Tuesday, January 06, 2015

Good morning, snow!

This morning we have fluffy white stuff falling from the sky!


That was at 6:45-ish.  Now that it is almost 9am the flakes are a lot bigger and there are a lot more of them.  Lots and lots more of them. [I think the herbs in the planter box may be toast-- -don't you?]   Save for the driving in it part (my poor sister!), it is really cool.

For comparison, yesterday it looked like this:


My American friends, that's your National Christmas Tree.  It is probably undecked today as they were dismantling its compound yesterday morning.    And yesterday's chilly winds did not dissuade the "photo club" at the White House (though it did bring down the numbers considerably)--


Oh, something I never noticed/paid attention to before was this monument in the sidewalk between the White House and the National Christmas Tree.  It is the official Zero Milestone marker set in 1920 and from which all roads in the U.S. were supposed to be measured -- apparently that didn't happen, but we still have the milestone and a remembrance of the first Transcontinental Motor Convoy which went from DC to San Francisco in 1919.


I'm going to break the cool travel-ness here, and shoe-horn some stitching in -- otherwise you might think I was avoiding the issue...... you would be right!

I joined the By the Bay's Serenity Harbor SAL for the year, and for the last few days I've been jealously watching people's progress.  When i was packing I just could not see my way clear to packing this bundle:


That is a badly-lighted (sorry) pic of my floss toss for this.  See-- that's a pretty big bundle to pack.  So I am just going to have to wait until I give up my East Coast fling to get needles in to this one.

Ok, warning,  I am saying this up front:  this is NOT mine.  I merely facilitate the finishing for my friend Judy.

Isn't it pretty?  And we had the perfect shade of velvet in the finishing corral at the shop!  Such miracles do not happen every day!


She did a great job.  I sure would love to claim it as mine!...... especially since the eagle-eyed amongst you will note there are no pictures of my stitching progress since I have very little to show for the last few days.  Oops!

Ok, enough slight of hand,,,,   back to pretty vacation pics.

I was in DC a day before the family and I decamped for an early Christmas in St. Louis with one family bundle.  The first night in St. Loius we headed out to the light display at the Botanical Gardens and it was SPECTACULAR!  Kudos STL!!!!!!


Nope. That is not part of the Christmas lights, but I love Chihuly.

How cool is what I call "the light saber garden?!!"



For the Doctor Who fans... I don't think they meant to do this... or maybe they are fans too who could not resist......





And I leave you with a minor theme of my photos ...  the first pet of the holidays (besides Princess, of course).  Meet Q -- totally mellow and peaceful until you mention the "S" word.  [Squirrel]


Happy Tuesday!

P.S.  In case there is a very observant person out there who pays attention to my sidebar, you will note that in my Reads Allegedly in Process, Stephen King has appeared.  Now, that's not something I EVER imagined happening... ever.  But the 13-year-old nephew gave it to me for Christmas explaining that he remembered us talking about Edgar Allan Poe last year and he understood that King had his roots in Poe so obviously it was the perfect thing for Aunt Ruth.  Gulp.  What's an aunt to do? ---- Suck it up and read, that's what!  lol  Preening proudly that I've "raised" another generation of book people.

11 comments:

Samplings from Spring Creek said...

No snow just super cold. Going to stay inside and dismantle Christmas

Melissa said...

Looks like your having some wonderful travel! My word, that pillow is absolutely stunning. Even though you didn't stitch it, thanks for sharing it so we could all enjoy it, too. :)

Hazel said...

Oh oh I sucked in my breath at the last picture of Q as he looks just like my old dog, Cindy when I was young. Oh how that brings back memories. I saw the By the Bay one and it looks super! x

Linda said...

Awesome pictures Ruth. Thanks for sharing. That snow looks really cold.

Linda

Mouse said...

thank you for the tour ... love the light sabers and the wee light balls had a giggle at the shadow .. gorgeous finishing of the cushion and wayyyy to go on the reading front :) love mouse xxxxx

Loretta said...

Love your pics. TFS.

Thoeria said...

Oh I love the white stuff!! Wish we had that here during winter!
Had a chuckle at your penguins....bet they lived the white stuff too :)
I have yet to start the Serenity Sampler ....the fabric I ordered in November is no doubt still stuck in the 4 month mountain of back logged mail!
Great pics!
I've never been a King fan....how are you finding it?

Mylene said...

Beautiful pictures!

Here's starting to get stormy so afraid no white stuff here this winter or maybe next month...it can still appear till March...

barbara said...

I did not notice the S. King in your sidebar, but he is a favorite of mine. His book on writing is the best. And his novels, even the really crappy ones LOL, kept me connected to Maine when I was too far away.

LOVE your photos in this post! WOW. :)

Susan said...

I also love Chihuly and seeing that picture *almost* makes up for the lack of stitching pictures in this post. We had that white stuff Tuesday and I am not loving it although 1-2 inches is a far better amount than the 20 inches we already had by this time last year. So glad you got to spend some time with your family and kudos to you for helping to raise a reader!

Maureen said...

Thanks for sharing your pics. As a Doctor Who fan i would have ran a mile if I saw that angel!