For those who love the snow pictures, here’s more. For those of you LIVING those snow pictures, so sorry.
These are the same two locations I showed you last week. What a difference!
I save all the egg shells from the house to give back to the chickens who go crazy for them.
Darla was there to greet me this morning.
And of course Hazel just HAD to get in the feed room.
I’ve had to shovel to the Three Amigos outside pen.
Also to the wild bird feeders.
There’s a heated bird waterer 
down here somewhere.
Most unusual icicles.
Went to the grocery store – here’s the parking lot.
I was in town to take pictures in Connie’s sewing room which will take me a day or two to organize. Here’s the two story garage – her studio is the second floor.
And here’s my little improv scrap quilt via Blue Nickel Studio.
I tried to stage another quilt picture with the snow but my phone got so cold it wouldn’t work any longer! Yikes!
Until tomorrow – a picture taken from the barn. Brrr…..
Mary, I hate to brag but we have way more snow in our yard in NW Wi. I just look at it as a chance to sew. I garden too and then no time to sew. Love all your pics. looking forward to Connie’s stash.
Holly Woodyatt – oh, I am so sorry! That isn’t bragging, that’s just unfortunate!
no worries I was giving you a hard time. anyway-back to the sewing machine .ha ha.
Hi Mary, thanks for the great chicken pictures. That Hazel is a rascal! The quilts are beautiful. Here on Cape Cod, we’ve had very little snow this winter. There’s a snow storm due tonight. Love your blog!
Love the improv quilt — like I need more ideas. We don’t have hardly any snow right now. So sorry for the driving part but happy for your sewing time!!!
I look at all that snow and get an urge for snow ice cream! Can I assume all this snow snow closes the schools? Seems like a silly question.
Pamela in Missouri – it closes schools until the storm stops and the plows can get out to clear the roads – poor kids have lots of snow days to make up in June this year.
Hi Mary, I hate to say it but we have more snow here in northern Michigan. The weekends storm saw my husband and sons out for almost 24 hours on downed trees and power lines. One downed tree was found by a sheriffs deputy when he hit it with his patrol car in white out conditions ( no injuries ). One bright note is that spring is on the way. We have had quite a few skunks out wandering around which signifies that mating season has begun. That usually happens just as spring starts. I’m holding onto that cause I’m thoroughly sick of winter!
Gayle S – we have unbelievably not lost power in these storms and we can be thankful for that! We don’t usually get this much snow but I’ll bet you do every winter, don’t you? There isn’t anyplace to move it anymore. I don’t envy you, in fact I’m sorry for you.
Mary, Great snow pictures. You ain’t seen much as we have been hammered with snow here. Still coming down nearly all day. The edges of our private road just keep getting taller from the plow n snow thrower. Of all the times for Brutus to lose a tie rod and take out brakes and other parts. Our ice cicles are same length as yours. Hope the weather in the USA settles down.
Off to sew……
Launa – since you’ve been there, is this the most snow you’ve gotten in a winter season?
I imagined much more and higher drifts. But, I feel for you with all that comes from this coming blizzard. It’s a lot of work moving all that snow, and that is why we are sitting outside with shorts on enjoying the Yuma warmth, and no asthma attacks or arthritis joints!
I do miss the snow of home, but so glad he doesn’t have to be moving it.
Now, I am off to set my sewing machine up outside and work on a quilt that has traveled half way across and up and down the coast for the last couple months!
Oh Mary, when I was kid I used to pray for the kind of the snow that you have. Thank GOD my prayers have not been answered years later!!! That is just too much snow! I can still hear the predictions at the end of last summer ringing out that this winter would be warmer that usual across the country. I think someone should look for a new job! Thank you for keeping us updated.
Thanks for the pictures. Stay warm! Looking forward to Connies candy land of fabric
I feel like a true wimp. Living in Southern California near Timacula we are enjoying the beautiful California poppies that are popping up everywhere. We have been Complaining because we had several days of rain and the temperature down for a short time into the 30’s.
Your pictures are absolutely beautiful thank you for sharing them. I cannot imagine what it must feel like
We are getting light fluffy snow here in western NY now but only 3” is predicted. Grass early this morning but this is a rapid moving storm. Its so cold out there, next week still cold, but indications are second week of March warm weather is coming here. I took my first spill face first on a patch of ice covered with snow on the deck taking the dogs out so ice packs all day on my face, forehead and knee. Bloody nose too so I went down good. I sure must have scared them cause they didn’t want to go back out till my husband came home. Now I will need new glasses that I kept putting off! Love the sweet Darla picture! And your pups enjoying their walk to the barn with you.
