Winter Arrived . . . unfortunately

Saturday morning we woke up at 7 am to 5 to 8 inches of powder.

A winter wonderland.

The chows went to the pasture where it was the deepest and enjoyed it.

Lots of walks.

Lord Roman can't get any happier!

The wind began to kick up and started blowing the snow off the limbs.

The new paint color looks so much better in the snow!

A few hours later, the sky began to clear and turned a beautiful turquoise. 

The photos look like postcards.  This place is so beautiful.  I am lucky to live here.

Bamboo bowing to the snow.

Even the old man has a smile on his face.  Never too cold for a chow, but too cold for his masters!

This morning the sun was coming up and flocks of robins were singing.  I think they know it is going to be 70 degrees on Friday, and I must say, I am looking forward to that.  One week of winter is enough for me!

Learning the functions of my new telescopic lens.  This shot is the house way up there on the top of the mountain taken with my camera.

Same house with the telescopic lens.  I found out it definitely will have to be mounted on the tripod because of the weight which makes my hand shake.  Also need to learn to focus.  I had no idea what this house looked like.  Next photo, with some practice, should be clear and detailed.

On the rescue front, this is Leo.  I pulled him four years ago from a Georgia shelter and drove to meet my friend from Jacksonville so she could adopt him.  

Sadly, Leo passed a few months ago unexpectedly and Valerie and I started looking at seniors in shelters for her to adopt.  Valerie is on the left and her granddaughter Stephanie is on the right.  

Valerie saw Dutch in an NC shelter and had to have him.  My friend Betty kept him for the week while I set up a volunteer transport for Saturday.  Then news of the storm coming, and I scrambled to get him on the road Friday to his new home.  He made it and is doing great with Muffin and KoKo!  Val hasn't changed in four years!

Turquoise

Look what I found yesterday!

Old and very dirty, I will let buyer clean it, but even beautiful dirty.

Going to be hard to part with this one!

Brought home a box of glass shades, lanterns and this chandelier.  Something to keep me busy during the snow storm that is coming!

Day 1 of 2017!

Started the morning off with some awesome popovers.

Stu & Linda came over for an Irish coffee and to see the progress on the house.  I got to use my vintage mugs.  I should have company more often!

Bob liked it so much, he had two!

My birthday is the week between Christmas and New Years, and this year I got some really nice gifts.  This vintage deer candle is from Linda and will be on the mantle once it is cleared of the Christmas decor.

Debra bought me some very comfortable garden clogs depicting a Holstein cow to remind me of my cow Roxanne. 

Linda also gave me these beautiful, tall beeswax candles handmade by a friend of hers.   They are also going on the mantle.

Bob bought the shoes that have been on my Pinterest board for a couple of years.  They are very comfortable.

The word is out that I like owls and glitter!

My biggest and best birthday surprise came from my mom, 15 lbs. of mealworms that will lure in the bluebirds!  Unfortunately they are made in China, so time to look for a USA source, which friends are already tagging me on (lol).

The week before Christmas I was asked by Heart Rescue of NY to see if I could get Zeus out of a Montgomery, AL, shelter and to my friend Alisha in GA.  DONE!!  Zeus was adopted and in a home in NJ within six days, fastest  save and adoption ever!!

Zeus with my friend David in Atlanta being driven on transport.  I think he's relaxing after being in the shelter for months.

This is Dutch, a senior in a horrible shelter on the other side of NC.  I have two girls going to evaluate him today with their dogs.  If he passes, he will be out of the shelter and I will be setting up a transport to Jacksonville, FL, to my good friend Valerie who wants to adopt him.

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS:  Portion control and finish painting     EVERYTHING!