Snow and Paperweights, in That Order

More snow last night. We've had very few snow-free days in February, which suits me just fine. I like the white outline of the hills, the brightness of the landscape.

Of course, I don't do much of the shoveling although I'm pretty handy with the broom, which works quite well with the light dry snow we get when the temperature is low. Larry gets out early to clear the walks, with the help of a canine crew who really just get in the way.

We've been lucky in that none of the storms has dumped enough to require plowing the driveway--and if it was a little deep, we just stayed home. The pleasures of retirement, only going out when we want to instead of fighting the weather to get to work every day! I shudder to think of my old commute, 52 miles one way, in weather like this. I love winter, but those drives were hard on my stress level, and the return at night wasn't much fun either. There were times when it would take 2 hours each way. Long, long days.

This winter reminds me of my first years in West Virginia, when January and February were usually snow-covered. It's how winter should be, in my book. Spring is coming--the daffodils are peeking out of the ground and I see little bits of determined green emerging beneath winter's blanket. Yesterday I bought onion sets, adding them to the basket with the waiting lettuce seeds. Spring will come. Maybe not as early as in past years but sometime in March we will be planting gardens.

In the meantime, I'll just enjoy the snow while we have it. And play with my paperweights.

I've been accumulating paperweights for several years--not really collecting them because there is no rhyme or reason to my selections. I just like them, and especially like the way they look when the sun shines through them. They've been on the back of my desk in my workroom where, sadly, there is no sun. This weekend I figured out a way to display them on the table, where they get the full benefit of the morning sun.

Candleholders, I decided, make excellent pedestals for these colorful orbs. I also used that cracked early American pattern glass jar that I don't have the heart to toss out. The beaded stems were a thrift find and add a little more sparkle to the table on this icy cold morning.

Some of my paperweights were gifts from friends,but most were simply picked up along the way. The pretty one with the butterfly I found in a thrift shop in Sistersville about 13 years ago.

 The pretty lavender orb was a fun addition to my stars-and-planets programs a couple summers ago. I put it on one of those light bases made for crystals and it looked otherworldly.

This West Virginia paperweight was a gift from my dear friend Suzette, who so gets what I like.

Breakfast is certainly brighter and more colorful now!
Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.