The dogs' last workday for the year...

Penny with feathers hanging off her tongue. We have to take them off of their mouths with our gloves so they don't get a stomach full.

This is the woodstove near the picnic area (where we all eat lunch together). I am usually huddled there for the time we are eating. It was not on today since it was above 30 degrees.

The hunters are at stands when they shoot. The dog handlers are behind them and send the dogs out after they shoot a bird. Our chair is in the background. The shooters rotate stands every ten minutes or so, when the horn blows.

Millie with a bird she retreived. She gets a little possessive at times and tries to keep picking them back up when we put them in a pile.

Millie and Penny watching a bird fly. They have to wait until we tell them to go before getting the dead bird. Millie is ten and a half already and has arthritis, so we hope she can work again next year, but if she has to retire, at least she got to have a great season this year.

Finished block-of-the-month quilt top!

This is the BOM quilt we just finished this month. We were told that we should make the blocks, the frames around them and then put them all together as we went along. So, at least when I made the last one last night, it was all ready to be put together and get ready for quilting.

We called this quilt Bazaar because of all the colors mixed together within the blocks and then we could use any colors we wanted to make the frames around each block. The rust and yellow match my living room colors.

At the wildlife refuge

Three ducks on the wing.

Our favorite tree. It always looks like a Christmas tree, even in the spring.

What is it about being in the mid-to-late 40s that means I can never see a restroom without needing to use it?

New haircut, candy and fun times!!

We took a ride out to Orient Point today to get candy and just ride around. This is the Long Island Sound, which is very pretty all year round.

Kenny and Evelyn usually cut my hair (or I do it myself), but this morning, Ken told me to see if I could go get it done by a professional. It turned out that the salon near me had an appointment open at 9 a.m., so off I went. First professional haircut in like 4 years! I like it too. I'll probably have it up in a ponytail by tomorrow, but I will try to keep it like this.

We went to The Candyman for our annual Easter basket candy. They have the best stuff there. That big bunny is the best. We only got little ones though. And of course, jelly beans...I love jelly beans!!

Then we went for a walk at the wildlife refuge. It's Kenny's favorite place in the world. He goes for a walk there almost every day instead of walking on the treadmill.

Knitted tea cozy from my SIL!!!

I was in a tea cozy swap at MJF and spent hours looking for some to make myself. I do not knit, but loved this one!! I sent the link to my SIL and she made it to bring to me when she came yesterday. She put it on my chicken teapot and it looks so cute. On top of the cozy, there are three little chicks sitting on a nest. I love it and plan to use it this weekend when I am sewing and cleaning.

This weekend (March 15) is the anniversary of my friend's son's death. It is so hard to believe a year has gone by and that he has been gone that long. We will all be spending some time at the family's house on Sunday to help them get through the day.

Company's coming!

Tomorrow night a few of the teachers from school are coming for dinner!! We are having a spiral ham, mashed potatoes, veggies (maybe asparagas, broccoli and corn), homemade bread and mulled cider. A feast on a weeknight!! YAY! We have not gotten together for a few months, so it is especially exciting. My friends will be bringing desserts from a fabulous bakery near their home (maybe a cheesecake and some cookies). Bakery desserts are such a treat. They really make an occasion even more fun and special.

Then the next night, my SIL is coming from upstate!! She is one of my best friends in the world, so I am thrilled about her visit. It will only be two days, then she is off to her friend's a little ways east of us. Very fun. She loves to go to quilt shops with me, which is always a great time. She knits, so she appreciates the labor put into handmade items.

I can sew in the attic again!!

Here is my little space away from the main parts of the house. I can sew to my heart's content and leave my projects out and just shut the door. Kenny and I bought all of the storage bins (and some you cannot see) at Target yesterday.

This attic is also my walk in closet for my clothes. They are on the left. We put a rocking chair on the same side so I can look at my books while I sit up there. I have a little stereo by the chair too. It's so peaceful and it's like a secret room all of my own.

Here is a "before" picture of the hallway full of junk from the attic. Kenny and our son, Rob, cleaned the room out on Thursday and Friday and took tons of stuff out of there to donate to the library (10 huge boxes of books) and bags of clothes to donate to the poor. I think we gave away about 12 bags of nice clothes that Evy, Rob and I no longer wear. You just don't realize how much stuff you have. We are trying to simplify these days and get away from clutter.

Ken says I should be horrified and embarrassed to show this picture of the attic before it was organized, but you know me...not easily shamed!! I am so happy this job is done though. We were just dumping stuff in there whenever we ran out of time to find a home for whatever we were holding in our hands at the time. Now it's all nice and neat.

I was hoping to go to Pennsylvania for a few days in April, but was committed to doing this project then. How cool that Ken and Rob started it without me this past week. All done!! Now I can go to Pennsylvania during my Easter vacation and not feel pressured to come home and clean that mess.

How we keep warm!

Wood waiting to be stacked and measured out into cords.

We have used about three of these rows so far. We'll use another row or more before the season is over. One row was sold in exchange for work on our driveway this spring.

More work to do to keep us warm for another winter. Probably next year.

This has to be a man thing. My husband loves to go take a look at the log pile every now and then, and he brings me to see it when we go for a ride on the weekend. The log piles are in a town about ten minutes from us, on his aunt's property.

The last stand of winter??

Ken and Rob working together on the driveway. This was about 10:30 am. No sun at all.

Penny the snowdog!!

I asked Rob if he was sorry he didn't go to the University of Florida this year instead of SUNY at Stony Brook/Southampton. One look says it all!! :)

Ken and his machine. It sure does throw the snow far. It took 2 1/2 hours to do the driveways and the paths to the woodpile and the chicken coop. Plus, the area across the street where the kids keep their cars.

Ken is cold!! Well, at least we know that this might be the last storm of the season? I made them cookies for their hard work. Seemed fitting!