Bowl Sunday Ramblings...

It's Super Bowl Sunday. Later we'll be watching the game and having a serve yourself taco/nacho bar. It will just be the four of us, so I wanted to keep it simple.

I started my morning with a Hallmark movie. Now I'm passively watching Kitten Bowl V while I do other things. I've never seen it before. It's cute and promotes adopting shelter animals.

Our weather has been oddly warm this winter. I'm wondering if we'll get a nasty winter blast before spring officially arrives. There are plants already coming up in my flower beds and I worry about things budding too early and then falling victim to a late winter freeze.

I've been sorting through some of my art and craft supplies. There are way too many since I rarely do these type of projects anymore. I need to decide if I still have an inner artist or if it's time to pass some of this on to other crafty folks.

While sorting, I found a couple of vintage valentines and decided to put them on display above our fireplace.

I know I have more tucked away in boxes. I'm hoping to find them all and give them a dedicated storage box, so I can enjoy displaying them each year.

That's all for today. It's nearly time to get ready for Super Bowl LII!

Dreams Deferred...

Well, February has arrived so spring cannot be far behind. I've been reflecting on my life, dreams I've had and goals not yet attained. It's difficult to admit there's only me to blame. If I'd really wanted to finish a book, lose weight, start a small home based business, redecorate my home, etc., I'd have done it. It makes me wonder what the key is. Those who capture their dreams versus those who defer them.

Instead of jumping in with a new plan, I'm examining what it is inside myself that makes me reluctant to be successful in so many areas of my life. Why do I lack the motivation to push through? As I sit writing this, I really just want to crawl back under the covers. I don't even want to read a good book or watch a great film. Perhaps I have a case of the winter blues, but if so, it should pass soon enough.

Even in the midst of this funk, I am reminded of how fortunate I am. I am part of a loving family, I have wonderful friends, and my health is reasonably good. I need to ruminate on what I really want to achieve, and decide what is most important to me. After all, I'm not getting any younger. It's definitely time to make a move.

Snowmen, Postcards, and Calendars...

I have a friend, Carol, who decorates with snowmen during January and February.  As soon as Christmas decor comes down, her snowman collection comes out. Read her Gathering Graces blog post at Silver Valley Stories from December 31st.

Snowmen are also a favorite of mine too. I usually have my little collection out during Christmas, but since there was no Christmas tree or decorating this year, most of them are still packed away somewhere in my garage. The exception are these three, which happened to be on my bookshelves. The tall one was my mother's, the one with the two little girls was a gift from my mother-in-law many years ago, and the one holding the snow baby was a gift from a friend.

Snowmen are so cheerful!

Fun story, my husband is a letter carrier, who has been delivering mail for 30 years. He has been on his current route for a very long time. People know him well and like him a lot. He receives stacks of Christmas cards and many small gifts of treats, etc. Some of the cards are family group photos, and he has watched many of the children grow up and move away. Today a post card came through for a couple on his route. As he glanced at the address, his eye caught sight of his name. Above "Dear mom and dad" was a small "Hello to you too, Paul!" It was from their daughter, all the way over in Italy, and she remembered to greet her former letter carrier. It made him smile. I told him he should have snapped a picture with his phone, which he hadn't, but it's probably against rules anyway. I thought it was funny and sweet that she thought to say hello to him.

Every year one of my dear friends, DeAnn, gives me the Mary Engelbreit daily calendar. I love calendars, and this one is a favorite of mine. There is colorful artwork and quotes for each day of the week. The theme for this year is love. There are hearts on each page, a constant reminder to look for love in the world and to be a more loving person. If we really try, we can change the world for the better.