Some girls ....

"Some girls want a Birkin. I just want a 100 year

old cottage on 50 acres, with a thrift store nearby."

I would add in the following: and a book store around the corner, with a coffee shop that has local musicians and freshly baked scones. We actually have these in our little hamlet and I love we can live in the big woods but still have lovely places to explore and be. I will also add in to this sweet dream that we have our amazing cottage but it's not 100 years old. It looks old because of the bits of character we added in but reality is, our build was just 10 years ago (still feels brand new) and we don't have 50 acres, just 2 but we live in a subdivision and have farmland all around us. Our little plot of land is likely the smallest in our area but we love it and didn't feel the need to have more than we have. So much to take care of already. We wanted to live a quieter life, not be tied down by mowing a million hours over the weekend. And we also wanted to see our neighbors, which in the Summer we can't see other homes or lights but in the Winter, when the leaves are gone, we can see some lights and our neighbors homes. The best of it all. It's so beautiful right now with all the snow, and honestly, the only thing I ever am not fond of is the icy roads at times (infrequent but part of life in the country) and the occasional wind storm that scares me! We are at a time in our life where we can stay home when the weather is bad, and we get our trees checked each year to ensure any that may be more prone to falling are taken down. A very peaceful life!

                                  💗 Chy 💗

Wintry Day.

We are officially snowed in today! Yesterday, a heavy snowfall warning was issued for our region and we quickly shifted our day around so we could stay home today and just work, while the snow fell silently outside. One promise we made to each other was that if we moved to the country, we would not chance our lives if the weather was bad. So far, for the most part, we've been able to navigate this each Winter. It was hard when I was at the hospice to travel all the way into the Big City but I managed to work thru it all. But now we have more flexibility and it's made Winter less stressful. The snow started last night and has been falling all day. Road reports have not been good. We plan to venture into town tomorrow for a Christmas breakfast with the Chamber and to visit my mom's new care home as she moves on Monday. But we'll wait to see if the roads get better. Not worth the risk if we can avoid it. 

The one thing I love about snowy days out here is how beautiful our landscape becomes. It's so quiet out here and the snow sits so prettily wherever it falls. In town, there is such a rush to shake the flakes off everything that it's not as breathtaking. We feel so very fortunate to have this beautiful spot we call home. And snowy days means we can be inside, cozy and safe in our little cottage.

Last night, we were at severals events, and in between dh commented how he was loving our activie social life but couldn't wait to get home to the cottage to be cozy and warm! I totally agreed. Loving this time in our lives but home is where we most often want to be. Today, I slept in a bit, knowing I didn't have to travel in, then had a hot shower, put on my cozies and settled in on the comfy couch to work away at several projects. We applied for funding for Summer Students, attended a webinar on marketing our new centre, caught up on emails, posted on Social Media, read a lot, wrote a bit and tonight, I hope to bake a bit for our Christmas Celebration on Friday for all our littles and the parents. On Monday, we'll work a short day, and have a Christmas lunch for our team, then head home to get ready for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We have our neighbors coming over a couple of days after the holidays to celebrate (we have them over each year) but the rest of the time will just be us. We do hope to visit with our son and his little family. Waiting to hear what their plans are, If not before, then after. Love the holidays every year!

Wishing you a beautiful evening and hope you are cozied down in your little cottage, wherever you live and with whatever weather you have in your neck of the woods! 

💗 Chy 💗

Snowed In.

As predicted by the many weather guys,

we were hit with our first real blast of

Winter. And it was big! Thankfully, in

our region, we just got tons of snow.

Some areas had power outages and wind

storms too. We prepared to as soon as we

heard the news, only going in to town on

Friday to meet a client, and got groceries.

Then we came home and settled in for

the next few days. The snow started on

Friday, continued all thru the night and

then all day and night on Saturday too.

It ended late last night but then did add

in a few more bits today. We've stayed

in, except to go out to shovel the very

light fluffy snow. Later in the day on

Saturday, our sweet neighbor came to

clear our driveway so we don't get stuck

in the snow. He did the lane too and it

makes it so much easier in the Winter.

