Salutations!

It is a rather odd Sunday morning for me. I am awake before my husband which rarely happens. I am glad that he is catching up on some sleep but there is one little problem. He always makes the coffee. I don't even know how to use this newfangled coffeepot which basically picks the beans, grinds them, and brews a decent cup of coffee in seconds flat. There are so many buttons, buzzers and lights on this machine you need an engineering degree to use it. So here I sit, trying to decide if I should attempt to make a pot of coffee or just make a cup of tea. I really want a cup of coffee so I will just keep typing loudly and maybe he will wake up. I just made some blueberry muffins (from a mix) so I am hoping the aroma of those will stir his nostrils awake!


I am also trying to ignore the weather report I just heard. The good news is that we are not getting a snowstorm in the next 24-36 hour period. Nope. We are supposedly going to get hit with TWO snowstorms, back to back, over the next couple of days. Enough already! But the reality is that I can't change the weather so I will just sit here quietly and watch the beautiful white flakes fall from the sky, pile up on top of the other one zillion snowflakes which have already landed. Okay, I probably won't be sitting here quietly - I am rarely quiet. So come on already...bring it on...my shovel is ready...let it snow!



Today I am going to make cookies (from scratch). I obviously am in some type of Betty Crocker mood since I started my day by making blueberry muffins which smell delicious - ooh, if I only had a cup of coffee. I am going to make butter Spritz cookies for my husband. They are his favorite type and I just never got around to making them at Christmas so...better late than never! I am going to make peanut butter blossoms also. Maybe I am in the baking mode because my body senses there is another snowstorm coming and I need one more layer of fat to protect me against the cold! I am also going to make a humongous batch of beef stew - one for us and one for my daughter who just had our grand babies. The twins are home now and doing well but they are a little confused about the difference between night and day. As much as I have sometimes missed my baby making days I am not missing the sleepless nights. So later on today, before the first of the two snowstorms hits, I will deliver some beef stew and cookies at their door so they won't have to worry about making dinner.





I have a comfy, overstuffed chair by our fireplace which is where I station myself in the winter. I plan on reading some more of the book which my daughter highly recommended I read 'Jitterbug Perfume' by Tom Robbins. I have only read a couple of chapters but I have found myself wondering what Mr. Robbins might have been ingesting or inhaling as he wrote. I will no doubt be calling my eldest daughter at some point today so we can have a book talk. It will give me a chance to whine about the snow and allow her to tell me about the California sunshine.





And then when the day has quieted down I will work on my never-ending project. My pride and joy of the moment ~ my mermaid rug which I am hooking by hand. This is not a kit. This is a traditional hooked rug - just like they used to make in the old days during those long, cold winters when all it did was snow. My goal is to finish this rug by the end of summer. Yes, I am a slow hooker! I shouldn't show her to you until she is complete but what the heck! Who knows what tomorrow might bring besides more snow?! Here she is. I am trying to figure out what color to make the baby mermaid's hair. I started hooking it in the brunette but I don't like it so much. What do you think? I don't ask for opinions very often so here is your chance! :)









Another way to get my mind off of the snow is to think about summer. And when I think about summer I think about lemonade stands. These last two sentences are a lame attempt to tie in the wonderful award which my dear blogging friend and mentor Akelamalu awarded to me a few weeks ago. It is a refreshing award this time of year. I have now collected three awards and they are all from my dear friend, Akelamalu. Thank you Ake and I will pay you off later. Just kidding! Please go over to her blog today - I promise you won't be disappointed. She is one creative lady! Now let's get serious. I am supposed to award the 'Lemonade Award' to ten people. Yikes. This is hard. I don't have that many blogging friends and I hate to hurt the feelings of the few I have ~ so to all of my blogging friends I award to you the Happy Snow Day award. Here it is :

























Notice it is all white. That is due to the fact that it is a blizzard with white out conditions. Okay. So I am trying to avoid having to pick ten blogging friends for the Lemonade award. Let's see... Lemonade is sweet with a tart, zingy taste mixed in. It is refreshing. It is reliable and has withstood the test of time. So I am going to choose ten people who are sweet but zingy, refreshing and reliable. Here are the winners of the March 1, 2009 Lemonade awards, listed in no particular order. Please take a minute to visit their blogs and congratulations to all who made it to the end of this rambling post.



Here is the award. Please take yours as you exit the stage.

The rules of this award are quite simple. Choose ten people to whom you would like to give this award. No easy task I warn you! And then please link back to the person who gave you the award. And here are the winners. If I didn't choose you and you feel that you are worthy please feel free to take this award also. All I ask is that you link back to me - I need all the help I can get!

• Marg at Home Again ~ Marg is honest, kind and one of my first blogging friends. She is very energetic, loves her family and friends and lives each day to the fullest.
• Willow at Willow's Cottage ~ She knits. She reads. She sews. She travels. She has a good heart. She is mindful of moments and reminds me to appreciate the small stuff.
• Daryl ~ On the M104 ~ Daryl is the City Mouse and I am the Country Mouse. If I ever get to the Big Apple I will have deja vu because of the virtual tours I take on a regular basis over at Daryl's blog. She is a very talented photographer and she is zingy! I love zing!
• Louise ~ Potted Frog ~ Lousie is an artist - on many levels. She writes from her heart with honesty and humor. I love her photography as well.
• Jennie at View from My Camera ~ I love Jennie's blog. She hasn't posted in a while but I am hopeful that maybe this award will lead her out of hibernation. I miss you, Jennie and I hope you are well.
• Sandy at Writing in Faith ~ I am a newbie to Sandy's place but I always enjoy my stay. Whether it be her words, her reflections or her photography I feel refreshed after my visit. I urge you to stop in and say hi.
• Rapunzel at Rapunzel's Castle ~ Rapunzel deals with life with honesty and real emotions. She tells it like she sees it which is refreshing. Life has given her way too many lemons lately so please stop in and share a glass of sweet lemonade with her. Thank you.
• Sandi at Holding Patterns ~ I love visiting Sandi and I love it when she visits me! She leaves honest comments with a positive outlook. Her blog is full of great stories of her adventures in life and let me tell you - she has had many! She is sweet, she is loyal and reliable and she has lots of zing!
• I'm Being Held Hostage ~ An Air Force Wife, J writes with incredible humor and honesty of raising a family. I swear she could be a stand up comic. I feel guilty sometimes because I find myself laughing at her various life adventures with a house full of kids. I often think to myself that I have been there, done that and I am so glad that I am past that stage in life! She deserves a medal!
• Beth ~ One of my newest places to hang out! Warning - do not have food or drink in your mouth because you could choke or spray liquid all over your monitor. Beth is funny! Beth is real! Beth has zing! And I love what she has to say!

And now... I am going to drive to Dunkin' Donuts. I need my coffee!