still in the throes of winter, but robins & valentine's day decor add some cheer

We're still in the trenches of winter here in northern Illinois and I'm officially sick of it and longing for spring. Two weeks ago we had a couple of big snowstorms, then we had record-breaking cold, and now this evening into tomorrow morning, we're under a weather warning for an ice storm. They're saying travel will be nearly impossible on untreated streets and not to be out unless you absolutely have to. I don't have to go anywhere, but both my husband and son will be traveling home from work tonight. They're also saying we could easily lose power from snapped power lines and falling tree branches. If we lose power, that means we won't have any heat either.

All worrisome indeed, but since I can't do anything about the weather, I can at least take pretty pictures. These were taken 1-1/2 weeks ago at a neighboring farm where I was picking up my custom pork order. Their hogs are pasture-raised and supplemented with a non-GMO, organic grain mix. If I'm going to eat meat, I feel better ethically eating meat that's been humanely raised and not fed GMO corn and soy. And our bodies thank us in the way of good health with that part, too.

 Last week I walked into my living room and saw a flash of orange out of the corner of my eye. I looked out the window and did a double-take when I saw a robin! I know not all robins fly south for the winter: there are "winter robins". Nevertheless, I have never seen one in winter. I ran to get my phone to take a photo and had to take this through the living room window, plus zoom in - hence the blurry photo. Someone on Facebook commented that she looked pregnant, too. Either that or she's just very fluffy!

 It's been gray and gloomy outside for what seems "forever". So I'm always glad when it's time to start decorating for Valentine's Day because the pops of red and pink add color and cheer around the house. Even though we don't make a big deal out of this "holiday", I've always liked it because there's no stress...and who doesn't like hearts?

In my bedroom, a tin heart and a hand-stitched Cupid pillow hang from the side of a bookcase...

and best of all, a heart banner made by Connie of Crafty Home Cottage hangs above my bed. I treasure all the things my blogging friends have made for me over the years.

In the kitchen...

Inside my small china cabinet...three out of the four hearts in the white box in the middle were made by Carol of Art and Sand. The fourth (the one in the back, right) was made by Penny of At Home in English Valley.

"The greatest healing therapy is friendship and love" (Hubert H. Humphrey)

Thank you for both. 💓

a cottage, farms, and a baby

 So there's been a lot going on since I've last talked to you all. Don't worry, it's all good.

 Just a long, busy extended weekend. I'll warn you ahead of time - this post will probably
 be quite lengthy and photo heavy, so grab your favorite drink and make yourself
 comfortable. 

Last Thursday, my former yoga-teacher- turned-friend invited me out to her new house for

 a visit. She and her husband recently downsized into an old cottage that they're
 completely rehabbing. I have a pretty good feel for what someone's house is going to
 be like, just from knowing the person. My friend is beautiful, charming, artsy, and mindful
 - and her house reflects the same. I was so busy taking in every detail of her gorgeous
 cottage, that I didn't even think to ask her if I could take pictures. So I took a few of hers
 from her online album. This is the cottage's one and only bathroom...

This huge upstairs loft became their bedroom. I wish I had a picture of it with all

her furnishings and decorations in it. The room is so beautiful that I told my friend,

"I would never leave this room!"

 

This is her kitchen before everything was moved in, too. She painted all the cabinets

a light creamy brown (has a tint of green), then painted the insides of the top cabinets

and left them open.

 

 

The kitchen boasts the 1960's stove which still works just fine! There's a vintage

fridge, too, but I don't have a photo of that.

 

 

On Friday, we were 2-1/2 hours north in Wisconsin at our church's annual Bible

Camp. We don't go anymore, but we like to head up there on the last day to visit

with some people - most especially, one of my dearest friends who lives in Canada

but yet makes the trek to Wisconsin every year to attend this camp. It's really the only

time I ever see her. And did I take any photos of her? Or have someone else take a

photo of the two of us? Of course not. 

Tim came home for the long weekend and on Sunday, the two of us went on a

photography adventure. The weekend before when I had driven out to my best

friend's new house to help her unpack from her move, I passed an abandoned

barn "out in the middle of nowhere". I made a mental note when I passed it, that

I would love to go back and photograph it one day. And I knew Tim would love

to take pictures, too. I still only have my point-and-shoot, but I do the best I can with

 what I have. We started off by taking pictures of the outside of the barn and
 surrounding property. I wish I knew the story behind this barn and land...it looks like
 there might've been a tornado or a fire.

 There was obviously once a house on the property, too. We found the crumbling

remains filled with water.

 The inside of the barn was really creepy. There were a lot of stuffed animals and

dolls lying around in piles of garbage.

 There were old license plates hung on the walls...

and even a Christmas wreath still in place.

 

 On the drive back home, we stopped at another farm to take photos. Look at

all this beautiful, wide-open farm land. It's so beautiful in the summer. You can tell

how hazy and humid it was that day though.

 And then my wonderful, long weekend was completed today by a visit from this

cutie patootie. His mom, Rachel is like my niece. Rachel's mom and I were best

friends from our last year in high school until our late 30's. Rachel and my oldest

son, Phil (who passed away almost five years ago, for those of you who don't know)

were born only two weeks apart. Me and Rachel's mom spent a lot of time together 

back in those days, plus I babysat Rachel while her mom worked. Anyway, Rachel

got married five years ago and moved to Canada, so I hardly get to see her anymore.

And now she has a baby! Rachel, her husband and the baby are in town right now,

so I finally got to hold and kiss this little guy. I wonder how Phil would've felt that his

best childhood friend was already a mom. I think he would've gotten a kick out of 

being "Uncle Phil".