We thanked him with ale and freshly

baked cookies that had just come out

of the oven. Truly, they are the best

family ever to have as neighbors! It

is not just because he has a tractor

but because they have been out here

longer and have so much experience.

We are so thankful for their kindness.

Have you been snowed in yet?

~ Chy

Blogtober: Day 6.

We have a dream one day of living by the

ocean. Over the years, we have had many

dreams and have often been able to meet

those dreams, even if it's not the full one.

We wanted to not live in the Big City and

when our daughter was 4, we realized we

needed to figure out if the school system

we had grown up with was what would

work for our kids. In the end, we did a lot

of research on the varied options in our

Province and ended up in a small hamlet

outside of the Big City. This school system

is consistently rated at number 1 each and

every year and that was a huge selling point

for us. We've never regretted it and our kids

did end up wth the best of all. After more

than 2 decades of living in town, our next

dream was to live in the country, something

we envisioned as just the two of us. That

dream has now been achieved as we've

enjoyed 8 almost 9 years now out in the

forest, or rather the "big woods!" But it's

not just the two us as was the original idea.

Again, no regrets! We have 2 more dreams:

to live by the sea and to live overseas in

the U.K. for a short time. The photo above

is what I see if we were able to move out

to our favorite little island on the West Coast

one day. Ah, so peaceful! One day! And

then once we're retired, living for short

periods of time in the U.K. would be the

next step. One day, dear friends, one day!

Do you have dreams to still pursue?

~ Chy

Our Deer Friends.

Our little deer friends on a warm Summer's day. We

still get a kick out of seeing wildlife on our property.

~ Chy

 

Pantry Purge.

Time for the annual Pantry Purge! I do

clean out our pantry as well as our fridge

each week when we bring home fresh

food. But once a year, at least once a

year, I take everything out of the entire

pantry, wash out the storage containers

and wash down the walls and shelves.

Always feels so good after but it does

take quite a bit of time. I like picking a

rainy day or a day my family has an

activity that I'm not going to be part of.

When it's all done, I gaze at it all day!

~ Chy

Visions of Green.

The end of the day light from the West, shining

thru the oval window above our front entrance.

And the beautiful green leaves outside the of

the cottage, picture perfect in the window.

~ Chy

 

Easter Weekend.

We are embracing this lovely, long weekend. Our building permit came through from our County this week and we should have keys in hand for our new space for our program sometime this coming week. It was clear as we worked towards this amazing moment that once those keys were in our hands, life was going to change greatly. And my time will become very busy and likely fractured as I navigate many meetings, deliveries, moving and deadlines. So much is going to happen in a very short time. This long weekend of 4 whole days (okay, we did start a bit early on Thursday, so we'll call it 4.5 days) has been amazing so far. We had some great meetings on Thursday in the morning, including a very long but productive session with our Health Inspector. He shared that most organizations or businesses do their reno or build, and then call him in for the final, so he was quite impressed we asked if we could meet before the build starts with all our questions. It turned out well, as there are a few small changes to make but if we had left this until the end, those changes would have cost some precious dollars! 

Thursday is Chamber of Commerce Breakfast that we attend each week. The Networking is so important as we build our organizations but even more important to us is the connections to each other as people. We have benefitted so much and it feels like family now. I made some great strides this week with a couple of important individuals who are key to our next steps. So glad dh suggested we start attending a year ago. After the meeting, the snow was really coming down so we did some quick banking and then headed home. The plan was to visit my mom but it would have been her lunch time and she doesn't like visiting then. We instead visited her today and it was a better time together, with no other distractions. She's progressing and is now in a wheelchair ~ hard to see, even though I've been the one advocating for a better sitting arrangement for her. She seems so much more comfortable. I hate seeing her progress though it is expected but its so hard to watch.

