January -

January is often fickle around these parts. . . . . . . and this particular January

 is one of huge ups and downs in temperature.  How does one contend with

 waking to below freezing as happened the last several days, and this morning at

 8:00 AM it's already 63F? 

I'll be off to physiotherapy (yes, still working on the shoulder) shortly and have to 

find something lightweight among my heavy winter wear. It will have to be a 

short-sleeved t-shirt and a cropped trouser today (topped with a thin rain jacket) as

 it feels almost tropical outside.

No snow of course, but it's pouring with rain today.

Throwing on warm tops and bottoms, such as I did to go for my hair appointment

on freezing cold Monday morning, I also grabbed a heavy coat to snuggle into, 

and trotted out of the house in fur-trimmed booties!

. . . . . . . .and then there's what to eat on a very cold morning. 

This is my all time favorite hot cereal to get me going on

those chilly mornings. Luckily it's great cold too so I'm a planning 

a small bowl with a few blueberries and banana slices.

I find all Bob's Red Mill products to be excellent and, like

King Arthur flour which is the only flour I buy now, supporting

great employee-owned companies makes me happy.

How's winter progressing in your area?

I have Spring bulbs peeking through - daffodils and bluebells - too early!

Perhaps. . . . . . .

. . . . . . a light January snow may settle bringing quiet days over this weekend.

Or it could just be more rain which, with the low night temperatures, may mean ice.

We have a theatre date tomorrow night - hopefully road conditions

will not impede our travel into town.

I noticed this beautiful painting in my neighbor's home when cat sitting this week.

Perhaps I should have asked him if I could share it here, but I'm certain he won't mind.

 It makes me yearn to be in the countryside. A few nights on a farm, or in a little

 heated (of course) cabin near the woods. 

We were driving yesterday, just before sunset, and the western sky was awesome

 in shades of lavender and peach. Later in the evening the waxing crescent moon

 was overhead, sharp in the crisp air and dark sky.

Winter does have a special beauty of its own and I'm ready for it.

I wore a real coat yesterday, and gloves for the first time this season.

Tonight a fire on the hearth again. Last night I sat close by until the last

 embers lost their glow. It was very special and I want more.

'Waterlogue' photos from the weekend. . . . .

 It was a LOVELY weekend, especially Sunday when it warmed up to the mid-sixties.

I sat with Ms. Nala next door for a while, allowing her to spend the sunny day

 out on the glass-enclosed back porch of my neighbor's house. She watched the crazy

 squirrels and chirping birds, but must have missed her 'dad' as she snuggled up to

his sneakers left on the floor.

Blue skies, still a few wrinkled oak leaves hanging on to branches

in the garden.

Camellia bushes budding and blooming profusely in the winter sunshine.

Have a pleasant week wherever you choose to relax.

Sunday chores and then. . . . . . .

A really beautiful sunrise this morning and a busy day ahead.

Sunday is not a day of rest after a week of rainy days - lots to do prior

to more bad weather returning soon.

Muddy conditions have dried up a bit so we will soon be outside taking down

 and storing the Christmas lighting, the tree in the gazebo, the wreaths,

 and miscellaneous decor on the front porch.

Yesterday we packed away all the inside decor, minus things going to the

thrift shop. . . . . .we really needed to downsize the Christmas decorating.

I'm kitty sitting (Ms. Nala) for my neighbor again, just a few days, so must

 pop over there soon.

This afternoon, planning a sunny woodland walk with my daughter and

 a coffee at Starbucks before coming back to spend time in the kitchen. . . .

an apple pie is waiting to be baked.

Camellia bushes are blooming and a few cut for indoors bring a splash of 

color. The house always seems rather blah after the decorations are down.

Note my 2019 Planner is at the ready and I need to start filling it in!

How are you doing, making any exciting plans for this new year?

No one sees but me. . . . . .

. . . . . . the elderly German neighbor on his early morning walk.

A red scarf round his neck, a cap, comfy walking shoes.

He looks down mostly, perhaps afraid of tripping. . . . or

slipping on wet oak leaves continuing to fall and float

in rain puddles.

The empty, damp morning doesn't phase him, just as the heat

 of July brings him up the street and back, several times

each early morning.

We admire him. We are not so dedicated. 

I was up early today - dull and wet yet again. I switched on all the lights

before seven to brighten up the rooms while the coffee pot gurgled. 

I unwrapped our annual Italian Panettone sweet bread, sliced it open

and admired how it was studded with golden raisins, candied orange

 and citron peel.

One tall, slim wedge on a pretty china plate was all I needed. 

Yes, I know, the decorations are still here and will remain today.

Tomorrow and Sunday, sunshine is promised and our efforts to put things

 away from both house and garden, will hopefully be a bright and cheery job.

See them? My two amaryllis bulbs from last year are at last coming to life! 

One has three leaves growing fast - I've already had to push a few twigs in the pot

 to steady them. The other one I had given up on until yesterday when there it

was. . . . . . .a tiny green point pushing up, trying to catch up.

I'm excited!

A wellspring of ideas. . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . but not much energy to get going on them!

Let's blame it on the weather. Again.

How can you 'take down' outdoor Christmas decor when it's constantly 

raining, unseasonably warm and humid, muddy and messy underfoot,

and just being out of the house is unwelcoming?

I have ideas for this year. They involve the garden, the part named

the back yard here in America. The front garden is not bad. Come 

Spring it might be just about manageable for two aging gardeners

who have time, tools, gloves by the dozens, and now kneeling pads!

 Energy, flexibility, and non-painful limbs are hoped for as I continue 

physiotherapy on my right shoulder.

Our back garden is a disaster and requires much TLC in the 

coming months. Much of the damage is due to that heavy, wet

snowfall just before Christmas, breaking boughs on many shrubs

 and small trees which I agree we should've pruned earlier.

 My 'Secret Garden' of the past years is no 

longer calming, it's become more of a nightmare!

 So this is what I'm doing too much of lately.

Watching old movies and Outlander on TV.
Hanging out with throws and pillows, heating pad on the bad shoulder
after stretching exercises. Going to PT twice weekly.

Making soups - new favorite is curried sweet potato - recipe from
of all places Better Homes & Gardens magazine.
Sipping a hot chocolate in my new big mug, eating chocolate,
nibbling snacks and leftover mince pies from the parties - then disliking
 the numbers on the bathroom scale. 
Re-reading a pile of last year's magazines before tossing or sharing.

 Thinking a lot about taking down the decorations, seriously
 sorting through them, downsizing, and then packing away just the
 ones to pull out again eleven months from now.
Oh, did go walking a few times on the drier days - the nearby school track
 and around the neighborhood - it felt good and made 
me forget how much my shoulder hurts!

Indoors, thoughts of projects to be addressed this year are overwhelming me. 

Most important -- big, messy and expensive -- will be replacing our entire

 heating/cooling system. The original system is now 34 years old and

is no longer happy running with band-aid fixes. I'm living on the edge with

 fingers crossed the heat or air conditioning will respond when I flip the switch,

 or will I be making the phone call and putting on another pot of coffee while

 awaiting our HVAC guy. . . . . . he's a very pleasant man but I don't want

 him visiting so often!

Then there's cleaning out the attic, painting walls, scraping ceilings, 

cleaning carpet, replacing furniture - all making me wish even more that

 we were instead selling up and moving to a brand new, or newish, easy to
 manage, one level condo, where just locking the doors behind us, and we
 can travel here, there and everywhere, whilst we're still able.
 Sounds like a good plan to me. . . . . . just need to get a certain other
 person on board!

What are you doing on these somewhat depressing 
January days?