Snow is not in the forecast here, but very cold temperatures are. It will be going into the teens a few nights this week so I have a pile of drop cloths all ready to cover up my potted plants and star jasmine when the time comes. Last year I came close to losing the jasmine and my potted gardenia to extreme cold weather. I am hoping that covering them through the worst of it will allow them to survive the winter.
How are you all faring in this harsh winter weather?
I must say I have been enjoying the snowy photos so many of you have shared.
While filling the bird feeder this morning, I noticed a few pansies in bloom. The landscape is predictably barren now so the pops of color attracted my attention.
I snipped a wee bouquet for the windowsill of my home office.
A pretty reminder that spring will be our next season.
I've been in the reading mood since the new year began.
I just finished these three. The Susan Wittig Albert series is one I have been making my way through for years. I now have one left and have just ordered it. Can't wait for it to arrive.
These were read years ago. I have them displayed in my bookcase for their winter theme (and colors). I'm thinking I might read that center book again while I'm waiting for my book order to arrive. The author, Maeve Binchy, is sadly no longer with us. I believe I have read all of her books. I don't re-read many books as there are so many that interest me and only so much time. However, her books about small town life in Ireland are just the sort that I am apt to read more than once.
Once I finish a book I enter it into Good Reads to keep track of what I have read and what I want to read in the future. I noticed they have a reading challenge for the year and decided to take them up on it. I have no idea how many books I might read in a year so I came up with what I thought would be reasonable yet still challenging.
I settled on 40 books. It will be interesting to see if that is even close to realistic. If I keep up at the pace I've been reading, I think I would far surpass it. As I know there are other times of year when other things get in the way of reading, I tried to take that into consideration.
Time will tell.
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Stay Warm ~ Stay Safe
Same here, no snow but cold. It's some comforting to know that I don't have to go out in it. I am a member of Good Reads as well. I haven't joined their challenge this year but may. It's always nice to know how much you have read in a year's time. Stay warm, dear friend.
ReplyDeleteI'm tempted to add Susan Wittig Albert to my list of authors to look for but I already have so many books in my to-be-read pile and I don't read as much ( or as fast) as I used to. That being said I have a number of books waiting for me at the library. Once the weather gets nicer I know I'll be outside much more and that means less reading time.
ReplyDeleteI enter the books I read on GoodReads too. I've participated in challenges before but now I just keep track of the ones I read. When I'm in challenges I tend to be obsessed by them.
ReplyDeleteI've just read one book so far this year and will probably finish the second one later this evening.
What state do you live in - I forgot! I'm in northeast IL and we're currently buried with snow - over a foot. And we're experiencing an Arctic blast right now. It's been below zero the past few days and looks to be for a few more days. Daytime temps have been -30 with the wind chill! Horrible. Staying inside and hibernating.
ReplyDeleteI've read both The Snow Child and Winter Solstice. The Snow Child is one of my all-time favorite books.
Melanie, I am in North Carolina. I lived in Michigan for the first 41 years of my life so I do remember lots of snow and cold winters. Your weather now sounds way too cold. Don't think I could handle it anymore. LOL
DeleteI loved The Snow Child too.
I like your winter look; snowflake, candle and even books! I like Maeve Binchy books as well.
ReplyDeleteSeeing those flowers is so cheery! Right now it's 8 degrees here and we're up to 24 inches snow since Friday. I'm ready to be done...
No snow and continuing cold here, too. I love Winter Solstice and have re-read it many times. I haven't participated in any reading challenges, but I do keep track of the books I read each year. Pansies are such pretty little flowers. How nice to have a fresh bouquet.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to see flowers at this time of year. Our daffodils are nearly out and the catkins on the hazels are fattening.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blog
ReplyDeletePlease read my post
ReplyDeleteA lovely pile of books to read, and the smiling faces of the pansy are gorgeous, mine are a bit winter weary looking, but I feel spring is on its way.
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ReplyDeleteBooks and a fire. The perfect combination for a cold winter night!
ReplyDeleteLove your first picture....so wintry and pretty.....love your pics of pansies too....so colorful and something I won't see for many months yet. You must be in a warmer part of the country.
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