We drove home through the snow and the wind, and soon were cozy and comfy in our little cottage. I spent the rest of the day trying to put construction stuff and program stuff in to place. It's all coming together. And then we watched a few shows we are behind on and chilled for the evening. Yesterday, we got up earlier than anticipated as dh wanted to try to get the board and batten started in the long hallway that leads to our Art Studio. We actually did way more than we thought we would get done. Today is sanding and painting. It will be nice to have this one done. I'll post photos as we work away this weekend. Trying to get our cottage all done before the new space is opened. I won't have all the time I've had this year, though my intent is to get it open and operating and then ensure I never, ever get into a situation where my time is everyone else's. Never again!

Last night, we watched Corrie and then another show we needed to catch up on. Late bedtime, which was not the best idea as we were up so early this morning. We thought it might be super busy at the grocery store so we went early and that was a good thing as it was quiet while we were there but definitely got crowded after we left. We visited the bank to chat with our bank manager, visited our site, had a great time with my mom, picked up dinner, found the top piece we'll use for trim on the board and batten, then headed home in the gorgeous sun. Put the groceries away, answered some emails and after a quick lunch, now I'm off to paint the board and batten, while dh watches hockey with dd and dgs. After I'm done, I'm going to have a quick bath, then we'll settle in for dinner, a movie or show, and likely a bit earlier bed time tonight. No big plans tomorrow other than cooking Easter dinner and enjoying some down time. Monday is open as well ~ having blocks of open time is such a lovely way to spend a long weekend. With the sun and expected warm temperatures I do plan to sit out on the deck in the warmth. Soaking it all in!

What are your plans for the weekend?

~ Chy

1/2 Bath Makeover.

When we built our little cottage in the big woods a

few years ago, we felt our 1/2 bath had no personality.

With high ceilings and wood floors, it felt like it was

just a cold, noisy and uninviting room. It had to change.

We spent a lot of time looking at other 1/2 baths to find

some inspiration. One day, we came across a photo of

a 1/2 bath in the U.K. in a tiny little "chocolate box"

cottage and that was it! We finally had some great ideas.

To make this small room seem less tall and more cozy,

we found a beautiful wallpaper that took forever to arrive.

But the wait was worth it. Then we experimented with

board and batten in our lower level. Another revelation!

Last week, with the weather turning to cold and snow,

we got the wallpaper up, the taping done, the cabinet out,

and drop cloths to protect the wood floors. Painted the

lower walls a soft white, then it was time to measure it all.

We installed the board and batten, then added another

coat of paint. Re~painted the sink cabinet, installed the

hardward and put the plumbing back. Took out the tape,

washed the floor and it was all finally done. Well, almost.

We still need to put some trim on top of the long top

boards and hang some lovely art work on the walls. We

are so in love with this little room now. It's warm and so

inviting. It's almost time to have guests over for dinner!

What do you think of our little 1/2 bath makeover?

~ Chy

Winter .... Again!

We woke up to more snow again over the last 2 days.

It is so fluffy, perfect ski snow. Lots of accidents

happened in the big City but we didn't have to go

out so we avoided the risk. Today, we did get up

really super early to head in to town for groceries.

Left the cottage at 8 am, and we were back home by

10:40 am. In that time, we did our big grocery shop, 

stopped at the dollar store for ribbon, another food

store for my favorite chocolate milk, a big box store

to buy a carpet cleaner and then we headed over to

the park fo the annual Winter Festival. All the time,

the snow kept falling. It was quite magical but I had

a board meeting at 11 am, so home we zipped after

chatting with friends and community members. We

loved getting our errands down so quickly. Every

store we were in had no customers. Best time to shop!

How was your day today? Any snow or is it all gone?

~ Chy

Luck of the Irish.

