Winter

Winter

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Toward Winter


We have I think the weather man said, three storms racing in this week. After being so rain and storm deprived it is a welcome change. I do think I have to give in and let Ron turn on the heat. I wore my coat all day because I was freezing. In fact taking a shower, I had the hot water turned so hot that I had to look through fog to see the shampoo. I was freezing all day. I went out to get the mail, and it is a nice warm day. I ended up taking off my coat. It was colder in the house than outside. I felt sheepish.


I made these two little turkeys from leftover backing and worms from other projects.  They are supposed to be for two little purses but I think I will just put them away for next year. I don't have the patience nor the inclination right now to fool with the sewing machine.


Today when I took my camera with me for a walk. I was surprised at the yellows and the reds and the oranges and how every thing is such pretty colors.

As I walked I found such treasures.

Mullein 


Rose Hips
When the kids were small, I always made sure I had Mullein so if they got colds or coughs, I could make tea and it worked like a wonderful expectorant. I would pick lemons and brew the leaves from the plant and make a tea and add honey. It always broke their coughs. Rose Hips are so high in vitamin C. We had a strawberry bed and I would add leaves to the tea I would make to add extra vitamin C. Mullein tea in the winter was one of their favorites before bed. I have it coming up all over in the back yard now.


The Strawberry tree is getting ready to bloom. I always forget it blooms when it starts to get cold.
The bark is so pretty.


I love how it just curls all up and down the trunk and on the limbs. It is a very nice tree.


The silly artichokes are coming back like crazy. I don't know how they grow them commercially. They like it best if the are abused and left alone. I only watered them when I remembered this summer. I really thought I killed them. I went out there and they are growing like crazy and they have multiplied again so we will have to separate them. We will have to find another area to forget them. If you are nice to them and give them regular water and fertilizer they will just up and die every single time. That is why Ron is the better gardener.  He babies, and nurtures and feeds and cares for his plants. My plants better make it on their own, because if they can't well, they weren't the plant for me.


Our youngest grand daughter will be one this week. So much happens in one year. I am so glad that I can look back over the pages of my memories and see things that happened that were out of my control but were never out of Gods hands. I am most thankful that God restores the years that the locust have eaten.
Last year, when my daughter was in labor with her baby she was also releasing her first book. I always laugh at the timing. This year as the baby turns one, she released her fourth book. How she does it I have no idea.
It makes me very happy though.

Well, I have my Christmas music on my playlist. Ron was teasing me that I only had Carol of the Bells in about 12 different versions. I like Carol of the Bells. So I put all kinds of Christmas music on my playlist this morning.
I am going back and putting only Carol of the Bells. I think cooking dinner is going to be more fun than sitting and hearing this music. I feel like I am trapped in a elevator. Oh yay, I am saved Carol of the Bells.

I hope you have a lovely Wednesday,
~Kim~


"It is not doing the thing we like to do, but liking the thing we have to do that makes life blessed."
---Johann von Goethe---

18 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

after your long, hot, dry summer, i bet the cold seems very unusual! i do that, too. it is freezing cold in the house, but if i go outside in the sunshine, it feels warmer! :)

Kim said...

Very nice pictures today. You were cold?? (Hahaha, sorry - you have no idea). I need to find a Christmas playlist on songza

Julia said...

I'm always learning so much on your blog.
I didn't know what Mullein plant looked like and it was good medicine for colds cough and other things. My grandfather was very knowledgeable about a lot of medicinal plants.

The strawberry tree is very unusual. I love the bark all curled up.

Our weather changes so fast, it's hard to know what to wear. It was snowing yesterday morning, then rain . It was wet and warm this morning and then it got windy and now it very cold.

I miss my wood heat so much and It either warm or cold or too hot in the house. My husband loves it hot...

Take care,
Hugs,
jB

Alica said...

I've learned a lot tonight! I never heard of a strawberry tree...or Mullein either. The tree looks really unique! Hope you stay warm! :)

Debbie said...

I think it's 22 degrees outside right now and the heat barely stops!' I really like the bark on the strawberry tree.....and I have a Johnny Mathis cd of Christmas music I listen to this time of year. I should move it into my iTunes......when I have nothing else to do ;)

Debbie said...

Well it's been pretty cool here at night (low 50's and upper 40's) but nice and warm during the day. I am LOVING it. Not cold yet, no heat. I learned quite a bit here today. Did not know any of that about those plants you made tea out of that are good for colds...interesting. And that bark is really neat! I turned on some Christmas music today too. Hope the rest of your week is good!

Gloria said...

I am right there with you,,,holding off on turning on our heat. I finally did this morning. It got down to 63 upstairs so I gave in because I was being kept up a little last night by being too cold. :) I do love having a break from the heat! Your images are beautiful, as always. Happy 1st birthday to your grandbaby,,and congratulations to you and your daughter on her books being published. How exciting, and wonderful! :) God's blessings to you for a lovely Thanksgiving! xox....Gloria

Meg said...

I broke and turned the heater on today too. It was just so cold. I like your little turkeys, they turned out so cute! If you have an extra artichoke to get rid of, I can find a place in my yard for one. ;)

acorn hollow said...

we have had the woodstove running for the last few days. It is low 20's at night 30's day. You still have great color everything is brown and barren here.
Cathy

Nellie said...

I hope you have some rain from the storms, Kim. We had a very cold day here, and there is another cold night expected tonight. I love that strawberry tree. I don't think I've ever heard of that one. xo Nellie

Country Gal said...

Lovely photos ! The land here has a different canvas to photograph as we are covered in snow . Thanks for sharing , Have a good week !

Joy said...

I love the peeling bark on the strawberry tree--never heard of that type of tree, but I also love the peeling bark on River Birch trees.

Kerin said...

Cute stuff here!! Love the finished rugs. Shaun wants me to make him a turkey rug... ha! I will, but it may take me a year~~~~LOL!
Love the first picture.... the red leaf, with green in the background.. so pretty.
Speaking of backgrounds, love your new blog background... it's darling!

I'm sorry that you got so cold. I've been that cold before, and it is no fun!!
Congrats on your youngest Granddaughter's birthday... wonderful!

I've heard of lemon and honey before and we use that to head off a cold, or calm cold symptoms, but I've never added the mullein. Good to know!

Hope you keep warm today :)

K.

Kathy ... aka Nana said...

Wow, I love the bark on that tree! Wow!

And I didn't know that your daughter was an author ... or maybe I did and forgot?

Three Sheep Studio said...

Your hooked turkeys are so much fun !
I am loving that gorgeous Strawberry Tree - never heard of such a thing.
Rose

Gumbo Lily said...

The strawberry tree is fascinating to me. What unusual bark and flowers. Do they turn into some sort of berry? It's fun to see so many different kinds of things growing where you are. Things I know nothing about.

I really like your turkey rug hooking. You have a good creative eye for it.

We always used to collect rosehips in the fall and I'd put them into teas. I've never used mullein for cough, but I have some in my herb jar now and will try it next time. Right now I'm into a tea mixture of: raspberry leaf, nettles, and alfalfa. A good-for-you-tonic!

Jeannette said...

I learned recently that the fruit of the strawberry tree is edible. Your mullein tea sounds good.I haven't made that for years, and I have never thought of adding a strawberry leaf.

yes...the hungry locust...and yes the restoration of the Lord...so much tucked between your lovely photos...

Buttons Thoughts said...

Wow I did not know that about the Mullein we have/had lots of that growing here on the farm. It is presently hiding under the snow. Love your photos. Hug B