Well!!... what can I say???!!! The weather here in Hutchinson Kansas has been so mild and tolerable, that it makes all my earlier whinning seem moot. It has thus far been a delightfully mild Winter... very little precipitation, calm breezy days vs blustery bitter winds, and mostly sunny skies... and who can complain about temps ranging between 47 - 60 for January??!!
If Winter continues to be this mild, I can totally bare through til spring with an actual smile on my face! I must say though... and I know this is such a contradiction to all my Winter whinning in general... but... I am disappointed that we haven't had a BIG snow fall that creates the magical "Snow Day!!" I am going East next week to visit with my girls and grandbabies... so I'm hoping the temps stay mild til I get back and I don't miss "The Snow Fall" if it happens while I'm away.
Today feels, smells, sounds, and looks like the beginning of Spring... with birds chirping, wind chimes tinkling, trees slightly swaying, and the freshness that hangs in the air. Everything is still Winter brown and dead... but you can see the 'hope' of things getting ready to bud and sprout.. the fresh smell in the air makes you scan the landscape ever so acutely looking for that first hint of budding Spring... and then... even when your eye doesn't see the first signs of Spring budding... your nose tells you it's just around the corner and Winter is almost over.
Anything can, and usually does happen in the short sweet month of February... so don't get too comfortable thinking you have sailed through the worst of Winter unscathed. February is famous for teasing you in with mild weather, and then bringing in a huge Winter storm!!... and it is usually when you are really really ready for Spring, and are in the midst of bringing out all your Spring attire and putting the Winter attire away... WHHAMM... 10" of snow... and hopefully the only thing that keeps the mood from being spoiled is the magical "Snow Day!!"
I have been dreading this Winter since Oct 31st when our final HOT days were over. Fall was also reasonably mild here in Hutchinson Kansas, but... not very pretty since we had had such a HOT Summer and there were barely any leaves left on the trees to turn colorful. So I really expected to hunker in an endure Winter's blast... but... I'm honestly surprised at how mild and nice it has been. I hope I take all this mild Winter weather with me back East and it isn't frigid and artic during my visit. I will be carting babies in and out, so hopefully the weather will be nice... at least hoping for dry anyway.
Only 4 more weeks til March, and only 8 more weeks til it's offically Spring!!! That doesn't seem to long to wait for short sleeves and flip flops! Blessedly I haven't had to wear a heavy Winter coat much this Winter... mostly scarves and sweaters have sufficed. You have plenty of time to finish that stack (or even just that one) book(s) and/or Winter project(s) you have going or want to start... so... enjoy the nice days when you can step outdoors and let some sunshine kiss your face, and stay hunkered in, warm and safe, on those days of Winters worst. I can smell Spring in the air... it's coming!!!
Friday, January 27, 2012
Sunday, January 22, 2012
My First Happy Mail of 2012
I have written a blog or two in the past about how special "Happy Mail" is... and how receiving it can totally make your day, your week, or just make you feel really special.
With the Holiday Season just 2 weeks behind us... I wasn't expecting any "Happy Mail" because we had just spent two weeks visiting with various friends and family members, many whom we only get to visit with during the Holiday Season. I feel blessed and overwhelmed with all the "Happy Mail" Christmas cards, all the thoughtful gifts I received, and all the special time I spent with loved ones. But in my mail box a couple days ago was the sweetest handwritten note, from a most unlikely source (as in... this person is extremely tender hearted and thoughtful... we don't get to see each other much, but when we do it is always wonderful... but... I had just spent time with this person... so receiving such a heartfelt note was a surprise)... my brother Mike sent me a note telling me how much he appreciated me in his life and how much I meant to him in general. Let me tell ya folks.... it was a weeper!!!!... and anyone will tell you that I'm just not a weeper!!! But... I wept!!!
In the note he spoke about specific incidents and events in our lives that were bonding and special to him... he spoke about when I was there for him at difficult times in his life (but really... I was just doing what he would have also done for me), he spoke about how much he enjoyed being with my family during visits... and he reminisced about times in our childhood that were special. This is not the first note I have received from my brother over the years that was so poignant and sweet... in fact I have received several from him... each one is a treasure I will cherish forever! All of his notes have come at unexpected times, and each one has made my heart sing and smile, and my heart ache with happy love... he is and always has been a wonderful protective Brother to me!
