Rainy days and Mondays...

I love that song, but I must say that rainy days and Mondays don't get me down.

I couldn't resist doing a second post today in order to share our wet weather
(which the robins will LOVE!).

I woke to the rumble of thunder this morning so I quickly jumped out of bed, not wanting to miss a minute of the approaching storm. I get that from my mom, who loved rain and thunder.

I rolled in the patio cover over the deck (in case of high winds), threw some peanuts out to the few Sammy's, Chip's, and Blue Jays who hadn't sought shelter yet, and then waited.

Within minutes the skies opened and the rain came down in turrents, accompanied by winds so strong that the rain blew horizontally...

... which, in turn, made for some beautiful patterns on the screens, completely obstructing the view outside.

And almost as quickly as it started, it stopped, bringing the outside back into focus.

My poor sun catcher. Several years ago I dropped it and it shattered. I repaired it with clear packing tape because I couldn't bear to part with it.

I hope you all enjoy a wonderful week, whether rainy or sunny!

Comment Update: Hi Sharon! The thunder started sometime after 9 a.m. this morning with the rain following shortly thereafter!

Donna

March: In like a Lion...

... if the lion is a little baby cub.

What a strange New England winter this has been.

This is the extent of the snowstorm we had this first week of March. As you can see, it didn't amount to more than several inches. Back in October we had a freak snowstorm, right before Halloween. But other than the snowfall of October and this one now, we haven't had much more than a dusting all winter long.

 These photos were taken on March 3rd, just 5 days ago, and the snow is already gone as the past two days have been over sixty degrees!

I gave my aloe vera plant a little hair cut the other day. The tips of several pieces had been touching the window when we were having colder weather and the didn't like that. It looks much better snipped back a bit.

I love the ceramic pot I have this plant sitting in.  I remember purchasing it a couple of years ago at a local garden center. What I remember most was that my Dad was with me that day. So many things remind me of him.

I got these little bird stakes at the same time. They look quite at home sitting under the aloe vera stems.

Well, it appears Baby has spotted something out in the yard. Maybe it's that itty bitty Lion Cub that ushered in the month of March!

Enjoy this beautiful month!

I'm linking up to Show & Tell Friday at My Romantic Home. Pop over and see everyone there!

Donna

Broken Glass, Powdered Snow, and a Midnight Visitor...

I love the pressed flower suncatcher that hangs in our dining room window. I've had it for probably 15 years and it's still a favorite. Look closely, though, and you'll see that the glass is badly cracked (an unfortunate accident while filling a window bird feeder last year).


(click any photos to enlarge)
I was heartbroken when it fell and shattered. But I couldn't bear to part with it so I applied packing tape to the front and back as best I could, hoping to keep the glass intact...


Other than the fact that it now has a bit of a 'hazy' look from the tape, it's as good as new...


I also love our little DR bay window that it hangs from. Once upon a time this was a solid wall, but about 15 years ago we decided to open up the dining room to some natural light - and a view!



I couldn't believe how much bigger the house seemed when the contractor cut through the solid wall and natural sunlight flooded the room for the first time.

Now, I can't even imagine not being able to look out into the side yard... Just look how pretty the fresh fallen snow from last night looks... We've been having quite a few little 'snowstorms' here in the Northeast lately, and while I really do long for spring (and being able to sit outside on the deck), I am blown away by the beauty of each new snowfall...

This is the view in the evening, after the snow had stopped falling... It's so peaceful and serene...

I usually toss out a few peanuts in the evening for the 'early bird' Sammy Squirrels (who get up way earlier than I do)... We've discovered they also like dry kitty kibble, as do some of the birds, so a handful of that gets tossed out, too (much cheaper than peanuts)...

But before the squirrels and birds arrived at the breakfast bar, a midnight visitor came calling. Late in the evening something tripped the floodlight on the deck, so we looked out to see what it was, and this is what we saw...

A young possum feasting on the kitty kibble and peanuts.

Now I know that a lot of people think these little critters look just like rats (probably because of their long hairless tails), but I think he's actually quite adorable...

He just nibbled for a few minutes, and then left everything else for the birds and squirrels to find in the morning... I think the animals and birds are probably looking forward to the spring as much as I am!

Donna