Snowflake Thoughts

The snow started to fall very gently last night in huge, soft clumps. A couple of times I got up during the night to look out the window. It can be so mesmerizing, the dark trees silhouetted against the pale sky, the falling flakes illuminated under the street lights. It makes me feel meloncholy in a way, just looking out at my street, my place in the world. The beautiful world, if only in that peaceful moment. But these pictures above and below were taken this morning when I took my daughter to school. These are on my street, yes, my pretty little city street! :-)

The photos almost look black and white don't they? I guess because there was no sunlight. Which brought me to my Snowflake Thoughts once I was in and warm and seated at the breakfast table with my coffee. Looking out the window I felt such a complete calmness, a definate difference from all the hustle and bustle of the holidays. I have set my goals, my resolutions, my plans, my schemes!! And I have read so many blogs that were so creative and inspiring on the subject as well. So now my thoughts and plans for the year have been added safely to my Gratitude Journal and that book is closed, but ready for a sneaky peak if I lose my way off the path. And so now I have thoughts floating around in my head, lazy thoughts about getting into a new book or looking through some old photos. Maybe cleaning out my craft bins in hopes to come up with a creative endeavor. Each thought is as different as a snowflake, but I am peaceful enough to just sit still for now and let the thoughts run on. I feel content and my world is good.

I did want to interrupt my reverie for a moment to show you a few "Good Things" as Martha would say:

This is the new coffee maker my husband brought home recently. I thought if Rhoda could share her new vacuum cleaner you all might be receptive to my boasting about this coffee maker. It is a Keurig One Cup. When I first saw it I thought who would want to make just one cup at a time? I like to top mine off to warm it up (and lose track of how much I've had until I have the caffiene jitters!!) But the beauty of it is in the K cups you use. They are the size of the little plastic cream cups you get in diners. They come in boxes of 18 and a brochure accompanies the coffee maker with a list of all the gourmet coffees you can order on their website (as well as tea) and you can also get a sampler pack to narrow down your choices or just have a different cup everyday. I have found the boxes of K cups at Target for $9.99 a box (so far, at my Target at least, I have only found Caribou and Green Mountain brands). Gloria Jeans also sells the boxes as well as single samples for 49 cents. You just pop the K cup in, pour a cold cup of water in the lid that pops up and in 3 minutes you have a nice, fresh cup of hot tea or coffee. I am sooo loving it!! Lastly, if you are interested in purchasing one, I have seen them at fine department stores, sometimes on sale for 25% off.

Finally I wanted to comment on something else that arrived in a beautifully packed box yesterday along with my dove lamp. This is a geranium cachepot I ordered from Heather Bullard's web boutique. I hope my pictures do it justice:

The following is a closeup. I was hoping you could see the crackle effect. It is so precious and so much more than I expected in every way. I would suggest that you drop everything immediately and go to her website or blog. Her creativeness and warmth comes through in all she writes and photographs.

I think I am going to order some bulbs to force in it until springtime brings the outdoor variety! (another Snowflake Thought :-). I am a firm believer in online shopping and I have convinced many a nay sayer to my way of thinking. Foremost, not only will you find very original items, but if you are shopping perhaps Macy's or even a catalogue (L.L. Bean, Ballards, what have you), you will see the complete inventory as opposed to what you see on their floors. To become a saavy online shopper, always, always, always read the dimensions. Use a tape measure to compare the dimensions to something else in your home if you have a hard time imagining the size. Always save the packaging for returns and take advantage of free shipping which a lot of larger merchants are using in this competing market. And finally, nothing, nothing is better than getting a package delivered with a new treasure inside.

If you have snow, have some Snowflake Thoughts this morning. If it is warm by you, bask in Sunshine Thoughts. And do it with a great cup of Joe, maybe from Keurig. (No, I do not work for them!!)

xoxo

Janie