A Winter's Walk ...

I've been thinking about the Winter storm heading our way ...

It is calm, but bitterly cold again today ...

We bundled up ...

And enjoyed our Winter's walk with the geese...

Happy is the man

who has acquired the love of walking

for it's own sake!

~W.J. Holland~

A man who goes out alone

can start today,

but he who travels

with another

must wait

till that other

is ready

~Henry David Thoreau~

***

We were out & about antiquing this past weekend.

Stopped for coffee

and while Ernie was having a walk, met a new friend :-)

In the Mid of Winter...

I've gone into the fields

to take

what this sweet hour

yields...

~Percy Bysshe Shelley~

It didn't take long for the branches of French Pussy Willow I clipped & brought inside, to bloom.

The beautiful little soft gray catkins have appeared creating a little Spring in my kitchen in the Mid of Winter.

It is COLD today!
-20 C with the wind.
Even colder weather & more snow is on the way for the weekend!

The catkins have shed their little brown coats in the warmth of our home :-)

Forcing French Pussy Willow Branches

***

~cut a few branches for indoor forcing

~bring indoors and place in a jar of tepid water ( I save and re-use large pickle jars for this)

~ keep in a dimly lit spot until they bloom

~enjoy

Once the catkins appear, you can remove them from the water, place in a dry jar and allow them to dry naturally to use in Spring arrangements. I place the branches in my outdoor Spring wreath.

Thankful {things I love} Thursday...

I LOVE Perpetual calendars!!

and the idea of being able to use a calendar over and over again, year after year.

Then add to that, a bird, some script, a crown and a stamp ... perfection :-)

Not enjoyment

and not sorrow

is our destined

end or way

but to act

that each tomorrow

finds us further

than today

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow~

A Walking Angel stirs ...

The greatest achievement

was at first

and for a time

a dream.

The oak sleeps in the acorn.

The bird waits in the egg;

and in the highest vision of the soul

a walking angel stirs.

Dreams

are the seedlings

of realities.

~James Allen~
***

Walking & dreaming on a cold January morning.

Practice ...

This year, I plan on experimenting more with my camera.

{I can't remember what mode I was on to get this photo, but it's my favourite}

I love the soft blurriness & textured feel.

In the past I have always been a frame, focus and shoot photographer, usually in Auto letting the camera do all the work for me.

My Nikon D90 has numerous buttons and picture controls and it's been exciting trying out various shutter speeds, exposures and lighting, with/without flash etc ...

Seeing the different results each gives me.
I plan on taking a photography course this year, but since I'm a visual learner, I do best hands on.
I have my Nikon Users manual and have been reading and experimenting.
The poinsettia and roses around my home have been serving as models (and of course, Ernie)

I have a tri-pod I never use, so that is something I want to try this year too.

Creative photography...
Using the manual exposure mode and choosing the shutter speed and aperture.

By the time I get through the manual, Spring will be here & I can put what I've read to the test outside :-)

Practice, Practice, Practice.

Live with intention.

Walk to the edge.

Listen hard.

Practice wellness.

Play with abandon.

Laugh.

Choose with no regret.

Appreciate your friends.

Continue to learn.

Do what you love.

Live

as if this is all there is.

~Mary Anne Radmacher~

Let it Snow ♥ ...

Snow ... Snow... & more Snow!!

Big, fluffy flakes covering are home and garden ~ glistening like tiny diamonds.

I couldn't resist leaving a message on the window of my son's car early this morning :-)

Winter came down to our home one night

Quietly pirouetting in

on silver-toed slippers of snow

And we, we were children once again

~Bill Morgan Jr~

A recipe to share...

I haven't shared a recipe for a while. This one is so easy to prepare & tasty.

Quinoa Vegetable Salad

1/2 cup organic Quinoa

1 cup water (or low sodium Vegetable broth)

Juice of 1 lemon

2 garlic cloves, grated

2 Tbsp extra-virgin Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

Asst of favourite vegetables - we used what we had in the refrigerator

Green Peppers

Carrots

Tomatoes

Celery

Red Onion
1/4 cup Kalamata Olives

Optional : nuts, cheese, dried fruit

***

Directions

Bring 1 cup water to boil. Add 1/2 cup Quinoa and reduce to a simmer. Cover with a lid and cook on low for 15 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Add lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and fluff with a fork. Add vegetables and stir to combine.

Enjoy. This salad tastes even better the following day when all the flavours have blended.

***

Winter is the time for comfort

for good food

and warmth

for the touch of a friendly hand

and for a talk

beside the fire:

it is the time

for

Home

~Edith Sitwell~

Something waits beneath ...

I love these 2 chairs...

I'm not sure who placed them there - I often see people sitting in them enjoying the Lake and quiet serenity of this little spot ...

They make me smile every time Ernie and I pass them on our walks.

Too cold to bring the camera really, but when I would pass something like this little empty nest I would wish I had my camera with me.

Sparrows were singing in the bushes nearby ...

I could hardly see them, all nestled together, but their song was very familiar...

And the roar of the whitecaps...

I can't think of a nicer way to begin each day...

Quiet

Serene

Beauty

♥ Love ♥ I prefer Winter and Fall

when you feel the bone structure

of the landscape --

the loneliness of it --

The dead of Winter.

Something waits beneath it

the whole story

doesn't show

~Andrew Wyeth~

Thankful {things I love} Thursday...

I LOVE creating photo/inspiration boards & have 3 hanging up on the walls in Sparrow Studio.

I also found while doing a big purge in Sparrow Studio, many file folders, hidden away in a large cupboard that were bulging with photos I haven't looked at in ages.

So with the start of a new year, and after a big clean up, it's now time to get organized :-)

I picked up some Scrapbooks at the Dollar Store, and sat, one file folder at a time, organizing the photos into categories ~ Garden ~ Home ~ Studio.
I have really enjoyed sitting quietly, with a cup of tea, gluing the photos into each scrapbook.
It didn't take long to see the "look" I love :-)
Lots of dark wood, cream coloured walls, heavy furniture & antiques
were a consistent theme.

Of course, I had to include quotes here and there :-)

I've also added paint chips for reference...

It's a good source of inspiration for my "to do list" :-)

I'd love to have covers like these made for my dining room chairs for the spring/summer months.

Some kitchen inspiration...

Another favourite of mine - exposed brick walls! I like the contrast of the covered chairs with the wood table.

I love everything about these rooms!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

***

This bright New Year

is given me

To live each day with zest...

To daily grow

and try to be

My highest

and

my best!

I have the opportunity

to pray for peace

to plant a tree

And sing

more joyful songs !

~William Arthur Ward~