:: snow birds

I've spent this snowy morning drinking coffee, journaling & bird watching.

I'm so glad that I was able to fill up all of my bird feeders before the winter storm hit.

The little birds seem to be very happy & content, I've seen so much action today.

There is nothing more beautiful than birds in the snow.

I sat watching this little Purple Finch { Haemorhous purpureus  }

for the longest time as he took a long rest. 

He finally flew away & was replaced by this handsome fellow below :).

I had a landscape designer recently question why anyone would plant a tree in front of a window, well that "anyone" was me & this is exactly why I plant a tree near or in front of a window...Birds.

I love watching birds, especially in the winter when branches are bare & you can see all of their little movements. I will always have a place for a feeder near a window wherever I go.

Below the feeder on the ground the white striped 

White Throated Sparrow { Zonotrichia albicollis } .

The every beautiful & graceful Mourning Dove { Zinaida macruoura },

I so love their soft gray coloring & the way they fly in.

Off in the distance away from the feeders sitting in pristine white snow,

I captured this dapper fellow... the Dark-eyed Junco { Junco hyemalis } .

I waited and waited for this striking fellow to show up & land for a perfect capture. 

Our beautiful State Bird the Northern Cardinal {Cardinalis cardinalis }.  

Shortly after I got that shot another guy showed up, 

his coloring was a bit more vibrant & on the orange side. 

This photo harkens spring with the evergreens in the background.

I love how the snow is shining through creating a great bokeh effect.

I'm not the only one in my house who enjoys watching the birds :).

This is my favorite Field Guide, you can find it here.

How are you spending your Saturday?

{ peace, love & hugs }

Carrie

:: All Photos are mine, taken using my Nikon D5300, with a Sigma Macro Telephoto Lens ::

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:: mr. bushytail

Todays little visitor... Mr. Bushytail. 

I'm so glad to have wildlife in my backyard again.

We have bunnies, deer, owls, squirrels, woodpeckers, doves, and a variety of wild birds.

We may only have a little corner of forest in our backyard, but it's full of life.

He & his Mrs. like to drop things on me while I'm lying in my hammock...

I just love looking up and watching them scurry through the trees & into their nest.

Happy Snow Day

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

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:: birds & snow = happy

Watching the birds & snow falling are two things that make me very happy.

Finally we get some snow in our new home...it's ultra fine, but accumulating. 

I'm praying for bigger flakes & to wake up in the morning to a winter wonderland.

I love 

S N O W

&

B I R D S

I'm blaming the blowing snow & distance through windows for the bad photos,

I still had to share though...because there is nothing better than watching birds & snow fall.

Is it snowing where you are?

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

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:: snow day

We finally had our first snow of 2013 last Thursday. It was so exciting when the first flakes started to fall. We all gathered around the window doing our snow dances while watching the huge flakes fall to the ground. The kids were super happy to finally have their first snow day, and a Friday at that...even better.

The only downside was that it put us a day behind in our weekend plans of taking a trip up to the cabin. The upside was that when the power was back on & the roads cleared we were able to extend our snow day to a whole weekend because there was still quite a bit of snow in the mountains.

This is the view out of one of the old cabins tiny windows. I love how my mother has her aqua ball jars lined up in the windowsill framed by her sweet handmade curtains.

There are few things I love more in this world than a good ol' wood fire, and this woodpile kept us nice & toasty all weekend. Thankfully Papa kept us stocked up with freshly split wood...and I think he really enjoyed it too. It was so nice to enjoy the crackle & pop of a real wood fire while knitting, reading, playing games & drinking coffee.

We did venture out of the cabin for several meals at the local cafe. We also took a little road trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway to one of our favorite scenic destinations Mabry's Mill. The roads along the parkway are never scraped, so you definitely need four wheel drive to travel safely along these slippery roads. It was worth it though to see the Mill with snow for the first time.

What a beautiful sight it was. My family has now decided that the next time they call for snow we are hopping in the truck and high tailing it to the mountains so we can enjoy the snow falling while nestled into a toasty warm cabin.

{peace, love & hugs}

Carrie

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:: snow day

This is what I was up to yesterday.

Yep.... making snow angels &

playing in the snow with my little wrens.

I could hardly keep my eyes open the snow was so bright.

How Miss P held her eyes that wide open I'm just not sure, 

mine were burning like crazy.

Thanks Aunt Tiff for the fun pics.

My wren's couldn't stop eating snow long enough for a photo.

They kept running around screaming "Free Food"

Here's my sweet sis Tiffany and her dog Howie, 

isn't she adorable all bundled up like an eskimo. 

