Life in the Bristolwood

Michelle had plans to visit with her friend Jacob this afternoon.  Before we left,  we had to move, shovel, and plow snow again.  There really wasn’t a lot, but Mark wants to make sure he keeps up with it. 

As we passed by Woodville on our way, Mark and I couldn’t believe how beautiful the lake appeared. It was as smooth as glass.  Mark pulled into the boat launch so I could take a few photos….and I didn’t even have to ask him!

Those “spots” are actually ice fishermen.  I was surprised at how close they were to the edge of the ice.  Must be the fish like to hang out there!

And here is one looking up the lake towards Canandaigua.

There was what looked like a mist up the lake but in thinking about it, it might have been an area of snow squalls. It was that kind of day, after all.

We dropped Michelle at Jacob’s house and then went to Canandaigua.  Mark and Ben did a little shopping while I waited in the truck with the Scotties.  By the time the guys finished their shopping, it was time to pick Michelle back up once again! As we drove southward towards Middlesex,  I noticed that the scenery had changed from earlier….a wet, sticky snow was “decorating” everything it fell on.  Think in terms of a gingerbread house!

We arrived back home in the dark, but I just had to take a few pictures.  I LOVE this kind of snow. On the way out to the back deck, the roses Mark and I picked up at Sam’s Club the day of the big storm were just calling out to have their photo taken!

Should I tell you, Dear Reader, that those roses sell there for $5.87 a dozen?  No kidding….

Yes, of course…I really did need to take a closeup of the Scottie weathervane.  I love it all decorated!

The lilac bush in the side yard is almost as awesome with its snowy shroud as when it flowers!

When I got upstairs, I opened the bedroom window and took a photo of the trees outside.

The temperature has mellowed to the point where it is staying right at freezing.  This produces that wet sloppy snow that frosts everything! And tomorrow morning?  We will be back outside once again, shovels in hand and ready to go!

How about a little trip to the Buffalo Botanical Gardens? Oh, and there happened to be an Amaryllis show….

I was totally shocked to see that Buffalo has no more snow than we have!

Yes, I am afraid Angus just does not want to cooperate with me!!!  Well, not really. It is just that there is so much going on around here,  I have not had the time (or energy) to photograph the little fellow.

The kids had a friend over yesterday and they went sledding for awhile, ate, then went down to Naples for a concert.  I was so pooped after running around!  I was also trying to watch a Sabres game between taking two runs to Naples, so it was really crazy! Thankfully, the Sabres won. Yay!

Here are a few photos for your perusal, taken throughout last week.  I am seriously loving the Nikon D-90 and would recommend it to anyone looking into buying a great D-SLR. 

The weather today was quite frightful….it wasn’t cold or blustery, but rather warm and springlike, complete with rain! Somehow, cold rain feels much more chilling than snow this time of the year.  Mark needed to do a little repair on the ATV before finally plowing the driveway.  By the time he got out there,  he was plowing the wettest slush!  Hopefully, it will remain warm enough tomorrow to finish melting all the slush from the driveway so it is clear before we get another Arctic blast midweek.

Tomorrow looks like another active day.  The kids have an early morning dental cleaning and in the afternoon, we are expected at Mark’s mom’s house.  Didn’t I mention that wintry weather was a time for *hibernation*?  Well, perhaps after Christmas?

I won’t bother using words, as I will let the photos speak for themselves….

Isaiah 55:12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Every spring, as all the Bristolwood awakens from winter’s slumber,  this verse from Isaiah comes to mind. Seeing the brilliant green leaves unfolding,  looking so similar to fingers and open hands reaching for the sky,  I can easily envision the branches “clapping their hands”.  This is such a joyful verse!

This afternoon,  I sat bedside,  looking out the window and admiring the blue skies and sunshine.  It was then that my wonderful Christmas Cactus once again caught my attention.  Christmas Cacti have those pretty flowers with the pink “spike” in the center…forgive me for long ago forgetting my science lessons in botany in which plant part names were fleeting at best!

I love Christmas Cactus plants so much just because they are so colorful!  Their flowers seem quite abundant with little care or fuss.  The flowers always appear,  the weight of the flower pulling the branch downward, giving the plant a “fountainlike” appearance.

