Sunshine-Splitting-Stacking...

With the winter weather comes disaster when you live in the forest. This happened a couple of months ago during the night and thankfully just missed our house. Half split and impaled the lawn which damaged the drip irrigation Mr. C installed. The other half crashed across our steep driveway and of course was covered in snow. That was then...

This is now...

Mr. C and I borrowed a log splitter and spent hours splitting the huge rounds that were cut into 16" lengths. They were too heavy to get up the driveway so we had to dangerously split on the downhill. This photo is very deceiving as this is pretty steep.

I am so not a fan of doing this type of physical work. And Mr. C and I are truthfully too old to be doing this type of work. However, we have to do it to have wood for the fireplace come winter again.

This one truck load took us the better part of the day. And...we are only 1/3 done splitting.

Hmmm...now how is this wood going to get out of the truck and stacked into the wood chateau?

Oh yeah...Mr. C and I! We spent the next morning unloading the truck and stacking the wood neatly into it's home awaiting next winter.

And...we are only 1/3 done! Joyous!

Me...I don't even care for a wood burning fireplace. It is very messy and can be very dangerous. My mother always taught me..."Fire can be a wonderful servant but a terrible master." I am and always have been very much afraid of fire.

Mr. C however loves the real wood fireplaces and has two of them. He carries that messy wood all through the house, splinters and spiders included.

Maybe our next house will have one of those new-fangled remote controlled electric fireplaces. Lots of ambiance but no real wood smell or warmth like the real thing.

So while the sun is shining and the weather here has finally become glorious you will find me outside splitting and stacking wood.

I am managing to sneak in a little creating in the studio for a future post or two.

Wonderful weekend to all...

Do It NOW in Review...

This lovely photo has nothing to do with my post. I merely took this of the back part of my yard after winter's fury. Lots of work has been done to clean up yet there is a lot more work to be done. This is June and we are still having extreme cold temps, rain, hail and WINTER. Enough I say. Bring on the sunshine please.
As for my word of 2011 I chose NOW. In keeping with my review of how I am doing with NOW hmmm...Let me just say I don't do well without sunshine. I would just as soon stay in bed and pull the covers over my head which isn't conducive to getting things done.
While I was reading through my latest Costco magazine I see the title, Do It Now written by Wally Amos of the former Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookie empire. This short article was actually sad however it definitely reminded me of my action word for 2011...NOW.
Wally poses the question, "How often during the course of the day do you put off doing things...calling old friends, apologizing for errors made in judgement, following up on an idea?" Bingo! Following up on an idea? Oh that is me. I put off so many ideas that they get lost or forgotten. What a shame I lose my ideas just because I don't act on them NOW. We have all heard the tired old line, Never put off till later what you can do now. Do it now or it might be too late. You can never turn back the hands of time.
So in review, I am going to really focus (my word of 2010) and try to do things NOW more often. Maybe I will be more inspired by not putting things and ideas and techniques to try off until I never get to them.
As for me I am doing something NOW in order to feel more healthy and fit. Every week I make time for me. I go to Weight Watchers faithfully (this way I feel better about the poor food choices I make far too often). I also set aside time for me as I have been doing Zumba for a couple of months now. Me? Exercise? Do something physical? Not me! Ahh but Zumba is not exercise...it is dancing and moving around to fabulous music. It is so much fun. I have truly found a form of physical activity that I am enjoying and it is helping me feel very healthy and smart about my life.
Wonderful Weekend to all. May you each spend some time on yourself and may you enjoy something special just because...
Me...I will be acting on the here and NOW and I will be keeping happy healthy thoughts.

This is NOT Spring...

This is NOT Spring...

I just stepped out my front door and took this photo.

This snow and rain is here for the next seven (7) days.

Only one of my couple hundred daffodils started to blossom yesterday.

Now it will be smashed to the ground with heavy wet snow.

Please wait for me dear daffodils.

I so look forward to your bright yellow blooms.

That bright yellow that makes me smile.

That gives me hope sunshine will come and stay.

Oh winter you may rest for another year.

Our water tables are happily full to capacity.

Our forest trees have filled their energy with your water.

Please bring Spring...

Birds Who Sing...

Sunshine and Smiles...