Receiving this note from my brother reminded me how AWESOME "Happy Mail' is, and that I need to get on the ball send more out myself. I have in fact a couple of boxed "Happy Mail" items to be shipped out tomorrow. I hope these Happy Mailings bring a smile to those who will be receiving them, and a skip in their steps for the day.
This is the time of year when many of us are just drudging through these cold days of winter and waiting for the joys of spring to arrive... so this is an especially good time to reach out and send a thoughtful gesture to someone you love, or someone who you think could use a little simple smile! Thank you soooooo much Mike for the first piece of "Happy Mail" I have received in 2012... it definitely has my year off to a great start!!!
With the Holiday Season just 2 weeks behind us... I wasn't expecting any "Happy Mail" because we had just spent two weeks visiting with various friends and family members, many whom we only get to visit with during the Holiday Season. I feel blessed and overwhelmed with all the "Happy Mail" Christmas cards, all the thoughtful gifts I received, and all the special time I spent with loved ones. But in my mail box a couple days ago was the sweetest handwritten note, from a most unlikely source (as in... this person is extremely tender hearted and thoughtful... we don't get to see each other much, but when we do it is always wonderful... but... I had just spent time with this person... so receiving such a heartfelt note was a surprise)... my brother Mike sent me a note telling me how much he appreciated me in his life and how much I meant to him in general. Let me tell ya folks.... it was a weeper!!!!... and anyone will tell you that I'm just not a weeper!!! But... I wept!!!
In the note he spoke about specific incidents and events in our lives that were bonding and special to him... he spoke about when I was there for him at difficult times in his life (but really... I was just doing what he would have also done for me), he spoke about how much he enjoyed being with my family during visits... and he reminisced about times in our childhood that were special. This is not the first note I have received from my brother over the years that was so poignant and sweet... in fact I have received several from him... each one is a treasure I will cherish forever! All of his notes have come at unexpected times, and each one has made my heart sing and smile, and my heart ache with happy love... he is and always has been a wonderful protective Brother to me!
Receiving this note from my brother reminded me how AWESOME "Happy Mail' is, and that I need to get on the ball send more out myself. I have in fact a couple of boxed "Happy Mail" items to be shipped out tomorrow. I hope these Happy Mailings bring a smile to those who will be receiving them, and a skip in their steps for the day.
This is the time of year when many of us are just drudging through these cold days of winter and waiting for the joys of spring to arrive... so this is an especially good time to reach out and send a thoughtful gesture to someone you love, or someone who you think could use a little simple smile! Thank you soooooo much Mike for the first piece of "Happy Mail" I have received in 2012... it definitely has my year off to a great start!!!
Monday, January 16, 2012
Random Things About Me
1. My house has to smell good at all times... either with delicious cooking aromas, or the wonderful scents of burning candles.
2. Racing my husband's car on a real racetrack is a favorite pastime... must be a thing with speed!
3. Joe and I love roller coasters... the faster the better
4. If a fire is burning in a fire place you will find me standing directly in front of it... until the heat penetrates my clothing to the point of burning my skin.
5. I can still do the splits... I'm 53 years old!
6. I'm always sticking things in my ear... I know I shouldn't... but I can't help it... when it itches way down deep, it has to be scratched!
7. Earning a pilot's license is really high on my bucket list
8. I'm currently learning to speak both French and Spanish (Latin)... with plans on learning Italian as well
9. Joe and I plan on spending a few months taking culinary classes in both France and Italy after he retires
10. Joe and I also plan on doing the Camino de Santiago walk after he retires
11. I have had a valid drivers license in 6 states
12. "The Big Chill" is still my all time favorite movie... because it's about special friendships
13. I try to look at the moon every night
14. I love playing backgammon
15. I love "vintage"... purses, shoes, kitchenware and bowls, jewelry...etc.
16. In the winter I drink at least 3 pots of hot tea a day... in the summer I drink at least 64 oz of water a day... I must be part camel!
17. My favorite exercise is pilates (reformer)... I do pilates 2-3 times a week... wish I could do it everyday... one day I'm gonna have to get me a pilates reformer
18. I tat... as in making lace with a hand shuttle
19. Sixlets are a candy I can never say no to
20. I named my car "Miss B Haven".... because it's a red sports car and it's hard to behave when driving it
21. I am a very tactile person and I just have to touch and feel everything
22. Red is my very favorite color
23. I prefer pearls to diamonds, and daisy's to roses... pearls are simple yet classic and timeless... daisy's are strong like a weed, can grow anywhere, and always make people smile!
