Southern Snowstorm at Kat's Corner.

As I said in my last post, I had to work this weekend. I really don't mind. We spent all those years in the Air Force so we are used to celebrating our holidays when we can. A calender is just a reminder,

not a commandment.

Some time, very late, on Christmas night, it started to snow. It didn't stick to the roads so my drive to work was safe. I have not driven in snow for several years, I had forgotten how pretty it is.

I know, several of my favorite readers will probably laugh at me, but I really am not used to winter any more. I enjoy the beauty, but I hate the cold. I grew up in Northern Utah, plenty of snow there. Here it is still a rare thing. Our storm last winter was quite unusual and quickly melted.

Anyway, yesterday, while I was at work, it continued to snow. Sometimes big fluffy flurries, sometimes sleet. Most of it melted as it hit the ground.

I did not see much of it as we were quite busy. My Sweet Hubby knows me well, he grabbed my camera so he could share it with me when I got home. now I would like to share it with you.

 The barn

 Peace in the snow,

Smoke house,

 This morning, when I finally talked myself into getting up, it was still a winter wonderland out in the yard.

I just had to take the camera out. Cold though, Brrrrr!

 This old boxwood, next to the steps, is snowy.

 Pandora looks cold.

 My Sweet Husbands little corolla is wearing a blanket of snow.

My pickup is mostly bare, I had to clean it off before I drove home last night.

 I don't think Gargoyles like the cold either.

 The magnolia is beautiful year round.

No worries. Isn't this a comforting sight?

My Sweetheart made a big pot of Earl Grey tea and German Apple Pancakes for breakfast.

The fire is toasty and I don't have to go anywhere.

I hope you are all as warm and content as I am.

Cheers,

Kat

Happy Christmas Festivities.

I have to work today.

Lucky for me, we are flexible.

We had our Christmas on Thursday and Friday.

(Why not make it two days?)

Traditions at this old antebellum include at least one game of "Dich nicht!".

As you can see, the board has been played with a few times over the years.

My Sweet Hubby's Mom was from Germany. He grew up playing this game with her.

We have the original, and think of her whenever we play.

The game is also known as Parcheesi, or Sorry, or Aggravation.

My family had aggravation, so the tradition comes from both sides.

Here is another of our favorites.

Trivial Pursuit.

We have had this version since the late 1980's and we do have one extra card set.

It is a lot of fun. Have you ever played either game?

I have to get ready to go to work.

If I don't get to distracted later, I will try to post a few more pictures.

I hope your festivities are as fun and full of love as ours were.

Merry Christmas!

Kat



Winter mornings.

 Early morning light.

Doesn't it look peaceful?

When I was younger, I worked full time and helped my Sweet Husband care for the family. Each year I baked and crafted my way through Christmas.

I devoured magazine articles that told me I needed to "de-stress" the holidays.

Every year I piled on the things I "had" to do,

while my Sweet Hubby laughed at my 2:00 am Christmas Eve Finishes.

Life stepped in.

My Mom and In-laws are gone.

My siblings and I have stopped exchanging gifts.

We no longer live near enough to make cookies for the Airmen in the dorm.

Now it is just my Sweet Husband and me.

I still can't seem to just sit back and enjoy the season.

Even with a heavier than ever school load and a difficult job,

I still want to send out hand made cards.

The new oven is begging me to bake cookies and

I saw the cutest idea for beaded ornaments.

Maybe the hubbub and stress is the only way I know to enjoy Christmas...

North Carolina Wreath

Now, on a totally different note

Visitors in the back yard.

Turkey Vultures.

Cheers,

Kat

Wordless Wednesday Dec 15, 2010.

Trees.

 Saw this lovely old tree on the way home the other day.

It was so perfect, I had to stop and take this picture so I could share.

This is the Christmas tree at Kat's Corner this year.

Quite nice if I do says so myself.

Cheers,

Kat

Abbeville Christmas time.

 This year's "Parade of Homes" Christmas tour in Abbeville SC was excellent.

 My Sweet Husband and I rode took a ride in this lovely vehicle.

The stables have just been restored. They will be used for all sorts of events.

This fine pair pulled our carriage.

One of Abbeville's citizens.

 Here is another. What a pile of fluff!

 All the buildings on town square have been repainted this year.

Don't they look great?

 Christmas and toy trains go together.

This one is big enough for the kids to ride on.

They also had civil war reenacters, plenty of people in period costumes and

lots of tasty treats.

As they say,

Y'all come back now.

Cheers,

Kat

Catching up at kat's corner.

I have some catching up to do.

Kat's corner is changing rapidly with the season now, autumn has arrived.

I am a bit behind with posting pictures so there are extras in this post.

Here is my lovely old antebellum with a serving of autumn leaves on the side.

 Did you have any visitors at thanksgiving? We did.
This guy stopped by for a while.