We had a fun time building a fire and sitting out in the snow,

It was just sooooo beautiful and perfect.

Howie had a grand time pouncing through the snow like a deer.

I also spent some time photographing the birds outside of my window.

I love how pretty the birds look in the snow covered trees.

Ahhh....snow days....gotta love em'

:: peace, love & hugs ::

Carrie

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:: White Christmas

We all dream of a White Christmas, and for us it finally happened in 2010. They say it hasn't happened in North Carolina in 40 years. So the last time it snowed on Christmas Day was the year my hubs was born, and well me, I've never seen one. Although I do remember it snowing once Christmas Eve on the way to my Great Grandma's house. Anyway....isn't it beautiful. I shot this photo on the way to the in-laws on Christmas Day.  I love this old school house turned home...I really need to go by one day and take actual photos when I'm not driving by in a car.

I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas, I know my family did. My parents and my sister and her husband came to stay with us on Christmas Eve, and we had a little Christmas Eve Fun-Due party. We had lots of fun eating, laughing and watching some movies together.

My sweet little Wrens on Christmas Eve in their new Christmas pajamas. It's our little tradition that every year on Christmas Eve they get a special pair of Christmas pj's. My favorites are Nick & Nora's, I love these sock monkey and snowflake one's. I fear we may be getting a little old for matching pj's, but until they don't expect it anymore, I'll keep buying them. Thanks Nick & Nora for always coming out with the cutest vintage inspired Christmas pj's.

I have so much more to share, but for now I'm going to go back to hanging out with my awesome family. My sister is still here thanks to the snow, and I'm going to go enjoy every minute of our time together. I'm so thankful for my family.

Come back tomorrow, I have lots more to share with you.

:: peace, love & hugs ::

Carrie

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{ feathered friends }

This photo will be the beginning photo for my 365 days of photos.

It's not super creative I know, but the weather wasn't exactly cooperating today.

Here are a few more shots I took today of the birds and my favorite snowy crepe myrtle tree.

I just love the seed pods left behind on my crepe myrtle trees, they are so lovely.

It seems that today my only feathered friends were the Junco's.

I had one sparrow, but it wouldn't let me get a good shot of him.

I usually have lots of little chickadees, guess they don't care for the snow.

This little fellow doesn't seem to mind the snow at all.

Hey dude....you have a seed on your beak.

"Whatever".

*peace & love*

Carrie

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{ cabin fever }

Aaaagh, enough already. Snow and rain yuck. I've been in this house since Friday, and now I'm starting to go a little crazy. The kids have been having a blast with their friends over every second, and I just can't seem to get anything done. I don't know why having everyone in the house messes me up so much, but my routine is kaput. I've gotten very spoiled having the house to myself all day. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my kids, but having a house full can put a strain on anyone, even if they are great kids.

A little snow, a chai tea latte, and some solitude that's all I need.

I just want to get out, go to Target, or a great Thrift shop have a Starbuck's and walk around looking at all the things I want but don't need.

That's another thing, I'm on a new budget. Yuck, budgets stink too. Okay, I sound like a total spoiled brat, and I guess I am in the fact that I've forgotten how to say no to myself. I want something I buy it,

but I'm looking around on etsy, and there they were. I knew I didn't really need two new "vintage" skirts and a sweater, nevermind that I spent only 26 dollars, because that was 26 too much. Usually, not always, but usually. I actually got reprimanded last night for buying some new clothes, well, they weren't new new, they were vintage, but new to me. I knew I shouldn't have gotten them, What's wrong with me??? I really have a problem. 

Am I...... could I be...... (dun dun dun)

a shopaholic?

it's burning a hole right through to my leg - OUCH!. Oh no, that's it! If I have any money at all in my pocket, 

Am I alone in this?  

not always things I need necessarily, but things nonetheless. I have a need to buy things, to look at things,  

Soooo, I'm going to make a commitment to go on a spend { for me } freeze, starting today. I'm going to use this blog to help keep me on track. I'm going to TRY, and buy nothing new for myself for the rest of this month. { I'm expecting a new pair of earrings from etsy, ordered yesterday, but after that, that's it .....seriously. } 

I'm making it a month because I'm trying to do this in baby steps. I know that come spring I'll fall apart, because that's when travel season hits. { and a girl has to have new vacation clothes }

This will make Papa so happy, so send me all of your strength and well wishes so I can make him and myself proud. I Can Do this. I can. no really I can.

xoxo from rehab - Carrie

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