few more days following this storm.

The front yard, looking towards Moore's Wall

Behind the house, up the hill... John's barn / knifemaking studio

And a few more photos of Empi checking everything out.


At 9:30, it's still a very dark morning. Tonight will be a full moon, and if the clouds have moved on by then, it should make for a very bright and magical night. Stay tuned!

Winter Has Me in Its Grip

Last night in bed some lines for a new song gathered in my head... all about dealing with this bitter cold spell that has gripped North Carolina and other parts around the country. It's been very hard for me to get motivated to do much of anything productive... but today I know I'll be working on this song, trying to coax it out of its cave.

In the meantime, here are some fabulously pretty items in winter colors, but unlike winter, these will warm your heart and make you feel like a million! These are all created by my fellow teammies on the Etsy team, Project Embrace, whose goal is to spread awareness for the need of continuing and ongoing cancer research and also to share love and hope to those who find themselves dealing with cancer. To read about the woman who influenced the beginnings of this team, click here to visit her blog.

Working in mosaics, Sigmosaics makes the prettiest useful and decorative items...

A gorgeous necklace that shimmers like ice by nyblaque...

A stack of beautiful hammered skinny rings by accessoreese...

Mmmmm... a lovely lampwork dangle by erikaprice...

A hammered heart pendant that reads simply... Love You... on the back side by jealousydesign...

You have to love poppyswickedgarden's fun and feminine ruffle...

And these pretty little Simplify earrings by wildwomanjewelry... oh so lovely!

So forget about the cold winter days and feast your eyes on these pretties, and remember, when you need a little pick-me-up purchase, shop handmade, shop Etsy!

Frozen Falls

While I was getting back into the rhythm of band practice yesterday afternoon, my husband took a little trip about a mile down the road from our house to the Lower Falls of Hanging Rock State Park. Since we've had about a ten-day long freezing cold spell, it was no surprise what he found there.




This is a lovely spot where we, on rare occasion, have enjoyed a bit of skinny-dipping during the warmer months. Here it shows the essence of winter. The good news is that at the end of this week, we are supposed to enjoy temperatures in the low 50s! Hallelujah... so looking forward to that!