SPRING!

 It has been a whirlwind this week.  By that I mean our schedule AND the wind.  All of a sudden, I realized, "Hey! It's Friday afternoon!  I haven't sat down at the computer and written my Friday Fave Fives!"  So here I am, taking a breather, sipping some herbal tea (sweetened with local honey), and focusing on what has blessed me this week.

1.  Safety.  A friend in Oregon texted me one on Wednesday and asked, "Are you OK?"  I had no idea what she was talking about, so I checked our weather channel.  Hmmmm, we were in line to maybe have a tornado??  The blessing is that we avoided the tornado warnings and 'only' got crazy rain and thunderstorms.  I'm thankful my friend alerted me and that we remained safe.

2.  As I was cleaning out my purse today, I came across a small torn bit of paper with a quote on it:  "With walking, familiarity breeds happiness."  Kevin Fossett.  Normally, one reads that statement--'familiarity breeds contempt'.  But with walking your neighborhood, your local paths, familiarity, breeds happiness.  This week has bred happiness for me as I have stuck to walking close paths.

3.  I can't help it!  I adore farm houses and old barns.  Driving even within a few miles of my home, I encounter those wonderful places.  This barn just reached out and touched me with happiness.

4.  I have been experiencing some severe pain in my left hand.  I needed to see a doctor and fortunately I was able to schedule an appointment with a hand specialist in one day!  The diagnosis is that I have 'trigger finger'.  The treatment was a steroid injection.  The pain is subsiding and we will see how things progress.  I am SO SO thankful I was able to secure a quick appointment and receive the help I needed.

5.  SPRING is here! (not that the weather is aware of that)  The daffodils are blooming!  Nothing speaks spring more than daffodils!  I am thankful for both the equinox arriving and the flowers blooming.

So my friends, let us be thankful and breed happiness and enjoy SPRING!

St. Patrick's Week

 Friday Fave Fives!  (follow the link to join us)  It's all about green and Irish and St. Patrick this week!   Yes, I am focusing on what I can do, not the situation in the world.  If I show love and am loved, maybe that will spread to others and encourage them and maybe love will flow around the world.

1.  I should have been named Pat.  Why?  March 17th is my birthday!  All my life, I've loved that people celebrate my birthday with much joy.  And everything green.  And parades.  And shamrocks.

Me, about two weeks old.

2.  So many messages, cards, and phone calls.  ALL my kids (and daughter-in-law) and grandkids chimed in as well as my brother and sister-in-law and The Professor's siblings.  Talking to my far away sons and Chap's wife was a highlight of my day.

3.  People asked what I did to celebrate.  Well, we drove into the city so The Professor could have two dr appts.  But between the appts, we enjoyed coffee and we picked up a couple of pies.  I would much rather have pie than birthday cake.  Yum!

4.  AND the weather was wonderful so we joined Older Daughter, The New Boy, and another pre teen boy who is nearly family on a hike. 2.6 miles along a river.  Coffee.  Pie.  Hike.  What could be better for my birthday?

5.  That pre teen boy?  He is visiting Older Daughter this week from Texas for his spring break.  His mom is one of her BFFs and he asked if he could spend his vacation with her and New Boy.  We've enjoyed having him here for dinners and walks and even a backyard bonfire.

All in all, St. Patrick's Week was a success!

Focus on the Small Things

Friday.  In the midst of global horror, I need to keep my focus on gratitude.  These may seem like little things (and they are).  But if we don't, we will just fall into despair.  Friday Fave Fives is important!  We share our gratitude publicly to encourage ourselves and others.  I just checked.  This is the 674th Friday Fave Fives that Susanne has hosted!