Where are you in Western New York? I’m from OP.
We are between Rochester and Buffalo, NY. Where are you?
Kathy In w. ny – oh, goodness! I hope you didn’t break any bones! That ice underneath snow is bad – so sorry for such a painful accident, Kathy!
Hi Mary, I got raccoon eyes and a swollen bridge on my nose this morning. Ugh. Have to help serve Sat nite at a church dinner so I hope I look better by then!! Thank God my arms and wrists aren’t bruised or broken. Need them to sew you know!
Kathy In w. NY – wish we could all see you! I think you’ve got a good reason NOT to serve at church!
Oh, Kathy! I’m so sorry about your face plant! : ( Back when we had a dog, I had a couple of falls on ice hidden under snow, but luckily was never injured. When they happened, the Dewster used to stand and look at me as if to say, what are you doing down here, Mom? LOL
Over the past 24 hours, we’ve had about 6″. The sun is shining and it looks like it will be a beautiful winter day – good for staying indoors and sewing! : ) Hubs just finished snowblowing the driveway so he can go off to work.
Jeanne in the Finger Lakes of western New York
Hi Jeanne,
I was very skeptical walking outside this morning but the sunshine drew me out with the dogs. I laughed over your dog looking at you cause I can’t imagine how I looked to mine! But as I age, falls are scary now. When this weather is gone, I think we need a gathering of all of us NY gals and show some Country Thread quilts! And Mary I just put ice again on my face and it ain’t pretty to look at!! Ha!!!
I dont know about you, but I’m getting teal tired of all the coats, boots etc everytime i have to go out. Get mail, feed chickens, shovel if you get my drift. Ha
And i always thought i had to crush the egg shells so they wouldnt recognize it and want to eat their eggs. So as I write this it is snowing today again here in northern wa state. Oh well I’m at the machine and happy to have this hobby❄️❄️❄️
Rebecca – I think it’s a misconception that giving chickens egg shells will make them break their own eggs. I could be wrong but tonite Reed and I broke 27 eggs we found in the hay mow and gave to the chickens. I’ve always done this.
I can’t believe all the snow you all have!! This last storm missed us in SE Wisconsin, thankfully. I usually don’t mind winter but have sick for most of February which stinks. Oh well spring is coming 🤗 Mary I love the photos of your straight line quilting. I always use masking tape but I am giving that up for the imperfect lines. Love the look!
Lynette Stewart – I’m so proud of you for giving up the masking tape! Life is just too short to be that fussy – of course that’s my opinion only!
That’s a lot of snow. Here’s a story to warm your heart. Our son went to St. Clud State in Minnesota for his Master’s Degree, and he made some great friends up there. Every year they travel to a St. Cloud hockey game. This year they went to Omaha last weekend. Our son’s flight back to Cleveland was cancelled so they decided he would drive back to Minneapolis with the others and fly out from there. Since all of the interstates in MN were closed, they decided to drive on two and four lane roads. Remember, these are guys in their 40’s and among them they had one pair of gloves!! After shoveling the car out of two big snow drifts and running into a third, they decided to return to the small town of Butterfield, MN. A VERY nice couple there had offered them a place to stay. They took all five of them in. Wasn’t that so very nice and kind of them? When I find out their names and address, I will definitely send them a thank you note. I am sure our son did—he was the one with the hat and gloves so I did raise him right in most ways— just not in snow thinking skills🤪🤪🤪!!! I hope you stay warm and safe. Spring is coming—our Hyacinths have popped up!!
Diane in Central Ohio – now that’s a story! One pair of gloves? How did they shovel out? They surely didn’t have a shovel, did they? Did they not listen to the weather forecast? They didn’t use much common sense – they could have died! And just how did they find the couple who housed them? Reading this story just made me scared. Did you know at the time what they were doing? Weren’t you worried to death? Oh my goodness!
HI Mary, Luckily we didn’t find out until he was in the airport in MN ready to get on the plane. He actually has much more common sense than that!! My husband relayed the story to me so I need to talk to him and find out about the couple. I think they offered somehow, but the guys went on anyway and then went back. I agree–no common sense and they were lucky!! Our son lives in the Cleveland area where it snows a lot and the others live in or near Minneapolis so they all should have known better! Yes, I would have been worried to death. Whew. I love seeing Hazel look at you like, “Ok, come on Mom.” Sooo funny.