24. Joe and I love to travel and hope to continue to travel to see as much of this big ole planet earth as possible
25. My lucky and favorite number is 3... but the number 9 is even more perfect because it is three 3's
26. I prefer Pepsi to Coke... and I used to work for Coca Cola
27. I am right handed but golf and bat left handed
28. I hosted a late night television movie channel once
29. I can hold a lit cigarette touching between my pointer finger and thumb without it burning, pull a wine cork out from the inside of an empty wine bottle using just a table napkin, and tie a cherry stem with my tongue and teeth with my mouth closed... always fun to have stupid bar tricks to impress your friends with! : )
30. I started this blog as a tribute to my mentor Julia Child... it has since turned into just another blog about random things... sometimes including recipes.
31. I am basically just your normal, quirky, curious, run of the mill average person you see on the streets everyday... perhaps I have seen you on the streets somewhere, sometime, someplace... we smiled at each other and then went along our merry way!
2. Racing my husband's car on a real racetrack is a favorite pastime... must be a thing with speed!
3. Joe and I love roller coasters... the faster the better
4. If a fire is burning in a fire place you will find me standing directly in front of it... until the heat penetrates my clothing to the point of burning my skin.
5. I can still do the splits... I'm 53 years old!
6. I'm always sticking things in my ear... I know I shouldn't... but I can't help it... when it itches way down deep, it has to be scratched!
7. Earning a pilot's license is really high on my bucket list
8. I'm currently learning to speak both French and Spanish (Latin)... with plans on learning Italian as well
9. Joe and I plan on spending a few months taking culinary classes in both France and Italy after he retires
10. Joe and I also plan on doing the Camino de Santiago walk after he retires
11. I have had a valid drivers license in 6 states
12. "The Big Chill" is still my all time favorite movie... because it's about special friendships
13. I try to look at the moon every night
14. I love playing backgammon
15. I love "vintage"... purses, shoes, kitchenware and bowls, jewelry...etc.
16. In the winter I drink at least 3 pots of hot tea a day... in the summer I drink at least 64 oz of water a day... I must be part camel!
17. My favorite exercise is pilates (reformer)... I do pilates 2-3 times a week... wish I could do it everyday... one day I'm gonna have to get me a pilates reformer
18. I tat... as in making lace with a hand shuttle
19. Sixlets are a candy I can never say no to
20. I named my car "Miss B Haven".... because it's a red sports car and it's hard to behave when driving it
21. I am a very tactile person and I just have to touch and feel everything
22. Red is my very favorite color
23. I prefer pearls to diamonds, and daisy's to roses... pearls are simple yet classic and timeless... daisy's are strong like a weed, can grow anywhere, and always make people smile!
24. Joe and I love to travel and hope to continue to travel to see as much of this big ole planet earth as possible
25. My lucky and favorite number is 3... but the number 9 is even more perfect because it is three 3's
26. I prefer Pepsi to Coke... and I used to work for Coca Cola
27. I am right handed but golf and bat left handed
28. I hosted a late night television movie channel once
29. I can hold a lit cigarette touching between my pointer finger and thumb without it burning, pull a wine cork out from the inside of an empty wine bottle using just a table napkin, and tie a cherry stem with my tongue and teeth with my mouth closed... always fun to have stupid bar tricks to impress your friends with! : )
30. I started this blog as a tribute to my mentor Julia Child... it has since turned into just another blog about random things... sometimes including recipes.
31. I am basically just your normal, quirky, curious, run of the mill average person you see on the streets everyday... perhaps I have seen you on the streets somewhere, sometime, someplace... we smiled at each other and then went along our merry way!
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Post Holiday Blues
Yep.... it is that time of year when all the hustle and bustle of the Holidays Season is over... the Holidays have been prepared for, celebrated, and most homes now have all their decorations packed back up, and stored away until next year... not me... am still working on it... hoping to be done with this task by the end of this weekend.
I was sooo ahead of schedule with the Holiday decorating, planning, and packing... and was on target to stay ahead of schedule with the packing up, and storing away of the Holiday decorations... but then... the flu crud hit me like a truck, and I lost an entire week to huddling under a blanket, taking cold meds, eating lots of my homemade chicken noodle soup (the best antibiotic ever!!!), and resting. But now the crud is gone and the decorations MUST be put away! It is just sooooo much more fun yanking it all out and decorating than it is to organize it and store it away.
