We woke up this morning to wet, heavy snow in the trees and on the ground (and everything else).  Usually our first snow doesn’t “stick” or last very long because the ground is still too warm.  I don’t know if this snow is here for the winter or not, but it sure is pretty out this morning.

This is a branch of the crab tree right out our kitchen window.  I have to be the laziest photographer in the world.  When I say Out My Window, that’s exactly what I mean.  I’ve removed the screens from key windows so when I want to take a picture, I can just crank the window open and have an unobstructed view.  If it’s a bird up close, however, I just shoot through the window.  Here is our view out the back window:

Not a particularly interesting picture, except it looks like black and white, and this is actually in color.  Makes me want to stay in and make soup today.  In the lower part of the picture you can see the walking path that goes around our “lake”.  It’s called a lake, but when we’ve had a dry spell, I’ve seen ducks standing up in the middle. 

Yesterday was DayStitchers, and it was our last box exchange of the year.  (We each have a box of chosen fabrics, designated theme, etc. and once a month from May to October we exchange boxes, and make a block for someone else’s box.)  I’m posting a collage of each collection of blocks here, but I will also be posting individual pictures on my Box tab at the top of this page.

(You should be able to click once or twice on the photo to make it a little larger.)

Clockwise from the upper left we have:  Jan’s Batiks, Jane’s Stars & Pinwheels, Joan’s Chickens, Jean’s Civil War, Betty’s Florals, Sue’s Cowboy Boots, Cathy’s Hearts, Kate’s Chickens, Pam’s Blue Baskets (she appliques the pink flowers when she gets the baskets back), LaVonne’s Minnesota Twins, and in the center is Arlis’ Birdhouses.

Some people have more than six blocks because they continued their same theme from last year.  I plan to continue my cowboy boot blocks.  I asked the ones who get my box to make a cowboy boot that reflects their personality, so I would like to end up with a boot from everyone in the group.  We’ve had a lot of fun with these boxes.  It’s a small task to make a block during a month, and it’s sooooo much fun on exchange day to see what everyone has made. 

Sue

PS:  I just had to add another photo.  The above gray-looking photo at the beginning of this post was taken Friday morning about 9:30.  It’s less than four hours later, and the view is dramatically different.  The photo below shows the 9:30 am photo on top, the 1:00 pm photo on the bottom:

So I guess, even though the thermometer says 37 degrees, it isn’t REALLY winter yet!  And maybe a reminder that we shouldn’t judge our day by the way it starts out.  It could end up being really lovely!

Sue