Diane in Central Ohio – I’m glad he’s alive to tell the story!
It all looks so cozy…..but I live in southern Ca.. I won’t tell you our temperature or I’ll probably get hate mail. Love your barn pics and seeing your chickens. Also, that Hazel is also such a cutie. Love that face. Our yellow lab follows me to the coop every day and chases the rabbits and squirrels. She isn’t fast enough to catch them.
Did you see the news yesterday? They showed a rescue of a SEWER RAT in Germany. It was so fat it was stuck in a hole in the man hole cover. They released it back into the sewer. The only critters I kill are rattle snakes and rats.
I had a beautiful rooster named Rex that looked so much like your lovely boy. We have freezing drizzle today; I’m not envious of your snow… so ready to see Spring! Hazel is such a sweetie!
I find your snow pictures beautiful…sorry, I know those living it don’t want to hear that. What a magestic rooster..proud of his flock. Enjoying doing some appliqué in evening & machine sewing 9 patches…My bullseye quilt is at longstmers & will be picked up next week..then will only need binding…hope to get photo to you when completed..
Your pictures are lovely. Everything looks so serene – but cold. Even with the sun shining. Didn’t know the chickens liked and ate the egg shells. I would think they would choke on them. I assume they provide them with calcium?? Love your quilts – am looking forward to our sew along from your new book. Have you chosen which quilt we’ll be doing?? Terry in So. Calif.
Mary, would the egg shells have the same properties as the oyster shell mixture we used to feed the chickens?
Only 1 pair of gloves made me laugh out loud. Yes, Mom. This younger generation! And 60 years ago living in a small town with only 1 small motel, we always used to take in people stranded by snow storms. Now I think they open the school gym and get quilts from the local quilting group. The kindness of the people in the midwest is wonderful.
Enjoyed your misc. Wed. photos. And all the comments. Thanks for adding to my Wed. afternoon.
And I’m staying inside from the heat, during the second heatwave in a month!! Dash outside to water, not shovel. Despite the weird season the pink Naked Ladies/Easter Lilies have popped up this past week. And my out-of-season pansies have flowered through it all. I enjoy your photos, and I’m grateful we don’t have such conditions here in South Australia, the driest state in the driest continent!
Cheers, Pauline
Pauline Speck – of course you’re having summer, aren’t you? How hot is it? Do you have a rainy season? Or is that your winter? Nice to know someone is reading in Australia – thank you!
As I write this it is officially the first day of autumn, forecast 40C/104F, and several degrees more than that in the north of the state. It is Day 2 of the Adelaide 500, which is 4 days of Supercars racing in a street course in the east end of the city. The temperature inside the cars can be up to 50C/122F!! I’m staying well away from that, in my sewing room. The recovering tomato bushes are covered so that the last crop of tomatoes aren’t sunburnt, and everything has been deep watered. I have dishes of water on the veranda for the birds, which come in for shade behind the screen blinds. Apparently we are in for a dry beginning to autumn, after the driest summer on record, yet there have been massive floods in Queensland. I’m looking forward to winter rains (June to August) when I won’t have to water everything. Average temperatures then will be 9C/48F to 16C/60F.
I really enjoy reading your blog, and watch the changes as we each deal with opposite seasons – which seem to have reached extremes everywhere.
Pauline Speck – it’s so very interesting to hear about your opposite seasons and how you are thinking of the birds as well who get hot and thirsty, too!
Mary, I hope feeding your chickens the egg shells do not put in their heads to peck at the whole egg! We used to grind them up if we ever gave our chickens egg shells. It does not take much (only one hen starting it) to have the whole flock go after good eggs 🙁
Love your flock they look healthy and happy.
Holy Moly that’s a LOT of snow! Brings back our last winter in IL which was pretty snowy too. That was 2013-2014. Don’t miss it one little bit. Neither does my husband because he used to be one of the snowplow truck drivers before he retired & like to laugh at the snow he sees IL snice he no longer has to go out in the middle night to plow! HA!
Love Hazel & Darla is a beautiful cat! Just love seeing all your animals, quilts, etc! Keep up the good work, Mary! Can hardly wait to see Connie’s studio & stash!
Mary, the snow pictures were wonderful. I really love the quilt you put together improv scrap with Blue Nickel fabric really want to try doing one. The pictures were all enjoyed of the chickens, Hazel and Darla.
