Winter Pleasures

Hello, Dear Friends, I've been settling 

into Winter here in Western Washington State

and thought I would share a 

few things that bring me pleasure 

during this sometimes unfriendly season! 

The first are pansies! 

Yes, these little charmers are blooming 

and peering at me with curious faces, 

despite our recent cold temperatures

and snowfall. 

These particular pansies are called

'Glacier Pansies', but there are other 

varieties of winter pansies that will bloom

despite the cold. 

Just a few days ago, these were buried

under snowfall, and  were looking very limp, 

but with a few hours of sunshine

they have perked up and are now quite happy.

I planted all of these last fall. 

Sweet yellow and purple violas 

keep company with winter cabbage,
purple flax grass, and purple alyssum

in galvanized tubs. 

Stepping out my kitchen door 

brings me so much joy,

even in winter! 

My second winter pleasure

is reading in bed. 

It's so nice to cuddle up with 

flannel sheets, lots of pillows, 

and cozy quilts for some 

reading time before sleep. 

I found this namesake book 

at a library sale. 

It was written in 1965 by a 

father to a daughter on the eve

of her wedding, at her request

for advice about marriage. 

 The author, Charlie W. Shedd, was a Minister
 with a long marriage

and many counseling sessions
 under his belt. It is a lovely read, 

even though some of the ideas

on marriage are a bit outdated! 

Still, it does give an insight into the lives 

and social mores of our parents and grandparents

all those years ago, and many, if not

most suggestions still hold true.

Of course, I have a pansy bookmark, 

a gift from my dear sister-in-law :)

A third winter pleasure is staying indoors
in front of the fire, crocheting.

There is something so satisfying about taking
a bit of yarn and creating something useful
while relaxing on a cold winter day.

My little basket is almost done and brings
to mind all of the indigenous peoples
who have created similar items for
daily life since the beginning of time.

A fourth winter pleasure for me is
dressing in woolens and tweeds
and warm winter scarves.

This table sits right in the entry,
and is a handy place to drop
these essentials.

My sweet Ramblin' Man gifted me with the gloves
and scarf in my Christmas stocking this year.

The purse is vintage.

The silver star in the tart pan
was his as a boy.

It's funny what you hang on to in life,
and for some reason this has survived.

I found the large rusty star this year
for the holidays and I might keep it there.

My fifth and final winter pleasure
right now are winter berries.

I so enjoy gathering them into beautiful
arrangements with evergreen cuttings
from winter walks.

So simple to enjoy a bit of nature's beauty
even when the garden is sleeping.

Berries are beautiful inside....

And outside.

Kai looks on as Ling Ling passes by
a winter garden in pots.

Beautiful red berries of firethorn (pyracantha)
drape down the steps alongside pots of rosemary and thyme.

While the almost neon purple berries of
 American beautyberry glow along the garden hedge.

And perhaps rosehips would not be classified
as a berry, but they add a lovely touch of color
to the trellis in winter.

I hope you have enjoyed my list of
Winter Pleasures, Dear Friends.

What are your Winter Pleasures?

xoxo

Today I am linking with:
 Love Made My Home - Five on Friday