February often finds us with icy temperatures and heavy snow drifts that make it difficult to get in and out of the driveway - sometimes requiring a shovel and hard work, while other times needing the help of something a bit bigger.
A look outside will find birds of all shapes & sizes gathered around the feeders, the glow of a heat lamp through the frosted windows of the chicken coop, and a stack of firewood by the back door.
Winter is always a reminder of how powerful the elements can be, and yet, for 159 years this old farmhouse has withstood those elements. Oh yes, we can count on a chilly draft sneaking in wherever it can find a little spot around doors and windows, but when there's a fire in the kitchen fireplace and a sleeping cat and dog to curl up with, they always seem to warm even the coldest winter days.
Like it often is, this week has been a roller coaster of weather...Wednesday it was 72 degrees and now it's 20 with a light snow. Not a snowfall of glittering, drifting flakes, but the tiniest balls of snow that look like they belong inside of a pinball machine as they bounce off of everything they land on. We shrug our shoulders...and so it goes; it's all a part of living with the splendor of the seasons.
In un-weather related news...
my daughter and I took a little road trip to Louisville, Kentucky where she auditioned for several ballet companies. If you read here from time-to-time, you may know that she's a college senior - she has her degree in Dance and will be graduating in May with a BS in Psychology. Ballet dancing is her passion, and while she dances with a ballet company now, this is the time of year there are auditions for summer programs across the country.
Sunday's blue-skied and sunny weather was perfect for traveling, and with my daughter as Navigator, Music Coordinator, and Snack Distributor we were on our way early. The time flew by with our back & forth chatter and a determination to listen to every single song, on every single album, in order, from a favorite singer/songwriter (10 albums plus any unreleased bonus tracks - thank you, Ms. Swift...we did it!)
I'm a firm believer in taking the scenic route (oh yes, I do take some ribbing about it because it's longer - whatever) My daughter and I love to travel "the road less taken" and turn off at a moment's notice on an adventure road just to see what lies ahead...that can't be done on a super-highway.
Oh, the things we would have missed: stunning southern farms, a 17th century inn and tavern, off-the-beaten-path names such as Billy Goat Strut, Spanish Fly, Spooky Nook, and Fish-worm Road. Come on...the laughter over those names alone was worth the extra travel time!
Once there, the city had a charm all it's own...
The quick road trip was over before we knew it...so with a chocolate-filled croissant to begin Monday's drive home, we were on our way. We stopped just long enough to visit an amazing 11-acre dog park that Bailey would surely have loved and to take a walk through the shop at a 220 year-old Tavern.
Now I'm back to my to-do list before those 70-degree days are here to stay. Next time, I'll follow Billie Jo's suggestion at Afternoon Coffee and Evening Tea both here and here...with a little "get to know you" post - it was really fun reading about both her and all of her readers!
Enjoy the weekend friends...stay safe & warm.
