Song for a Winter's Night

A little Christmas cheer.....

Just thought you might get a smile from these!
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We have a skim of snow....and it is so cold out.  The wind is just roaring through.  First from one way and then from another it seems.  Sometimes in the past I have said it was howling...this is roaring.  It is searching for any crack  in the exterior.   How I wonder how people made it during pioneer days.  At times like this, I am doubly thankful for a warm home, running water, light and heat at the flip of a switch.

Pleasant surprises....

 We were getting ready to leave this morn when there was a knock on the door...this was what was being delivered.  Don't you just love it!  I love roses, but oh, how I love what they came in.

 I will use it for years to come.  Our older daughter sent this arrangement.

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 This evening on our way to the super Walmart, we ran through the strip pits.  I was going through to see if we could see any owls, but first we saw these two whooping cranes!

I actually trespassed to get a little bit closer to them.  But I did stop before I got to close because I was scaring them.  I think if you enlarge them you can see that both legs of both birds seem to be banded.

These are not the greatest pictures but I am still glad to have gotten them.

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We will be busy the next few days so will be blogging when I can.  Not sure how often that will be.

A crow filled sky....

We were coming home late one evening through the edge of Terre Haute...it was dark enough till everyone had their lights on....but just light enough for me to notice the crows. 

It was darker than these appear to be...I cannot remember if I photoshopped them to lighten them up or not.  It was so dark I had no idea if I was in focus or not.

I had seen the crows along the Wabash in Terre Haute, but had not been at this part of town at the right time of evening to see them before.  These photos do not even do justice to how many there were.  And, believe it or not, this area is nothing compared to how it used to be along the Wabash which is on the west side of Terre Haute.  I don't know if they still gather there or if this is their new roosting place.

If you click on these, it will expand a little bit.
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I have had things going on the past week...had to make a run to Sarah's, helped my friend pick out a computer and try to teach her how to use it since it is Win 8....uninstalled one thing and installed another.   And, I have been quilting on Roger's quilt...the quilting is almost done.  IF I would just get busy, I could finish it.

I have also been doing a little Christmas shopping....and took a chance and wrapped some presents tonight...
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Oh, a while back for my birthday, Sarah had gotten me this 1000 piece puzzle as part of my birthday.  I brought it home and started to work it that night.  I have no idea what had happened to it.  The pieces that were supposed to go together almost had to be forced.  Some had to fit together a certain way...much to hard to explain.  Just so weird.  And after I had the cardinal part of the picture worked, it would not lay flat.

So, I looked up the company who made it, and emailed them an email...I told them she had not ordered it from their sight, but I just wanted to inform them about it. I told them all that was wrong.  Didn't know what to expect, but within a day or two someone emailed me and told me to send UPC code from the box, some numbers from the bottom of the box, and my name and address, and pieces to show what was wrong.  That was the around the 7th or 8th of Nov....and this past Saturday my new puzzle came.

It does pay to complain...I am just dying to get the puzzle out and start it but won't right now.  When I start a puzzle, I cannot leave it alone....and will work on it every spare minute.

Gone to the Royal Ball...

The princess has gone to the Royal Ball so will take a minute to post two or three photos of her..

Can't you just see the twinkle in her eyes

And then there is this sweet expression....

I thought you might enjoy seeing her in all her finery.  I am not sure how long they will be gone so thought I would do a quick post...hope everyone else is having a good weekend.

Just a note....

Lorelei and her mama are here for a couple nights so I probably won't be posting here till after they go home......my joy runneth over.

Whooping Cranes

We ran down to Bee Hunter's Pond and Goose Pond today....they are just south of Linton, Indiana.  We did not see much at all...at either place.  But at the Goose Pond area, there were a few Great Blue Herons...and seen what I thought were a couple Great Egrets.  Roger pulled in and parked, and I snuck along behind the bank, thinking they would fly soon as they seen me.

Guess what?  They just stayed there.  And when I actually took a good look, they were Whooping Cranes!

There were the three sandhill cranes with them, and they flew up and left...the Whooping Crane they were following flew up, but just went a few feet to join the other one.

I was glad to at least see them...I guess I can't complain.

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Sarah and Lorelei are coming tomorrow night if nothing happens.  I had to hide more Christmas presents...I cannot risk wrapping any because the cats would tear into them I am afraid...if nothing else, would accidentally rip one.  They have been being so playful part of the time. 

Return to color...

I know I posted similar shots, but still, doesn't this just grab your attention.  It is even better when expanded.