1. and 2.  This week I did a thing.  For the first time since we moved, I pulled out my Cricket loom.  There are two faves here.  The first one is obvious.  I am weaving again!  The second is my appreciation for a husband who helps me with something I love.  Warping a loom is NOT an easy thing.  The Professor understands the concept of how weaving works, so he helps me with the warping.  (for non fabric people:  warp is the rows of thread/yarn that is connected to the loom lengthwise)

3.  Yes, I know we are going to get snow this weekend.  BUT, several days this week have been 'warmish' and 'sunny-ish' enough for us to walk.

4.  That weather also allowed me to be outside in my garden a bit.  Mostly I cleaned up and pulled a few dead plants, just preparing for spring planting.  I can't wait!

5.  On Saturday, we did an expotition. (reference: Winnie the Pooh)  The Professor, Older and Younger Daughters and I wanted to do some shopping in the big city.  We hit the stores and purchased what we needed and then celebrated with a lunch at a Turkish restaurant.  Oh yum!  And Oh the joy of just spending time with our girls.

Yes, it's the small things that bring joy.  Let us focus our minds there.  We need to.

Marching In Like a Lamb

 The weather, that is.  We marched out to our car and marched south, to visit friends.  And the farther south we drove, the better the weather.  But you know what they say, "In like a lamb, out like a lion."  For now, I'll take the lamb.

And I realized last night, "It's going to be Friday!"  We had just returned home, and I had to think about home routine.  Friday means Friday Fave Fives. (follow the link)  Obviously, our whole week was focused on our visit to Tennessee.

1.  Lunch with The Professor's 'oldest' friend, oldest meaning longest in time.  They were three and one.  Their dads were both part of the college/seminary and remained colleagues until they both were retired.  Then The Prof's friend was one of my teachers at the college.  We have remained friends through the years, so when they moved east, we promised we'd stay in touch.  Lunch with them lasted until well into the afternoon.  Fortunately, the restaurant was chill about our staying and talking and talking.

2.  Then we drove over to our other friends' home and settled in for two wonderful evenings and a fantastic day of exploring their new town.  We moved from the same city and same church in the same month.  I don't think we four stopped talking the whole time.  Oh, it was wonderful!

3.  As always, my camera was out and I was searching for photos of old barns as we traveled down the highways.  I found a few... (come back later to see more...)

4.   Of course, I am thankful for safety!

5.  And the weather was wonderful.  The day we walked around town, the weather was shirtsleeve warm.  Even Eleanor enjoyed being out and about in the sunshine.

Our friends' view from their back deck.

Let us rejoice in friendship, fellowship and fresh warm air!  And hope that March doesn't go out like a lion but stays lamb-ish.

Final February Fave Fives

Hello, Friday!  TGIF.  And TGIFFF.  It's Friday Fave Fives.  Welcome to this end of February edition of Willow's Week in Five things that make me happy and thankful.  Even though my heart is very heavy and I have been praying and praying for peace in the world, I purposely focus on finding Five things to give me hope.  Follow that link above to join us in finding joy.

1.  Hikes and walks are always a fave with me.  Monday our weather was temperate and it was warm enough to walk.  Yay!  We drove out to the end of one path we have been wanting to walk or bike and walked 2 miles out and 2 miles back.  It was a school holiday and there were many others on the trail. Warm + free time = busy.  There was even a kitty monitoring the passing population of humans.

2.  Exploring new places in the area is also always a fave.  The county south of us is mostly rural but also has some sweet towns.  We found a coffee shop and have been twice this week, once with New Boy and then with our SoCal coffee time buddies.

3.  I finished this Many Buttoned Vest.  I particularly like the wide cabled section in the back.  Yes, I know there are no buttons on it.  The idea is to find and add your own favorite buttons.

4.  A long long zoom call with a long time friend.  We've known each other for thirty-six years, and through much of that time our friendship has been sustained over long distances.  I value her friendship so much!

5.  Family dinners.  That's what we call them.  Sometimes, they're planned.  Sometimes, they're spontaneous.  How I love living near my girls so we can just enjoy a meal and each other's company.  I am so blessed.

Dover, England

Dover, England.  A beautiful and historic town on the the English Channel.

