Morning time

Morning time is a special time because that space when just waking and before the day takes off at full speed is where beauty can resides. The field outside my window wears many faces, often controlled by the season and the weather. This morning, as I wiped the remnants of sleep from my eyes, my first glance out the window revealed that the grasses are brown; the snow is whitish grey in its pre dawn splendor. There is a black cat sitting at attention, as still as can be, watching and waiting for an unsuspecting mouse to scurry along. As I fill the tea kettle, I get a sense that there is a reddish glow descending on my view. The sky to the west still holds the dark blue hue of dawn, the sky to the east resembles the color of a light baby blue blanket with pink clouds. The little pink orange glow of the rising sun begins to paint the field with a reddish orange tint. The essence of the field changes from winter white to this amazing warm hearty earth tone resembling the painted rocks of the Grand Canyon. Then, as suddenly as this glow appeared, everything switched into winter grey, and snow flakes began to fall. Time lapse- 3 minutes.

The field where the Hawk watches for his meal

Occasionally, life unfolds right before my eyes as I'm washing dishes. The field is home to many little creatures including mice and birds. Wintertime, especially a bitter cold day, the activity around the bird feeder increases. Much to our surprise, a Hawk set down right by our back door- perching on a snow covered flower pot. His usual treat are little field mice. Today he had his eyes set on the juncos and the finches snacking on the sunflower seeds blown down on the snow. As would be expected, the little birds made a quick exit away from the feeding station. The hawk repositioned himself in the Japanese Maple outside the kitchen window. His strength and power could be seen as he sat motionless on the branches, waiting patiently for a little bird to re appear. There would be no meal for the hawk outside my kitchen window today.

a lasting gift

These little African violets were a gift from a good friend when I graduated from College in June. I don't have the greatest track record with African Violets. Usually after a few months they shrivel up and begin to look like thirty cactus. My mom, Winnie and my mother in law, Annie, now they could grow African Violets. Winne had at least half a dozen plants in her dining room window ,different sizes and different colors. They responded quite well to Winnies care because all the plants were healthy and happy. Annie kept her African Violets in pots set along her kitchen window. A few were quite large, all the plants thrived on the love Annie gave them. Much to my surprise, a week or so before Christmas, this little plant sprouted a few blooms.

Winter View

We had our first big blizzard of 2014 hit the North East overnight. The snow accumulation is not really the problem, its the bone chilling cold and wind that has come along with the precipitation. The sun streams into the kitchen as it nears the noontime position in the sky. The kitchen counter becomes a perfect spot for a cup of tea and a good book