CANDLEMAS....DID YOU KNOW?

By Candlemas, February 2 (the feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple), the worst of winter is past. The days are lengthening. The "lengthen season" - the original meaning of Lent - comes soon. The world aches for springtime. Forty days ago, on Christmas Day, a light was kindled. On Epiphany this light rose to twinkle from the stars. And this starlight is placed in our arms. 

The feast of the Presentation comes midway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. I wasn't too quick to say farewell to our nutcracker mantle since the lights sparkle and shine and make each day cozy and bright. It will reluctantly be dismantled after the Presentation on February 2. Just in time for Saint Valentine's Day, our wedding anniversary. 

To compliment the wintry colors on the nutcracker mantle,  I laid out seed catalogs to remind me that spring is just around the corner. Even though we have had a very mild (and very different) winter, I long for spring and the lengthening of the days.

I am joining Seasonal Sundays, Mosaic Monday and the Cozy Home Party. Thank you for stopping by! If you leave a comment, I will know you were here and would love to stop by for a visit.

Debbie

WHOOOOT LOVES YOU.....I DO!

I know there are a lot of owl lovers out there. 
HOOT! HOOT!

 I fondly remember a walk through the woods and discovering a great horned owlet with a broken wing. Although the owl was only in my possession for about four hours, I will always remember "Hootie" and my desire to protect him and not leave him on the forest floor to die. 

Hootie was taken from my arms by a wildlife rehabilitator in our area, and was later was transported to Cornell  in Ithaca, New York where his wing was repaired. After rehabilitation, Hootie made his permanent home at a zoo. As an injured owlet, he never learned survival skills to make it in the wild. Male and female owlets look alike, so for no particular reason, I decided to refer to Hootie as a "he". In the picture below, these fluffy owls look just like Hootie did when I found him.

from the internet

After the "rescue" of Hootie, co-workers gifted me with a book that I have enjoyed reading again and again. In the book, "Bubo" was a baby great horned owl that was found buried in the snow in the Vermont woods by a scientist, and he was able to get permission to keep the owl and study its development. If you can find the book, I know you will enjoy it. An Owl in the House - A Naturalist's Diary 

I used owl print fabric to make napkins and a small table runner for the table.  

 The owl plates were also used in a Halloween tablescape. 

Since owls live in the woods, the glass owl vase was filled with greens and branches, and then I added some red roses for our romantic dinner. Whoooot loves ya Mr. Mountain Breaths! Happy Birthday to You!!

The owl napkin rings/place card holders and the owl vase were found at Hobby Lobby last year. 

As I was setting the table for Joe's birthday dinner, I snapped one last photo and it was during Blue Hour.

Look at these sweet owl cards that I bought on Etsy. The donation goes for the research of Cockayne Syndrome. Click here.
 What is CS?

I am joining Shannon's Cozy Home Party. Shannon is a wonderful host, and would love you to join her party on Mondays. And of course, Tablescape Thursday. Thank you for stopping by! 

xxoo

Debbie

AMAZING HEATHER

I am sharing a story by Heather Von St. James that visited my blog and emailed some information on her diagnosis of  Mesothelioma. Look how beautiful and healthy Heather looks in the family picture below! According to Heather, she was diagnosed with Mesothelioma when her daughter Lily was 3 1/2 months old. Lily is now 6 years old, and Heather is cancer free! "I'd like to turn my pain into purpose and become someone that other parents can look to for guidance," she wrote.  I know you will gain something from her story on the Mesothelioma blog. She is truly an inspiration, and very blessed! 

  

JOYFUL CHICKADEE TABLE

When I found this chickadee platter at Home Goods in October, I had no idea how much I could fall in love with it.  Since then, I have seen the teapot and plates on a few different blogs. The marking on the platter says Global Design Connections (Kate Williams). I hope it is still available if you are looking to add it to your collection! 

The red polka dot plates were stored in our basement so I grabbed them for our chickadee table. They are so cheery, especially when we have so little sunshine this time of year. 

The white dinner plates are from Oneida. We are lucky enough to have the Oneida outlet here in Central New York, and they have bargains. I think I paid $2.00 for the dinner plates last year, and they came with coordinating salad plates which I think were $1.50. 

This snowman below is my favorite even though he's not so perfect. His carrot nose got broken a few years ago but a little glue made him whole again. 

I just noticed that the red glass is reflected in the silverware. On the table is a photo album which I labeled "JOY", a gentle reminder to be joyful always. 

If you missed my post on the Tweet Treats for the chickadees and cardinals, you will find the instructions here.

I'm joining the Cozy Home Party and Tablescape Thursday. Thank you for stopping by! 


Debbie


Be joyful always.

Debbie

TWEET TREATS

I know I'm not the only one that loves cardinals. The male Northern Cardinal is perhaps responsible for getting more people to open up a field guide than any other bird. They're a perfect combination of familiarity and style: a shade of red you can't take your eyes off. Even the brown females sport a sharp crest and warm red accents. Cardinals are breathtaking in winter's snowy backyards. In summer, their sweet whistles are one of the first sounds of the morning. 

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, my heart is into hearts. I found the instructions for Tweet Treats at the FamilyFun.com site and used my heart shaped cookie cutters to make treats for the birds. I took these pictures just before Old Man Winter arrived. 

A fun project to make with children too. 

Enjoy!

Materials

                        1/4-ounce package of unflavored gelatin

2 cups of your favorite wild birdseed

Three 4-inch mini bundt or fluted pans (I used heart shaped cookie cutters)

Colorful ribbon

Instructions

1. To make a batch, bring 6 tablespoons of water to a boil. Empty one 1/4-ounce package of unflavored gelatin (we used Knox brand) into 2 tablespoons of cold water in a large bowl. Let the gelatin sit for 1 minute, then add the boiling water and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until the gelatin has dissolved.
2. Next, stir 2 cups of your favorite wild birdseed into the gelatin, mixing thoroughly. Let the mixture set for a few minutes, then stir again. Repeat this process a few times, if necessary. Then I lined a cookie sheet with parchment paper, and laid the cookie cutters down. I spooned the seed mixture into the cookie cutters, and let them refrigerate in my breezeway overnight.  (I cut a plastic drinking straw into one inch pieces, and placed the straw into the heart to make a hole for the ribbon to hang the treats.)
3. The directions said to refrigerate them for three hours and allow them to air-dry overnight. 
4. Finally, tie colorful ribbon around your seed treats and hang them outside in a protected spot, such as under an awning or eaves, where the rain won't melt them.

Thank you for stopping by! I am joining Seasonal Sunday. 

Debbie