Remember the famous White Cliffs of Dover?

And Dover Harbor?  It is the nearest port on the English Channel to France and so very busy in ferrying cargo and people across the water.

Dover Castle

You climb many many steps to reach the height of Dover Castle

There was an ancient hillfort on the site of Dover Castle.  Later, the Roman built a lighthouse on this hill overlooking the English Channel toward Normandy.

And then a church was built attached to the lighthouse.  Church of St Mary-in-Castro (the Castle)

Can you imagine ALL. THE. HISTORY.  Ancient hillfort.  Roman ruins.  World War II Operation Dunkirk.

 

Five Cheering Things

 Hello from cold, snowy Willow's Cottage.  I have absolutely no ambition to do anything.  However, I need to focus on something positive.  FRIDAY FAVE FIVES does that for me.   We choose FIVE somethings from the past week and post them to encourage ourselves and others.  Here is Willow's Week in FIVE encouraging statements.

1.  Although it is cold and snowy today, the middle of the week was warm (I mean warm in Ohio terms, not Southern California terms).  Because the ice mostly melted, we were able to get in a couple of walks Tuesday and Wednesday around our neighborhood.  Crunching around the leftover ice patches slowed us down but kept us from slipping and falling.

2.  In fact, it was so nice out that people were outside sitting on their porch steps and watching their children play.  We finally met a neighbor on the street behind us and reacquainted ourselves with neighbors on our street.

3.  Now it's back to winter weather again.  I decided to dream a bit about traveling.  So I pulled up some photos of our 2019 trip to England and scrolled through them.  Want some cheer? Two photos from Dover.  (I think I am going to make some posts about that trip--I never did that)

4.  Obviously, I have England on my brain.  I've been reading more D.E. Stevenson novels.  This week I've been immersed in her stories about living in UK during World War II.  Crooked Adam and The English Air.  Books are a wonderful antidote to winter.

5.  Plans for a Lent study with my Art Girls!  When I saw the email, I knew we would have some wonderful mornings chatting via zoom.  Our book choice is a new non-fiction work by Andrew Peterson, God In The Garden.  I'm excited to read the book and enjoy the fellowship of my friends.

What FIVE things have cheered you up this week?

February is for Cold and Ice

 Good Morning!  The sun is shining.  No accumulation of snow or ice is in the forecast.  Right there in those three sentences are three things for which I am thankful. And I haven't even begun my Friday Fave Fives list.  The world is so full of blessings that everywhere I turn my mind or eye, there is something to appreciate if I choose to notice them.  If you are a repeat reader at Willow's Cottage, you will know about Friday Fave Fives.  You can read and rejoice with me and others when we post and link to Susanne's blog.

1.  Last Friday after I wrote my FFF, Younger Daughter had a disguised blessing.  The ice and snow were making driving difficult and dangerous, but she had some important things to do at work.  But as she pulled out of her driveway, her car got stuck.  Really truly stuck.  So she had to consort to Plan B and work from home (managing a major online conference!).  The blessings here are that she didn't have to navigate the horrible highway situation; she didn't have issues with internet during the meetings; her neighbors saw her car in the street and managed to get it back in to her driveway for her.  I am thankful she was safe!

2.  The Professor knows I enjoy photographing birds, but birds do not cooperate for me to photograph.  BUT.  One morning, he tiptoed into the kitchen and told me to grab my camera.  This time the hawk did not immediately fly away so I was able to catch a couple of pictures.

3.  The New Boy had a birthday!  Can you believe he is now FOURTEEN?  We celebrated with birthday dinner at Olive Garden.  And of course, since he is fourteen, there are no photos of him.

4.  Being stuck at home with snow and ice everywhere was a blessing in that I was able to organize my notebooks on my garden plans and herbs information.  It took me the better part of two days, but now it is done. For Now.

5.  The ice and snow are mostly melted.  That is a huge blessing because our street is dead end and usually doesn't get plowed.