I have been up a little while...I went Christmas shopping yesterday afternoon.  If there is anything that wears me out, it is shopping.  I probably only shopped for about two hours.  It was as if I hit a wall and I just had to leave.  I am not a marathon shopper.  So, I still need to go back.  At least one more time.
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There is a frost on this  morn....I am sitting watching my neighbor get home.  I assume from taking her kids to school.  Funny, I didn't mind it at all back when I was young...I liked to get up and get the day started.  I always turned on the radio first thing...to rock-n-roll of course.  And was just instantly awake.  I always sat an alarm, but I bet it didn't go off even half a dozen times a year. 

Now I am so thankful I don't have to get up and get out in the cold....and usually nothing is turned on till Roger gets up.  I just like the sounds of the house--the furnace blowing, maybe hear the ice maker, and not exactly a house sound, but to hear the kitties either jump on a chair, or playing with a toy. Just little things like that...I am just so glad to be able to sit here and enjoy them.

I wonder at this change in me....when I was a kid, I always got up to TV, or shortly after I got up.  I don't remember if mom turned the TV on for the early news, I think she did.  If not, it was almost always on for the Today's Show at 7:00 a.m.....

Does anyone else remember this video?


I am not sure it was this version, and but there was this song/ad? a lot, if not all weekday mornings...it was on before the Today's Show.  At that time I did not realize it was an advertisement...I just always liked it. 

Enough reminiscing....I need to get started on this day.

Just thinking....

Did Santa ever come to your house? I am sure he was at mine...in the form of one of my sisters. It is the Christmas I will never forget.  Though you would think I would remember how old I was I am not sure...I think I was about seven years old.

It was late in the evening, either dark or almost dark.  I don't remember if I knew my sister, Fran was coming home or not.  Either way, in her and her husband came--and they had a big, big box full of stuff for all of us. I remember the box ripping apart.  It had toys and clothes--I can remember most of what I got, and it was wonderful.  But to just to have Fran home was joy beyond measure. 

A ham was fixed for Christmas, and it is the first time I ever remember having ham.  I could not stop eating it....every time I could I would sneak in the fridge and get a piece of it.   My mom kept telling me I was going to be sick from eating too much. Oh, my, how I loved it.  That night I paid the piper though.  I started throwing up and don't remember how many times or how long it took to stop...Fran got up and took care of me.  It was almost worth it just to have her caring for me.  I can remember her telling mom to go on back to bed, that she would stay with me.  She would wring a wash rag out and wash my face with such loving care.

Don't get me wrong, we all loved each other, but Fran is sort of the special one...I think special memories are attached to her by all of us.

She would do anything on a dare, and not afraid of anyone or anything.  I can remember when she was in high school, her and the algebra teacher got in a big, big argument.  She was sure she was right, and he  just assumed the book was right.  I think he even came to our house talking to her...not sure how right all my memories are because I was maybe not even in school then.

Anyway, I think they argued back and forth for a day or two or three, each working and reworking the problem.  He finally had to agree that Fran was right.  Anyway, that is just a sample of what she is/was made of.

Back to that Christmas, she brought the game of Tripoly home...I was too young to actually play...so I just sat by her side.  I don't remember how the game is played, but a free hand is dealt.  Well, she  would look at her hand and whisper to me to see if there was this or that card in the free hand...and if there was, I would sneak it to her.  I would have did anything in the world for her.  Of course either her husband or one of my brothers caught her and put a stop to it.  But she was having fun just sneaking and getting by with it.

All my sisters and my brother always came home, at least once a year after they moved away, and I always hated seeing any of them leave.  It was just always worse when Fran left...

Nothing happening here....

 Not much happening around here...I couldn't decide what to do so ran out to the strip pits. 

I have happened through there two or three times lately, on the way to or from somewhere.  And have seen short eared owls galore.  So I thought I would take time to go when I was not in a hurry or didn't have to go anywhere.

I did not see one single owl...the wind was blowing pretty steady but I don't think that had anything to do with it.  The Northern Harriers were still out.  I would love to get out and go early in the morn and see if they have changed when they are out, but I am so afraid they have moved on to some other territory.  There just is not near the wild life out there that I used to see.

It was shirt sleeve weather here today.  Tomorrow the high is supposed to be in the 50's which is not bad.  I saw a magnolia with green buds the other day so wonder what this is doing to fruit trees.  Though I enjoy the warm weather, I would just as soon it stay cold till things are not messed up come spring.