Kitchen Counter Coffee Corner...

I'm a bona fide coffee drinker...

Every morning I grab one of my FAVORITE coffee mugs. I'm partial to them because #1) they are oversized and hold a lot of coffee, and #2) they're so pretty, aren't they?

(Christmas Tree Shop has the design on the right in stock now - at least my local CTS did. I just picked up a few last weekend.)

For Christmas, our girls bought their dad and I a Keurig coffee maker 

and an assortment of K-cups to get us started (great gift, girls!!!!)

It snuggles in nicely under my parakeets, as though this spot was just waiting for it!

Me, the coffee drinker, has flipped for Chai Latte's. I'd never had one before and I just love the flavor (hubby, not so much). 

Mmmmm... It's what I'm sipping on right now while I'm writing this.

So this is my simple little kitchen counter coffee corner!

I hope you all have a wonderful week. 

I'm joining Brenda at Cozy Little House for Tweak It Tuesday
and Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday this week.

Stay warm if you're in snow country! Flurries are in the forecast for us over the next few days and we're back to the 20's after a lovely weekend of 50+ degree weather. Brrrrrrrr.

Donna

How to drive your cat crazy...

...without really trying.

I unintentionally drove poor Baby crazy when I bought our heated bird bath last fall. 

(I forgot to do this post back then!)

(These photos were taken last November, before the snows came. Sweet bare ground, I miss you!)

Normally the bird bath isn't a problem...

... but for a short period of time each day, while the sun changes positions, ...

... it reflects off the water in the bird bath, through the dining room window...

... and onto the living room ceiling...

... where this shimmery, out-of-reach object drives poor Baby crazy!

She moves all around the room...

... trying to figure out how to capture her 'prey.'

Poor Baby. 

She starts on top of the wing chair, working out her game plan...

... and then works her way over to the sofa, which is closer to the reflection.

But try as she might, she's never able to 'capture' it.

The reflection eventually fades away and Baby sets her sights on the birds and squirrels at the screen feeder. Until the next day when the sun hits the bird bath and the games begin again!

Joining Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday this week.

Stay warm and safe, everyone!

Donna

Room with a view...

...if you're looking for a view of snow that is!

We were supposed to get about another 6" of snow today.

Wrong!

I think we got more like a foot on top of what we already have (which is a lot!).

A sweet mourning dove on the screen feeder outside the window. 

I continuously brushed snow off  the feeder all day. One time alone it had about 6" on it.

The little side window of the bay window looks out on the garden gate and arbor, always a favorite place for the birds to hang out as it's in close proximity to the screen feeder. I can't wait to see how the honeysuckle I planted beside the arbor does. I know the clematis will come back strong, as it always does, but hopefully I'll be able to watch hummers at the new vine come May or June!

Mr. Cardinal braved the snow to feed several times today...

... as did Mrs. Cardinal, whose body is twisted here. She did, indeed, have tail feathers!

Almost every time I looked out... 

...there was someone waiting to hop on over to the feeder.

I think these little darlings will be even more happy than I will be to see spring.

What a brutal winter it has been for those who live out in the elements.

Lucky for Baby, she is an indoor kitty.

On cold days like this, she loves to lay in front of the living room bay window on top of the apothecary chest. The heating vents are on the floor right by chest so she gets a regular stream of toasty warm air on her furry little feet.

Today's storm lasted from morning to this evening...

...  and we're due to get a couple of more inches of snow tomorrow.

This winter is a throwback to the kind of snowstorms we had when I was a kid growing up in New England. I left for a few years in the late 70's, but when I returned to New England in the very early 80's we had tons of snow every winter. (I missed out on the Blizzard of '78, the snowstorm to end all snowstorms!)

Then in the mid 80's and for many years afterwards, we had pretty wimpy winters by New England standards... more fog and rain than snow it seemed. So this year has been more like the winters I remember from years gone by.  And while I love the nostalgia of these storms and the memories they bring back, I am soooooo ready for spring!

Stay safe and warm wherever you are!

Donna

No explanation necessary...

Just photos taken of the storm that started yesterday afternoon and lasted into the night. Every single snowflake was captured by using the flash on my camera. Truly a beautiful evening, no matter how tired I am of this winter's snow accumulation.

Stay warm, everyone!!

Donna

Old Man Winter, you have overstayed your welcome...

Spring is going to be sweeter this year for sure!

We have been inundated with cold and snow this winter.

(Don't you love my snowman flag? The artist is my good friend Jeri from Fiddlestix.)

I think Charlotte Bronte must have experienced a winter similar to ours 

when she penned the quotation I used in the above print.

We went out for a late afternoon dinner for Valentine's day. As you can see, the sky was clear and blue today, a nice treat after yesterday's storm.

But I'm afraid it's going to be quite a while before anybody heads out to the deck to enjoy a view of the lake while dining.

Snippets of yesterday's snow coming down in the backyard...

... in the front yard...

... in the driveway...

... and on the deck.

And guess what? Another snowstorm is due tomorrow.

I'm joining Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday this week.

Stay safe and warm wherever you are!

Donna

One Lone Sammy Squirrel...

... braved yesterday's snowstorm...

... to find his way to the screen feeder mounted outside our dining room window.

In yesterday's post I mentioned how I hadn't seen a single Sammy all day long.

Well, I guess this little guy's tummy was growling a bit too much,
because late afternoon he showed up at the feeder....

...  where he knew he'd find a nice meal waiting for him.

I just love these little guys. I know many consider them pests and, yes, 

they can be a wee bit wild and crazy from time to time...

... but just look at those sweet whiskers and those big soulful eyes! They make me melt!

I know that you know that you are welcome here any time, little Sammy. 

I hope spring arrives soon for you and your many friends who grace our little backyard!

(As you can see, Sammy knew he had nothing to fear while I stood about one foot away from him on the other side of the window. I took these photos with my inexpensive point & shoot Canon Power Shot, with the camera pressed right against the window. Apparently Sammy's a lot like Baby - a little ham for the camera!)

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Donna