weather

A Storm in the Night

| Cindy Anderson

We weathered our first storm, in my Little Cabin in the Woods.

My companion, Sadie, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, is afraid of storms.

IMG_8723She can hear them coming long before I can. I can usually tell when one is approaching because Sadie typically spends her time curled up underneath my kitchen chair. When storms approach she leaves her quiet little place of solitude to be by my side. If I’m within in touching distance she will get as close as she can possibly be. So close that it seems every ounce of air has been sucked away and there is absolutely nothing between us. If you touch her little body you can feel her heart racing. Her breathing quickens and her eyes open very wide. She gazes up as if to say, “Save me from the storm.”

During yesterday’s storm she curled up into a little ball beneath my makeshift sewing space. If I happened to leave the area, so did Sadie. When I returned she did as well. I feel sad for her because of her fear. If only I could reassure her that all would be fine. Unfortunately it’s difficult to relay that to her. Because of her disease (more about that some other time) it’s very difficult to find a place on her body that you can touch that won’t make her feel uncomfortable.

IMG_0154The storm passed as quickly as it approached. In no time Sadie was once again back beneath her favorite safe place. Together we weathered the storm safely tucked inside my Little Cabin in the Woods.

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What’s Blooming, May 1, 2015

| Cindy Anderson

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Spring, one of my favorite seasons, brings with it the anticipation of abundant sunshine and balmy temperatures. Anyone living in Wisconsin knows that Spring is unpredictable; the thermometer is far from steady, temperatures swing wildly from frigid cold to pleasantly warm, and the much craved sunshine often lies hidden behind layers of clouds.

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But in amongst the disappointing, unpredictable weather comes the beauty and wonder of the slowly emerging tiny plants. Peeking from the buds on every single branch are hundreds of tiny leaves. These small glimpses of new life remind us of the beauty yet to come.

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On one recent balmy day I snatched my camera, slipped on a pair of flip-flops and headed outside to capture a piece of Spring. As I circled my environment I documented as many signs of Spring as I could uncover. Shown here is what I captured from behind my camera’s lens.

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Spring Is Finally Here

| Cindy Anderson

Spring Is Here

I was very remiss at cleaning out my gardens last fall. There’s plenty of debris just waiting for my attention. While longarm quilting recently, my left eye detected movement outside a window. I stopped my Tin Lizzie to investigate. Carefully I moved toward the window. As I got closer I could see a big fat robin. The robin was tugging at the leftovers of last year’s Black Eyed Susan’s. Apparently their decaying stems make for an interesting find.

Stand Still

I stood as still as I could; not wanting to scare away the robin. The bird paused for a moment and waited then tugged once more at the stems. Ultimately he was successful at freeing bits and pieces. As he flew away I could see the new-found items nestled within his beak. The male robin returned numerous times to gather more stems. Seeing this robin actively gathering stems and leaves reminded me that YES indeed spring is here! Yippee!

Take A Look

I took advantage of a rainy day recently to pause and take a few photos in my gardens.  This is the fruit of my labors.  Enjoy!

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While this post certainly has nothing to do with quilting it does bring you a small taste of the environment I live in.  My home, garden and landscape are also one of my “favorites.”   I hope you have enjoyed today’s tour.  Perhaps I will have the opportunity to interject more snippets of my garden from time to time.

Thanks for joining me!

Cindy Anderson
Cindy Anderson