I already miss the twinkle lights aglow everywhere you go... I miss hearing Christmas carols, and the smell of evergreen trees... I miss the anticipation of visiting with, and celebrating the season several times with different branches of the family, and with friends. The landscape has gone from bright and shiny to dull and drab... winter is upon us full blast... as in blizzardly blast!
I am wishing for a really good snow storm... one that makes you have to stay inside glued to the television watching everyone else get stuck and trying to shovel their way out. The kind of snow storm that creates the ever WONDERFUL and DELIGHTFUL "SNOW DAY"!!!! We all know that an official "Snow Day" is like an unexpected vacation day, or sick day without actually having to be sick. I can always feel the extra spark of excitement in the air when a "Snow Day" is called... I can hear kids all over town yipping and yaying their way into a fun special day! Maybe snowmen will be made... maybe snowball fights will ensue... maybe some snow-cream will be made... fire places will be lit to huddle hinnies around... some parents will dread this 'extra stay at home day'... but some parents will embrace the day for what it is and just have fun with their kids... I am sure you can guess which parent I tried to be!
It's sooooo cold here... the wind is bitter and drying to the skin... the outside just looks bleak and bare after all the sparkle of twinkle lights just a few days ago. I have several good books to read and some hand crafts to keep myself busy with... but... I'm counting down the days til Spring sunshine and warmth returns... which for those of you who are counting down with me.... the official day of Spring for 2012 is March 20.... so that is just... 10 weeks and 3 days... or 73 days!!
Winter whinners (such as myself)... the best advice I can give to keep those post holiday blues at bay is... keep busy, stay warm, and mark the days down on a calendar. Looking forward to reciting my favorite chant (which I call "My Dad's Poem")... "Spring has sprung, the grass has riz... I wonder where them flowers is!"
I was sooo ahead of schedule with the Holiday decorating, planning, and packing... and was on target to stay ahead of schedule with the packing up, and storing away of the Holiday decorations... but then... the flu crud hit me like a truck, and I lost an entire week to huddling under a blanket, taking cold meds, eating lots of my homemade chicken noodle soup (the best antibiotic ever!!!), and resting. But now the crud is gone and the decorations MUST be put away! It is just sooooo much more fun yanking it all out and decorating than it is to organize it and store it away.
I already miss the twinkle lights aglow everywhere you go... I miss hearing Christmas carols, and the smell of evergreen trees... I miss the anticipation of visiting with, and celebrating the season several times with different branches of the family, and with friends. The landscape has gone from bright and shiny to dull and drab... winter is upon us full blast... as in blizzardly blast!
I am wishing for a really good snow storm... one that makes you have to stay inside glued to the television watching everyone else get stuck and trying to shovel their way out. The kind of snow storm that creates the ever WONDERFUL and DELIGHTFUL "SNOW DAY"!!!! We all know that an official "Snow Day" is like an unexpected vacation day, or sick day without actually having to be sick. I can always feel the extra spark of excitement in the air when a "Snow Day" is called... I can hear kids all over town yipping and yaying their way into a fun special day! Maybe snowmen will be made... maybe snowball fights will ensue... maybe some snow-cream will be made... fire places will be lit to huddle hinnies around... some parents will dread this 'extra stay at home day'... but some parents will embrace the day for what it is and just have fun with their kids... I am sure you can guess which parent I tried to be!
It's sooooo cold here... the wind is bitter and drying to the skin... the outside just looks bleak and bare after all the sparkle of twinkle lights just a few days ago. I have several good books to read and some hand crafts to keep myself busy with... but... I'm counting down the days til Spring sunshine and warmth returns... which for those of you who are counting down with me.... the official day of Spring for 2012 is March 20.... so that is just... 10 weeks and 3 days... or 73 days!!
Winter whinners (such as myself)... the best advice I can give to keep those post holiday blues at bay is... keep busy, stay warm, and mark the days down on a calendar. Looking forward to reciting my favorite chant (which I call "My Dad's Poem")... "Spring has sprung, the grass has riz... I wonder where them flowers is!"
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About Me
- Vickie G
- I am a short little lady with a passion for cooking and pilates. I have been married for 31 years to my high school sweetheart (my soulmate and love of my life!!!) and we have 3 amazing daughters. I am 50 years old and love living life with as much zest as possible.