WINTER BLOOMS

Right after Thanksgiving, I purchased two large blooming poinsettia plants from Costco. One wilted and died several weeks ago. Yesterday, after tiring of the reminder of Christmas past, I cut the remaining flowers from the plant and put them into water. After the stems were cut, it was necessary to burn the end of the stem to open the water passages to the plant. When cut, the plant secretes a white liquid which gums up the water delivery system. Burning the stem opens these passages. These flowers, actually leaves, will last for several more weeks.

The poinsettia plant is a native of Mexico and was brought to this country by the US Ambassador to Mexico, Joel Robert Poinsett in 1826.

Beautiful!

2nd stem of amaryllis blooms

Pasadena

There are still no leaves on this amaryllis plant. It has been interesting to observe it progress through its life cycle. It sits on our island and receives a quarter turn each day to keep it nice and straight. It wants to turn its head to the sun.

I had a similar lily in my yard in California. Each spring it sent up numerous stems of pink flowers. No leaves appeared until the flowers had all died and then the leaves appeared and lasted until they died back in the fall. The common name for this bulb was Naked Lady.

WHO READS THIS STUFF?

McKay Today Magazine BYU Magazine

Fall 2011 Winter 2012

One of the pleasures of retirement is having the time to read for enjoyment.... books, magazines, newspapers, and online. Though our local library is small, it certainly serves me well. Those who know me, know that I subscribe to over 15 magzines a month...everything from Vogue, to Smithsonian, National Geographic, Time, English Gardens, Better Homes and Gardens and Architectural Digest to name a few. Each of these is read cover to cover and back again each month. Toward the middle of the month, I am anxious for the mail to come and eager for a new magazine to peruse.

Four times a year I am sorely disappointed when I shuffle through the mail hoping for Veranda or Southern Living and instead come across BYU Magazine or McKay Today. Why are we receiving these magazines? We certainly have not subscribed to them. Chuck does send a small donation each year and he did graduate from the Y. I attended BYU for 3 years.... But, Why? They are promptly tossed into a basket until the next time we clean out the clutter and file them into the "round file".

Today, I was desperate. Football on all day. SL Tribune read.....magazines read.... I was desperate and started looking for something in the baskets. BYU Magazine caught my eye.....boring!!!!! But, I gave it a shot and being thumbing through the pages....History of the King James version of the Bible, History of Cosmo the Cougar ( I actually skimmed this one), BYU grads serving in the Foreign Service, and thennnnnnn, it caught my eye......Vive la Blog.

Seems Gabrielle Stanley Blair a BYU grad "while on Twitter learned that Time magazine had named her website one of the best of the year." Her blog designmom.com is about parenting and design. This family of six children relocated to France for a year.

Their house hunt was aired on House Hunters International (I actually think I saw the episode). The pictures, text, and links are fabulous!!!!!!!! Bored?.....it will provide hours of entertainment and ideas. Their French farmhouse is called Cressonniere and dates from the 1600s. Calling all Francophiles!!!

In a coming post, I will share some valuable info gleaned from McKay Today magazine. This mag, actually more of an ed. journal, from McKay School of Education is actually very informative for teachers and parents of young children.

WET AND BEAUTIFUL.....JANUARY 21, 2012

Snowed for about four hours today covering everything with wet slushy snow. The temperature today is a warm 32 degrees. When it stopped, Chuck and I worked for two hours ploughing and shoveling....too wet for the snow blower. The dogs raced and chased each other and we enjoyed being out and doing something physical and productive. It is beautiful, but not as magical as it was the first couple of years we were here.

Saw a lone bald eagle wheeling above the hills west of our property today. It is obviously back searching out a safe place to lay eggs and raise young eaglets in the spring. Don't know if they return to the same nest and just repair it or if they build a new one. In the next weeks we will see five to seven adult eagles flying all at once near our home. Fascinating Creatures!

SPRING CLEANING...JANUARY 18, 2012

Carpet cleaners came yesterday and cleaned the rugs and carpets in our entire house.

Furniture was moved in every room, so when it was time to replace the furniture, I decided to make a change.

Chuck was not too happy about having to move the couch over and under and back again. But, I think he is happy with the new look.

