Bitterly cold...

We spent the last few days up in Duluth, MN in a hotel on Lake Superior. It is bitterly cold here and the daily high temperature hasn't come close to breaking 0 degrees, factor in the wind and the windchill is down right nasty. While Jeff attends CEU classes, I've been enjoying some "down time" catching up on some reading and enjoying the view. On Sunday, the wind blew the ice out into the lake and there was open water outside my window.

Yesterday, the winds shifted and open water was further out in the lake where you can see the steam clouds rising from the water which is warmer than the air right now.

As we prepare to leave this morning, I watched a gorgeous pink sky at sunrise highlighting those steam clouds.

Hopefully warmer days are ahead!

Scripture Sunday 4...

week in review...

There haven't been any more hawk sightings this week but Jeff & I spotted a bald eagle on the way to town yesterday. He was flying low over the highway so I was wishing I had a camera with. We've had another really cold week so the feeders have been extra busy with blue jays, woodpeckers, chickadees, sparrows and starlings. The juncos keep busy on the ground eating up all the spilled seeds.
One morning the sun dogs were out and a brilliant rainbow color. I managed a photo but the rainbow effect just didn't photograph as beautiful as it looked in person.

I spent a few afternoons at the sewing machine working on projects for the new baby coming in February but also did an easy-peasy skirt project for the little girls.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Cooper...

I filled the bird feeders yesterday so this morning when I sat down with my second cup I was surprised to see them with no feeding birds. A quick glance at the Pine Lady explained the little birdies absence…an immature Cooper's Hawk. Enjoy these photos I sure enjoyed taking them. First I took a bunch through the dirty glass of the patio door and even though he watched me there was no "ready to flee" behavior. So I opened the door and took some clean shots which he/she so nicely posed for. Light snow is falling this am and shows up as white streaks in these photos.

Looking towards the grove...

then a look back at the feeders.

Checking out the garden...

and then checking out me!

I wasn't a threat so he just kept watch.

I read my bloglovin' while enjoying that coffee but occasionally felt like I was being watched…

I never did see him fly off or notice if he caught his breakfast as I went about my day.

Scripture Sunday 3...

Sewing update...

Brooklyn is the second Princess to model her snowman shirt and flannel skirt...

mid-winter…swans

"Today marks the midpoint of meteorological winter, which doesn't have the good sense to follow the calendar. And we've picked up nearly half an hour of daylight since the Winter Solstice; almost an hour by the end of January. Woo hoo!" (Paul Douglas, meteorologist)

I can't believe that we are at the midpoint of winter - it seems like it has gone on forever already and we have a good 2 1/2 months left! Yesterday, we took a break on our drive home and stopped to see the wintering swans along the Mississippi river in Monticello, MN. Hope you enjoy these shots - I didn't take as many as previous years cause there was a freezing cold wind blowing. That is probably why the majority of the swans have their heads buried in their wings!

Scripture Sunday 2...

Sewing...

Thank you to all who commented on the Scripture Sunday post. For those that said it was Bryce Canyon, Utah you are correct. One of the most beautiful places we have visited, in fact, if you have not visited the numerous National Parks and State Parks in Utah you are missing out. It is definitely on one of our places to visit again preferably with the cycles the next time.

The title of this post is sewing because that's what I have been doing a lot of lately. My favorite little girls each got a new flannel ruffle skirt and a snowman shirt made from chiffon rosettes and vinyl.

Bailey was here on Wednesday while her mommy and daddy were at the doctors for her future sibling's ultrasound. She was happy to model her outfit for Grandma!

I will see Brooklyn this weekend and hopefully get her to model for me. In the meantime, her mommy texted me a photo of Brooklyn's doll in her matching outfit getting read a bedtime story by Brooklyn.

I mentioned Bailey was here for the day while mommy and daddy were at an ultrasound appt and Bailey is very excited to announce her news! She called all her friends and wore this shirt the next day so everyone would know she's getting a baby sister around Memorial Day!

Brooklyn and the rest of us have to wait until her sibling is born in approximately 7 weeks to find out boy or girl. I am beyond CURIOUS to find out if we'll have a 4th granddaughter or a grandson. Such exciting months ahead for us!

Scripture Sunday 1...

As part of my blog changes for 2014, I am adding a few new "labels" and blogging a few new themes. Curious yet?

My daughter, Jayme, had been doing Scripture Sundays for a few years (but not as regularly now that she is a busy mommy) and I have decided to join her. I actually bought my first "good" camera, a Canon 35mm Rebel by selling greeting cards of photos set to Bible verses and then Jayme took the idea to the "print" level. God's creation is truly indescribable so I look forward to showing a few of my favorite photos and verses each Sunday.

Do you know where this photo is from?

a new year…a new inspiration word

The last several weeks I have been pondering what word to use as my "inspiration" for 2014. I had lots of words come to my mind but had narrowed it down to three possible choices. Then I read the quotes pictured below and those 3 words were tossed out for cu·ri·ous [kyoor-ee-uhs]
adjective
1. eager to learn or know; inquisitive.
2. prying; meddlesome.
3. arousing or exciting speculation, interest, or attention through being inexplicable or highly unusual; odd; strange

I'm not always wise but I am eternally quite curious. I'm the person that stops at all those historical markers cause I need to know what they say, the person that is curious whether something can be done or not and sometimes even the curious (nosey) mom, auntie, etc. Hopefully not too much of definition 2 though :)

So join me in 2014, we have lots to learn, discover, create and adventures to go on. Curious yet?