Marilyn
I will not complain about the snow we have in the Chicago suburbs. Maybe once I retire before the next winter I won’t mind so much. I work late at night and hate driving in it.
You are certainly having quite the winter this year! I’m glad your power has stayed on for the most part.
We were cold today (12 degrees), but still only the lightest of flurries. My tulips and hyacinths are piling up through the mulch—I’m always excited to see that!
I finished my Bull’s Eye this evening and absolutely love it. Now to get back to Caring Hands!!
Jen will be home tomorrow afternoon for her tax appointment. Hoping it will be warm enough to run out to visit Pete before she heads back to Denver.
Mary, the snow is pretty but it can be so inconvenient. Here in Blue Earth we have a lot of snow too. Love seeing your chickens and the pretty roosters. The quilts on the snow look very pretty and Hazel, just cracks me up.
Felicia Hamlin – I think I’m going to open an account on Instagram called HAZEL!
Quilts in the snow are beautiful!! All that snow is good for something. Will there be flooding?
Today the insurance adjustor came to look at our dairy barn mess. He seemed very reasonable and had common sense. We now have 13 dead cows (we milk about 100). We have to take pictures of the “deceased.” How awful is that? On Thurs. they should be able to get enough of the mess cleared away so we can drag them out and call the rendering truck.
Insurance is funny. We braced up the half of the barn that didn’t fall down, so it wouldn’t fall down during this project. We asked the ins. guy if they would pay for that. “No.” But, if the entire barn falls down, they would pay for that. Interesting!!
Kathy Schwartz – oh, it’s all so sad! I told my husband about you and we both agreed that insurance will probably pay for your monetary loss but that’s the tip of the iceberg, isn’t it? Insurance is a struggle between good and evil in my mind. Thinking about you!
I love the idea of the improv quilt. I need ways that are easy to use up my stash. We feel so fortunate that the storms you all get must keep most of the snow. We have just a bit on the ground here in shady areas. We have only had about 16 inches the whole year…. We live in Central Pennsylvania. Everything seems to go north or south. Hope I didn’t just jinx it. A couple of years ago we had the worst March storm ever with 28 inches……………
Beth Laverne – we have experienced winters like yours – last year we didn’t have even 12 inches by March 20 when Rick had ankle surgery. Between March 23 and April 23 we got 42” of snow! And he was in the care center. One of the worst periods of my life!
Couple nights ago we had to go to a local university for hockey sectionals our grandson was in and I was amazed with the young girls who just wear leggings, sweatshirt, no socks,and those Ked type flat sneakers with them. No jackets, no gloves, and we had to walk a long distance outside on campus. It was 18 degrees. I wonder if kids today are complacent to dressing or preparing for bad weather cause they get picked up by warm buses, are dropped off at events at the door, so they don’t dress “properly”. I taught my kids like Diane did her son , to dress warmly for whatever can happen but it sure didn’t look like it with the scores of kids I saw the other night going to a hockey game! I even keep a blanket in my car in winter and I doubt kids do that even.
Kathy – should have read this first. I hate to comment on kids’ behavior since I don’t have any but I, too, wonder about how they dress – we all sound old and out of the loop like we felt about our parents. I remember one time I put on beautiful wool plaid Bermuda shorts that came to my knee with knee Sox and a nice sweater and my dad would not let me leave the house. Our dresses and skirts were shorter than the shorts but he had the last word.
Your quilts in the snow are just gorgeous. Such tiny pieces in the first one.
I love your posts from seeing the snow to seeing your pets and your quilts.
You really put a lot of work into entertaining us. Thank you
Thanks for all the great photos! I enjoyed seeing pictures of your snow but I’m sure not envious. The animals and the quilts are such a treat to see. Nothing prettier than quilts in the snow.
Both excellent!
Hidden Among the Stars – Melanie Dobson
The Baker’s Secret – S Kiernan
Carla and Hazel are very photogenic. The snow really sets off the colors in the quilts. I hope Kathy Schwartz and her family have better news over the coming days. Winter can make life so difficult. I saw on the news that a part of Australia is having fires again. I hope Pauline Speck is not living near them. Have a good day.
Thank you for your concern. The current fires are not near us, but we are on constant high alert because of how dry everything is – no rain at all in January- as well as the high temperatures and strong winds. It’s just a part of summer in Australia, but I have a green garden, of mostly native shrubs, but also 60+ rose bushes, all year round. There’s always something flowering, and always birds.
That Darla is so sweet! Love seeing the quilts on the snow and the colors on the new quilt are fantastic.