But today, as I looked at the plant,  I smiled as I noted one flower; instead of looking down,  this glorious flower had its little face pointed heavenward!

If you have read here for any length of time,  you realize that my imagination causes me to ponder many times,  leading me into some abstract areas!  As I looked more closely at the flower,  I couldn’t help but be fascinated at the sparkly white flower with its pink “rim”.  The white brought to mind being “clothed in righteousness”…. Seeing the flower standing so boldly, looking heavenward, it seemed to not care what the other flowers thought about it.  Very profound.

And so,  I end this post being thankful for the beauty that surrounds us.  Beauty can be found everywhere…we need only spot it!

One day last week,  I had to stop at Walgreen’s Pharmacy in Canandaigua.  I hurried into the store and made my purchase and on my way out to the Explorer,  I saw what didn’t seem possible.  There, in the midst of dead brush and bramble was a cluster of beautiful purple color!

Our flowers like these have been gone now for weeks.  I’m not sure what kept this awesome plant from succumbing to the ravages of a frost,  but it certainly was pretty!

This morning, while chatting with my mom on the phone,  she asked how I managed to keep from getting the bug that troubled our family.  She probably remembers when I was younger,  I caught every cough and cold that came along along.  If I was in a room and someone coughed,  I would end up with a cold!

Well,  I guess there are two three things I have been doing.  The first involves handwashing.  Handwashing to the point that it seems miraculous I have skin left on my poor hands!  Secondly,  instead of using toothpaste,  I have been brushing my teeth with Listerine!  Yes, I used that horrific mouthwash to brush my teeth while everyone was sick.  I would pour some into the cap, then dip my toothbrush in….and no,  no one else uses the bottle I use, so no spreading germs there!

The third and last thing I did to ward off the invasion of the bug was,  I drank this on a regular basis….

Yeah, that is a Scottie Dog shot glass.  Although I personally don’t drink anything stronger than Pepsi,  I did buy that cute little shot glass because,  well, I will let you guess. <smile!>

So, what is in the glass?

I talked about this concoction last year.  It is a recipe we found on the Internet.

1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger

1 Tablespoon Honey

1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Tablespoons  Water

Now, the person offering the recipe was a Registered Nurse,  saying this stuff “tastes terrible” but that it really works for calming a cough  or helping a sore throat.  She suggested a teaspoon taken at a time.  Haha!  The shot glass was one recipe, and I drank the entire thing down!  It really is hot and spicy but Ben said it has the basic components for a good barbeque sauce.  By golly, the kid was correct and as I chugged it down,  each serving seemed tastier than the one before!

Now, if you wonder if I have lost all my senses, so be it.  But remember,  I was the “sole survivor”!

While I was photographing the cute little shot glass,  I saw Michelle’s pretty red roses and took a closeup of one flower.  Iwas rather well-pleased with the photo…….

And,  speaking of Michelle…..that child!  Look at THIS shot.

She called me into her room to see poor little Murph,  head slung almost to the bedding,  wearing Michelle’s new hat.  She insists he looks “so cute” in it.  But, the new slippers?  That is quite the improvement over the little baby slippers she used to make him wear……

Today is Michelle’s birthday.  I think she had a good one! She returned to her college classes for the first time since last Thursday.   She had requested a chicken dish for dinner,  and shortly after eating, she headed upstairs and fell sound asleep! I think she is still recovering from her bout with the “bug”.

One of the gifts we got Michelle for her birthday was a pair of the most wonderfully luxurious slippers….they are made with sheepskin.  I went in  her room to check on her and smiled as I looked at her feet…

I think we picked a good gift, eh?

I do firmly believe that God puts little “reminders” or, maybe even little “Love tokens” in our path just to let us know that He is thinking about us as we face the bears and giants in our lives. And so, I was greatly appreciative of my Christmas Cactus’s (untimely!) first blossoms of the year!

An update on Michelle: Mark and Ben brought home some Ketucky Fried Chicken (grilled, not fried) as per my request. Michelle came downstairs just before they arrived home,  demanding some “real food”!  She ate and said she felt better.  She is still running a slight fever but feeling much better!  The downside is that I believe Mark is getting “the bug”…..