 This picture shows the smokehouse, the summer kitchen and in the distance, the barn.
The leaves on this tree were just starting to turn in this photo.
They have all changed now.

See the color on the middle tree, looks like gold.
I love that the trees don't all change at the same time.

Another view of the yard.
Everywhere I look it is pretty right now.

 I thought the dogwood was lovely when I posted the earlier photo,
just look at it now.

 This is one of the places we like to walk.
The road runs past our house.

 Along the way, look at all the color.

 On a different note,
we lost an old friend.
About ten days before Thanksgiving, the broiler element burned out,
(literally burned out, I saw flames in the oven for just a second, and I wasn't even the one cooking)
The poor old thing just gave up.
So,

 Ta dah! A new friend has arrived.
It looks like the kitchen got a make over.
I love the big window on the door.

Can it bake a pumpkin pie?
Oh yes, it can, with a little help from my Sweet Hubby.
It bakes it nicely.

As you can see, it did a marvelous job with the turkey too.
Our Thanksgiving dinner was just right.

 These guys came by for a visit too.
I don't know what kind of bird they are but there were a lot of them, just for the one morning.
Just to brag a little on my camera, this photo was taken from about thirty feet away without a tripod.
I use a Fuji Fine pix.

 This silly old thing prefers fish to turkey.
As you can see, she was not left out of the festivities.

I hope you are as content as our silly cat.
November was wonderful,
I'm looking forward to December.
Cheers,
Kat

My list.

I have much to be thankful for this year.

We have dear friends visiting for the holiday, I am thankful they arrived safely.

I am thankful that my Sweet Husband continues to spoil me.

(He is a vegetarian, but he still cooked turkey for us!)

I am thankful in these modern times to have a job.

I am thankful that my job is one I can feel good about doing.

I am thankful for my big lovable extended family.

I am thankful for my friends.

I am thankful for the opportunity to share my world through this blog.

I am thankful to all of you who keep coming back and who make it a conversation.

I am thankful for my health.

I am thankful for all the opportunities I have had this last year.

I am very thankful that my sister Margaret's health is so much better than last year.

I am thankful for this wonderful place where I live.

I am thankful to be loved.

I could go on with this list, but I think you get the point.

I hope your list is as long.

I hope you are as happy and cozy as I am.

Cheers,

Kat

Home Work!

I still have a paper and a slide show to finish this afternoon.

I am sitting in front of the fire

with a lovely cup of tea

while I work on the homework.

I am thankful to be able to do that.

I am looking forward to Thanksgiving this year!

I'll post my list

"Things I am thankful for"

soon.

Will you?

Kat

Dental appointment today.

Need to have my teeth cleaned,

don't ya think?

:)

Kat

Antebellum Autumn.

Each day here in the old antebellum is a little prettier this time of year.

The sun is shining, but it is cooler.

My leaves are slowly turning.

 The early morning light shows off our house nicely.

 This side view shows how red the dogwood is getting.
See the little tree in front? Nicely yellow.
Plenty of leaves on the ground.

 This is the same dogwood just a few days ago, pretty but not as nice as it is right now.

The little tree, to the left in this picture, is still quite green.

 Even the lizards are putting on their autumn colors.

Ok, so maybe he is really putting on his, hide on the brick, color,

but it looks like autumn to me.
(Don't you think he looks just a little grumpy?)

I took this one in Greenville last weekend.

Look at all that red!

My friend Brian the Cat writes from that part of the world.
I bet he would like my lizard.
More pictures to come,
autumn is just starting around here.
Cheers,
Kat

Life is good at Kat's Corner.

I am having a lovely morning today.

To start with, we are on day light savings time.

We got to set the clock back last night and sleep in an extra hour this morning.

The weather is lovely and sunny outside,

but just a bit chilly (OK a lot chilly).

This wonderful old house is quite comfortable.

My trees have not quite reached this stage yet, but at least some are starting to turn.

I thought I would include this one and see if it gives mine the idea.

 I have a lovely cup of PG tips tea.
(Thank goodness for the commissary and the Internet).
Nothing beats a warm cuppa on a chilly morning.

 Unless of course, you have a Sweet Husband who makes fresh Banana bread.
This was a particularly tasty example. It was breakfast this morning.
He makes it from scratch and it is one of my favorites.

 Here is my very generous portion.
I like the crusts best.
It tastes even better than it looks.

 We spent quite a bit of time and energy last week on this.

I love a nice tall wood pile!

It makes me feel more secure.

We are putting some of that hard work to good use this morning.

Our fist fire of the season is merrily crackling away.

Warm and cozy.

Back when this house was built (around 1830), fireplaces

were the only heating option. They do a great job of it too.

Speaking of warm and cozy.

Spontaneous likes to lay in the silliest positions.

She is very cuddly this time of year, just look at that big soft belly.

I have a paper to finish for school,

I better get to it.

You know what? I don't even mind having to do homework on a day like this one.

Hope yours is as good.

Kat