HEPATICA

First  wildflowers of the year!!!  The Dutchman's Breeches are peeking through as is the May Apple and Toad Trillium.    My double Bloodroot seems to be dying back a bit.  Guess it doesn't like it's new home.

CATS CRADLE

Last week I went over to Elhannon Nursery to meet up with Jim Sutton for the purpose of choosing a 'significant' tree to plant in our front meadow.  As we drove down through the nursery I spotted this work of art and he stopped so that I could take a picture.  This is a large oak, Red I think, that was hand dug and hand tied by Adreus and his brothers and along with two others, one is visible in the background will be loaded onto a flat bed and driven to the Cape.  Apparently the purchaser buys several each year.   I think that his pockets must be a bit deeper than ours however as we buy only on each year.

This years tree will be another oak, White Oak to be specific.  Unfortunately I neglected to get a picture of it but will be sure to post some pics here when they deliver and plant it.

UPHOLSTERY FABRIC

The fabric directly below is a gorgeous cotton damask and will be the new upholstery fabric for the camelback sofa.

The yellow/gold fabric was chosen to cover my favorite chair.

SHARPIE COMES FOR LUNCH

Sharp-shinned Hawk

This Sharpie is not an unfamiliar visitor to Amen Farm.   He/she breezes through a couple of times a week and often chooses to sit atop one feeder or another in wait for lunch to arrive. It never does.   I do wonder if this might be a 1st year bird that isn't yet as wile as a successful adult.

Awoke this morning to a world of white and it is still coming down.  I'm not sure whether it will amount to much but I'll take whatever comes with gratitude.

Yesterday I drove down to West Springfield to pay a visit to Osgood Textiles.  My mission was to find fabric  to reupholster my favorite chair.  Over the last several months I have made a number of trips to Osgood Textiles and have never failed to score  the perfect fabric for one piece of furniture or another.  On my first trip I found some gorgeous dusky apricot velvet with small navy motifs .......perfect for the two Susie Wiggins chairs presently lying is disrepair in the basement.  Next I  found the perfect cotton damask for the camelback sofa in our living room.  I'll attempt to take photos a bit later in the day.

Apparently I am  unable to download pictures from iPhoto to this blog??????  Yet another mountain to climb.  Fortunately our library will be offering a Mac Help session in February.  Perhaps I'll be able to figure this out on my own.  Stay tuned!!

Meanwhile, the weather seems much like last winter.   We had a bit of snow in late December/early January and it is ALL gone.  I 've been on my snowshoes just once.  So sad.

All for now as I'm off to pick up my sewing machine and then to West Springfield to choose some fabric for two living room chairs.

Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy has just passed through.  It is pretty windy out there this morning but I'd say that we drew the long straw this time.  We did have some rain and wind overnight but nothing to frighten us.  Central Vermont must have been working overtime because our lights didn't flicker but once.

Unfortunately I can't post any pictures because I am so technically challenged that I can't figure out how to get my photos from my PC to my MacBook.

NEW CHAPTER

Back in August we welcomed Atticus into our family.  We drove to Toronto on a Thursday, spent the night in Milton, Ontario and drove Halton Hills to Dawin Kennels to meet Atticus and bring him home.  He has grown lots since this picture was taken and is a real caution.  Last night he had his first 'puppy class' and was absolutely a mess.   All the stuff that we had practiced at home went right out the window and he became a leaping wild man.  You can see the twinkle in his eye in his picture!!!   He'll get it but it'll be a challange.

We are having some 'weather' this afternoon.  The wind has picked up and the rain is steady and due to last through the night.  The summer has been a dry one so we are appreciating this good soaking.  When transplanting perrenials over the weekend I was surprised at how dry the gardens were.  Not just a few inches of dry soil but dry a good foot down.