A Few February Surprises

This happens quite often, but not neces- sarily while I am sitting in my nook, looking out the window, with my camera beside me.

The small owl on the windowsill was carved by an old friend many years ago when I still lived on Long Island.

The yellow candle is, according to legend, an invitation to visitors. It obviously worked on this day.

The strange creature behind the candle is a rabbit with a mouse tail painted on stained glass and in a lead frame. I suspect it was part of some larger project, but I really have no idea why William created it...just one of those things he left behind.

I returned home one day to find this bouquet sitting in my living room. Griff was home and said the flowers were for me. I laughed because I was sure he hadn't bought them!

Usually it's furniture that Griff brings home from his job at the condos on Okemo Mountain, but this time he rescued flowers that were being thrown out.

Eventually some of the flowers wilted, and so the bouquet has gotten smaller, but 10 days later I'm still enjoying a touch of spring!

And my new dulcimer arrived!

On my old dulcimer I put little red hearts with the fret number on each heart. Jeremy kept telling me that I could play without my cheating hearts, but I didn't believe him. I figured that at some point I would brave his disapproval and label the frets of the new dulcimer, but the fret distances fit the spread of my fingers and I've discovered that I really don't need more numbered hearts. Amazing.

Some orchids are easy to grow, like the purple one in the background. They thrive on neglect. When I do get around to watering them, I leave them in a bucket of water for several hours so the bark gets a really good soaking. Then I ignore them again.

Margery took me to her orchid club's annual auction. I didn't bid on anything expensive, but I did come home with three orchids of the not-so-easy-to-grow variety. One promptly died. Another has no roots, just a spray of leaves and a rather dead looking flower that doesn't want to drop off. Last month I noticed that it was growing some new leaves. The third supposedly likes to be pot bound, so it's top heavy, always wanting to fall over. I solve that problem by propping it up between the other orchids. It didn't die so I couldn't throw it away.

I watered the orchids just the other day and discovered that my tipsy orchid had buds! When the first bud opened, I took this picture. I never expected flowers from this orchid, so here's the proof that it has bloomed!

And Jake is still with us. I understand that young pugs don't usually stay in foster care this long, but Jake has definitely settled in. Here he keeps Jennie company in front of the wood stove.

Jennie's back is badly matted so she gets a bath and a shave on Monday. After she loses most of her hair, I wonder if she'll still look larger than the dog...