Tag Archives: winterstorms

friday files

1 Reply

Yesterday started out at almost 50, and pouring rain, and by midnight it was 10 and snowing. We got about 5 inches which is covering a sheet of thick ice. The kiddo has a snow day and Brandon only has one meeting; she’s still sleeping, he’s making cinnamon rolls, I’m taking some vacation time to hang out with them and hit the sled hill when it warms up.

I have a couple of beauty product recommendations for today – although if you saw me lately you may not want to take them. (No affiliations, just products I’ve tried and like.) I am playing chicken with myself about coloring my greys and I’m looking a little feral. But my stylist convinced me to try this brush for my shoulder length, layered cut and it’s a two thumbs up. It’s a very light carbon and heats up with the blow dryer to act almost as a curling iron. The bristles are perfectly spaced. It was pricey – far more than any other brush I’ve ever had – but worth it so far.

Along with coloring my hair, I need to get my eyebrows shaped and tinted. As I age, they have thinned out and I’ve tried probably 20 different drugstore pencils, pomades, and gels. So far, this is the best gel type pomade (my favorite pencil is from Aveda). It also has an amazing dense, soft brush for fluffing.

We always have to try the new Oreo types and the kid says these are pretty good.

What’s everyone up to this weekend? I am making beef stew, the kiddo has a theater rehearsal, and tomorrow I have a day-long basket weaving class at the Michigan Folk School. Just when I think I can’t get any crunchier, I level up. Be well and enjoy. xx

the last one of 2020

3 Replies

We spent the end of the year quite pleasurably up north with my parents. I got out for a trail run and the Michigan lakeshore was like an alien landscape, empty, with high waves and wind and a low, pale sun.

“There are such a lot of things that have no place in summer and autumn and spring. Everything that’s a little shy and a little rum. Some kinds of night animals and people that don’t fit in with others and that nobody really believes in. They keep out of the way all the year. And then when everything’s quiet and white and the nights are long and most people are asleep—then they appear.”
Tove Jansson, Moominland Midwinter

I got dug into a dense book from my dad’s bookshelf and we played a lot of poker.

My parents are wonderful and we love spending time with them. They are gentle, intelligent, funny, and generous. I have so much gratitude for their continued strong presence in our lives, their good health and safety.

However, their cats hate us – they’re rescue cats and they are accustomed to having a very quiet existence with my folks. I’m making inroads, though.

We left for home on a snowy morning that quickly turned to rain, and now we are home, in front of the fire with many blankets and food and wine, to ring in the New Year.

I love some statistics so here’s my 2020 Year in Books.

https://www.goodreads.com/user/year_in_books/2020/15419153

And my Top Nine of 2020!

Thank you all for reading and following and sharing my ups and downs. There’s nothing else I can say about this year that hasn’t already been said, and said well. So I will end with deep gratitude for what I have and hope for the future. I truly value the connections I’ve made via this blog. Happy New Year to you all and we look forward to a blessed and better 2021.

weekend randoms

2 Replies

bbc92bda-0f18-442b-8320-650e7dcf6af6

Emmett is off his kitty Prozac and feeling needy

We spent most of yesterday with our eyes on the skies and our weather apps as the forecasters had told us to expect an “unprecedented” winter storm that would “more than likely” result in power outages. We hauled our woodpile into the garage and then watched it rain, and rain, and rain, and then sleet a little bit, and this morning it’s brightly sunny and clear. Don’t get me wrong – I am NOT complaining.

img_7181-1

Our sideyard always floods!

My mom got me this skillet cookbook for Christmas along with two hardcore cast iron skillets and last night I made a chicken and rice recipe. It was excellent and I can’t wait to try some skillet bread & other recipes. There’s something about cast iron.

I’m trucking on my sweater and finished the ribbing, so very soon will be starting on sleeves and maybe have an unblocked, work-in-process photo to share…just a reminder that I’m knitting the Pink Memories pattern by Isabell Kraemer. I also got these adorable progress keepers from the Etsy shop Bump on a Hill and I can’t wait to use them on the sleeves.

f2c1e84b-2455-4645-9f4c-9336b9762123

I’m doing a lot of knitting to a new-to-me vlog these days – Talasbuan, about a couple in Sweden going off-grid. The photography is just lovely and their journey fascinating.

And we are still on the fence about the new Dracula on Netflix, but likely going to tune in for the second episode tonight!

I hope you are warm and dry and I will see you here on Tuesday for Show Us Your Books – I have a couple great ones to share!

xo

img_7179