That wraps up Willow's Week of blessings!  

Cool

 That's how I would describe our weather.  COOL.  Or rather, cold. Or frigid.  We are having a 'winter storm' here.  That means there is lots of snow and ice.

So that also means The Professor and I are COOLing our heels here at home. The farthest we have ventured from the house today is the compost bin.  We may not go that far tomorrow as the forecast is for four to six inches of snow tonight on top of the snow and ice already on the ground and in the streets.

My Friday Fave Fives are certainly going to be different this week.

1.  I am thankful for power.  So far, we have not lost our electricity.  Knowing we could lose it means that we appreciate every hour we have it.

2.  I am thankful for other options.  We have our lanterns, flashlights and candles ready.  We have snuggly blankets.  We have boots, gloves, and jackets.  We have food and water.

3.  I am thankful for things to do to keep my mind occupied.  Books.  Obviously.  Projects to focus on.  This afternoon, I finished a project I had procrastinated--hemming a tablecloth.

4.  I am thankful for yarn.  After finishing a pair of socks for granddaughter PAL,

I rummaged around in my stash and finally decided to do something with this nubby handspun yarn.  I didn't spin it.  All I know is that it is combined wool and silk noil (raw silk) and hand dyed probably with indigo but maybe woad (no way to be sure).  Anyway, I have started a very basic shawl since the yarn is certainly texture rich and striking enough to stand on its own.

5.  Before all this weather excitement happened, we did get some fun walks in.  This is along a trail near Older Daughter's home.  I love the river!  Even in COOL weather.

So this has been Willow's COOL Week.  I hope you are all staying safe, warm, and well and able to cool your heels and relax a bit.

Cold Yet Warm

 Cold. It's. Cold.  The weather, not my heart.  Truly, my heart warms as I think on how I am blessed this week.  When gratitude becomes a habit, it warms one's heart and the hearts of those around one.  Friday Fave Fives with Susanne is an excellent way for us all to warm our heart and practice making gratitude a constant part of our week.

Here are five wonderful reasons for gratitude this week in my life.

1.  A weekend spent with Younger Daughter.  There was a ladies retreat organized by women from my church.  It was hosted in a hotel in Amish Country.  My younger daughter was available to attend, so she accompanied me.  Oh, my, we had a wonderful time.  What a blessing.

2.  It was fun to also explore Amish Country a bit.  We saw several horses and buggies. We enjoyed grabbing coffee and chai at a local coffee shop.  We had fun choosing a handmade soap to try.  And then we had to choose what popcorn and fudge we wanted to sample.

3.  Our drive home was a fave.  It was snowing and the roads were a mess.  Thankfully, we happened to be driving along a country two lane road directly behind the snow plow truck which was also dropping salt onto the road just ahead of us.

4.  I finished a knitting project.  Last year, I made this red shawl, but I delayed blocking it.  So, finally, I stuck it in vinegar water (think: don't want that red dye to bleed everywhere) to soak and then wet blocked it on dark blue towels (think:  if it's going to bleed any color, it won't show on a blue towel).  I'm quite pleased with the result.

5.  Little Warrior, our younger grandson, spent the evening with us Wednesday.  Dinner and hanging out with The Professor in the basement messing with the new model train set.  For me, the sweetest part was when he informed me that he regularly reads this blog. 💓 oh my heart!

Bonus!  Yes, I love old barns! (you can check out my Monday blog post if you like barns, too)

I hope you have a gratitude filled warm weekend.

Oh, and Susanne!  Our weatherman used this term for your wind and weather last night:  Saskatchewan Scream! 

Snowy Showy Barns

Riding through the country during a snow storm affords the perfect opportunity to snap photos of old barns.

All photos were taken yesterday in or near Amish Country.  Some pictures are more clear than others, due mostly to the amount of snow that was falling at the time. 

  Obviously, I love barns.  Do you?

Which one is your favorite?  Tell us in the comments.

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