Opening, Opening, Open!

I said I would keep you updated on my beautiful Orchid... Over the last few weeks I would wake up to find it a little further along, the stem starting another bud, or each bud getting a little closer to opening...

I woke up a few days ago to find this little one has decided to come out of her little shell...

 And this morning she has opened to show us her beauty. A little light in the darkness, life in the death of winter. Hope when it seems there is none. Thank you, Little Orchid. You brighten my days :)

A Little Bit of Colour in Winter

 I have an orchid plant that was gifted to me for Christmas in 2012 and I haven't managed to kill it yet. I love it. When it flowers, it is such a pretty, happy sight. Especially in winter, when everything is cold, white and dead.
It is that little bit of colour in the winter.

That little bit of life in death.

 That monumental struggle to break free.

That monumental struggle to just be.

Arwednesdays with Arwen - Ice Storm Galore!

Though you can't really see it, there is about an inch of ice on this bush, making it collapse in the sunset.

We've been having ice storms galore this winter, which makes walking outside impossible (so mommy says). She says the ice on the roads makes it dangerous for cars to drive, let alone for people to walk.
She blames someone named "El Nino".
I'd like to have a talk with them.
Although the ice makes for pretty pictures (again, so mommy says), I'm not getting in my mandatory walks and I'm very annoyed with this El Nino dude.
If you see him, tell him to get in touch with me, I might have to show him my mean face!

Arwednesdays with Arwen - A Winter Walk

Hey it's me again! Arwen the Wonder dog to show you a neat little thing that happens to our roads in the winter.
Notice the grooves? The pretty little lines that make you want to follow them and sniff all the way to the end, wherever that may be?
They are there, according to mommy, for traction. See, I have nails and paws that spread out like snowshoes in snow and ice, and they keep me pretty stable, but cars need extra help on these dirt roads. In winter they get very, very icy, which is good for me, 'cause it keeps mommy walking fast so she can't stop or turn around and make me go back inside, but bad for the cars since they don't have nails to dig in, just big tires.
The town brings out these big machines that I like to bark at, that mommy calls graders, and they scrape the road and put grooves in them to provide traction for the cars.
Pretty nifty, eh?

Here's another shot - mommy thought it was very pretty to see the roads and snow and grooves, but I just want to get back to walking, so I'll see you next week!
and Arwen the Wonder Dog

Winter Blues Treasury

'Winter Blues For Everyone' by LittleStudioJewels

Got the winter blues? These blue items will cheer you up!

Temari Ball Japanese Or... PennyFabricArt $30.00	Kids Wall Art - Childre... pumpkinandbutt... $18.00	Porcelain Tumbler in Ar... KiefferCeramic... $50.00
Winter blue white - wo... InsideTheHouse $6.00	Winter Blue Tit origina... VitecArt $60.00	Winter Blue Double Cabl... kareknits $12.00
Antique Bronze Adjustab... CreatedReality $9.00	Nautical Ocean Photogra... Maddenphotogra... $15.00	Ice Blue Flower Large S... mojospastyle $38.00
Winter Blue Sprinkle Ki... DKDeleKtables $4.50	Lamp Work Glass Boudica... LittleStudioJe... $95.00	Embroidered monogram 12... SistudioDesign $24.00
Snowflake Hair Bow - Wi... simpledesign81... $4.50	24 Winter Blue Decorati... BelowBlink $3.50	Ice Blue Ruffle Scarf, ... beadedwire $32.00
PRINT - winter blue gir... AkiMao $15.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Check out my latest treasury, full of winter blues to make you smile :)

Arwendnesdays With Arwen the Wonder Dog

Welcome back to our Arwendnesday's With Arwen the Wonder Dog posts, where every Wednesday is devoted to my hyper, wonderful, ridiculous dog, Arwen. 

So there we were: on a walk during a very overcast morning last week, when I noticed this beautiful, snow covered field and decided to take some photos with my little camera.

Then the battery died.

Do over!

The weekend rolled around and we were on another walk on an even more overcast morning when it started to rain. Pour really. And snow. At the same time.

Lovely.

However, in my quest to not be completely boring to you, my wonderful readers, I decided to keep on going and try to take my winter field shot anyway.

That and Arwen was full-steam ahead and the roads were a little icy, meaning that to turn around would probably end up with me falling and breaking a bone on said icy road.

So there we were: Arwen and I reached the aforementioned field and I brought out my (now charged) little camera and proceeded to try and photograph the field, which in the above photo is not really looking like anything special, though I assure you it is beautiful in person.

I heard a "Yip!"

And I looked down...

And there was Arwen, prancing in the snow, thoroughly soaked (and loving it, I might add), and wanting me to stop taking photographs, and throw her some snowballs already!

Catching snowballs is her favorite winter pastime (well, that and eating her, uh, poo when it is frozen, but she's a dog after all, and I digress - with a shudder), and she will catch snowballs until she is panting so hard she has to sit or lie down in the snow in between each toss, or your digits feel like they will never thaw in this lifetime, whichever comes first (my fingers usually give in before she does, much to her disgust).

Notice the preemptive tongue sticking out here, as in between frantic barks that make it sound like I'm torturing her, she sticks her tongue out and tries to catch the snowballs with her tongue, snapping her jaws shut around it with an audible snap (I would think this might hurt, but she doesn't seem to care), and eating the whole snowball with a very self-satisfied smile. She smiles, I've seen her do it.
She's odd, but I love her so very, very much.
...As long as she doesn't kiss me until after I've brushed her teeth about a million times.

and Arwen the Wonder Dog