I love Change!

Inside or out, I am always looking for a new vision.

And....I love the new arrangement! How about you?

Do you love these little red birds? Judy and I bought these little votives at Tai Pan when she was here in December. I only purchased 6, but the next time I am in Salt Lake, I am going to buy at least 6 more. In fact, I am hoping they come in other colors....blue, yellow, green, purple...fabulous!!!!!!

The temperature in Heber today is in the mid thirties. Yesterday, it was 18 degrees. Bits of left over snow from a week ago, but basically no snow in Northern Utah. The resorts are making snow, but not enough to make skiers happy. The weatherman says, snow is on its way...4 storms in a row. Steven called this morning to ask if we were prepared.....gas for the snowblower?.....remember to push the snow wayyyyy beyond the edge of the driveway with the plow! But,,,,,,,so far, nothing....2:20 pm. The wind has blown hard all day....dogs have been in with windows down. The weather is a BIG DEAL in Utah. We are ready!!!! Say turned. Carl, book your flight. The skiing should be out of this world. However, the weatherman says, that avalanche conditions will be EXTREME!!!!!! Icy base with new fluffy snow on top. You can be sure that the skiers will up at the crack of dawn tomorrow to ski the powder.

THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE

Spent the weekend with Steven and Aly and their adorable children. Took my camera to lunch to document the ocassion, but it was dead. Total Blank.....

Dead battery....again. I need a new one.

I never tire of boasting about my children, and I am sure that you look forward to these posts as much as I do. So, enjoy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PEYTON

Happy Birthday Peyton

Today you are 4 Years Old

You have beautiful blue eyes and soft curly Hair

You are kind and sweet to your brother and Sisters

Brooklyn loves you and wishes you a Happy Birthday, Too

You are playful and always have a smile on your Face

Cousins, sisters, and Best Friends Forever

Emily loves to kiss you and wish you Happy Birthday

Your Family

Brooklyn, Peyton, Logan, Emily

Poppy and I love You and wish you a Happy Birthday

Your mother and daddy are glad that you are their Daughter

and both wish you a Happy Birthday

Peyton is one of four children in her family. She loves her little brother and treats him with kindness and gentleness. She wants him to be happy and consoles him when is sad or angry.

Peyton and Brooklyn share a room and enjoy playing together both inside and outside of their home. They jump on the trampoline in the back yard and ride their new purple bicycles in their front yard and to the park. Emily is a wonderful big sister who helps and plays with all the children in her family.

Peyton goes to pre-school four days a week. She is learning to listen to her teacher and classmates and to play nicely with all of the members of her class. She is learning to count and to recognize letters and numbers. Her cousin Paige is in her class at school. It is always nice to have a special friend to play with on the playground.

Peyton, Poppy and I love you and wish you a Happy, Happy Birthday!

CHRISTMAS ODDS AND ENDS

Jennifer and Aly were always on hand to help with Dinner

.....and so was Karen. Alisa was taking pictures because I was too involved to record the action.

Logan and Brooklyn are in wonder watching this perpetual motion machine.

They are outside of the toy shop after lunch at the Grand Hotel in SLC

Brooklyn, Peyton, Logan, and Emily Rees

Children of Jennifer and Craig

Aubrey, Summer, and Macy

Came to Heber for a couple of days the week before Christmas to bake and make a gingerbread house.

Aubrey coloring at the bar as she waits for breakfast.

Macy also waits patiently.

Aubrey, Summer and Macy decorating cut-out sugar cookies.

CHRISTMAS FLOWER SHOW

HAPPY NEW YEARS 2012

In full bloom on New Years Day

Paperwhites started their bloom Christmas Week

There are few things that are more interesting than watching things grow .....be they children, animals or plants. These paperwhites have grown 28 inches in 37 days. Though these bulbs require daily attention, they are well worth the effort. I have cut the spent blooms, but the plants are still lovely.

Planting the week after Thanksgiving was perfect for the paperwhites, but the week before Thanksgiving would have been better for amaryllis Christmas blooms.

In the last couple of days, a leaf has appeared at the base of the stem of the amaryllis. Who knows what surprises are in store for me in the coming weeks.