Virtual Vermut

Oh my, if we were meeting for vermut this afternoon, I would have to say that yes, there is an animal on my head.

With all the snow we've had the last 24 hours (and it's still falling) I had to bring out the heavy Canadian artillery - my beaver hat - The Thing to wear when shovelling. I would admit that I often forget that I am wearing it and only remember when people walk by and smile at me. I would tell you it started off looking like this yesterday afternoon

and by evening I figured it was time to shovel when I saw this.

Of course, everyone gets in on the fun because there's nothing like a romp in the snow after dark.

If we were meeting for vermut today I would show you my new Buff. With a name like that I had to buy it (and play with photo apps).

But when I take it off, it makes my hair look like this.

Which may, in fact, be an overall improvement.

If we were meeting for vermut today I would tell you I finally threw out my favourite pair of cheaters

All the kings horses and all the kings men couldn't put these back together again. And I would tell you about a scary moment I had cleaning out the fridge. I wasn't sure if this was really, really old mashed potatoes or some kind of stinky cheese

and since I don't "do" stinky cheese I had to ask the stinky cheese lover in the house. It wasn't stinky cheese. But on that subject, most people I know are happy that I've switched over to eating un-sulphured apricots.

If we were meeting for vermut I would proudly say that I have kept my promise to put myself higher on my to-do list this year and show you an ink dropper drawing I made

from instructions in Carla Sonheim's fun book, Drawing Lab. It's a wonderful resource for inspiration and stretching creatively. I have been gifting myself studio time regularly, showing up at my page and it feels good. Oh yes, and I have been taking the word "no" out and exercising it quite a bit and you know what? Nobody around me has starved or gone naked, and - I still have a job.

I would tell you that the people I live with have gotten creative about what to do with the empty toilet paper rolls.

At least they are changing the empty ones now but it would be nice if they would get creative a little closer to the recycle bin. A girl can dream, can't she? And I am wondering what they are going to do with them now that the plunger handle is full.

If we were meeting for vermut today I would show you this heavenly pot of Creosote balm that came in the mail all the way from The Herb Mother.

It came highly recommended and I can't wait to try it. The creosote bush has many healing properties including treating all kinds of wounds, parasites and unwanted growths (is there any other kind?). And let me tell you, if the jar was bigger, I would consider lathering up a few people I know with it. Buying more handmade products is something else I am putting as a priority this year. And then I would say let's go over to The Catalan Way and wake up Kate because I think she fell asleep on the train home from Barcelona again.