I LOVE St. Patrick's Day, not just because so much green (my favorite color) is all around us. My mom's ancestral family is directly from Ireland and I wish we could visit one day to connect to family we've never met. My great grandparents both arrived by boat, across the ocean, as young teens in 1905. Two different boats, from two different communities, two different families, and yet somehow, they arrived in the same Province and found each other. I have often wondered how scary and yet exciting that journey would have felt. I wish I had more details so might ask my auntie if she remembers any other things about this special story. Such good luck that they somehow became connected. Can you imagine if they didn't meet? Our family might look so different. I might not even be here! Truly "Luck of the Irish!"

Do you have any Irish blood in you?

~ Chy

Silent Corner.

Dh had to drive into town the other day for an in person meeting, and took dd2 with him as she was working at our centre. Dd1 and dgs were at work and school. So that left me at home, all by myself, for the first time in forever. I had a virtual meeting and used the time before to shower, make the bed, tidy my office space, put my notes together for the meeting, had the meeting, then did some work on our new project. By the time I had dusted, vacuumed and cleaned our bathroom, everyone was coming in the door, or on their way home. I was quite proud that I handled the quiet so well, as it's typically a noisy and busy cottage. I haven't been left alone at all since last Spring, so this new experience was one I had been dreading for months, as I knew at some point the day would come. Thankful it was a busy day and went by quickly. 

The shot above was a silent moment in the cottage, before I turned some music on, as I worked. It struck me as the perfect photo to show the quiet in our home that morning, with the sun reflecting on dh's chair, and yet, he's not sitting in it as he normally would be. A silent corner in a typically life filled home!

~ Chy

Cottage Dreams.

Wouldn't you love to fall asleep under

the eaves in this sweet cottage? We

have this roof line in our art studio

and I love when it rains. The sound

of raindrops pitter pattering all over

the roof makes it so cozy and homey.

~ Chy

Inside Views.

I'm going to start my video series this month of our little cottage in the big woods. For now, two shots of a view I had the other day when I was sitting at our dining room table. Both are at the front of our cottage. Our little living room is across the hall from the dining room. In our other house, we had double french doors on the living room and I loved when my kids were little, we always had a beautiful, sun filled tidy room. We lived in the family room that was just a step down from our kitchen and nook. It filled the entire back of our house and was comfortable and our favorite place. The living room was our special spot at the end of the day, or when guests popped in. Where our Christmas Tree landed, and the best place to read a book on a rainy day. The move for designers and home builders to delete formal living rooms and dining rooms from homes now may work for many. But not for our family. We had to design this cottage because every house plan we looked at had no living and dining rooms options, which was sad. I love these intentional, comfortable spaces and so glad we advocated for both.

The second photo is looking thru the french door to the butler's pantry (aka the tea cupboard) and the kitchen. My apron is hanging on the right side. I'm so thankful we again advocated for what we wanted. In this case, a vintage inspired kitchen, with solid wood cabinetry painted a sage green, with ivory accents to match our AGA range from England. Black granite to keep the look with the black top of the range. We continued the cabinets in the laundry room, which is the sliding door at the back of the hall, as well as in our bathrooms, the desk under the stairs and the bookcases in the family room. The only cabinet that is different is the half bath on the main floor. We bought that unit and painted it to match the other cabinetry. A uniform look with a vintage style. And our own eclectic design all over.

More to come this month as Spring begins to emerge.

~ Chy

The Storm.

We've been getting ready for a big storm that was predicated to hit our region over night on Sunday night and continue in to Monday. However, I was heading in to town yesterday afternoon to do a few errands, visit my mom and then go to an event meeting at 2 pm. As I started down our country road, the snow started to fall. The ground was bare and earlier, there had been some sun. By the time I finished my errands and visited my mom, the snow was a bit thicker. I headed to the meeting but did decide if it got too bad, I would head home early. As the snow continued, we all did decide to head home while it was still light and manageable. The photos above show the progression in about a 4 minute time span. Please note, I was on our lane and pulled over to take these shots, with no traffic around me at all. The snow got thicker, the fog set in and visibility was so poor that I'm glad we ended early. The last photo was of the cottage, which is not visible with the fog and snow fall. So crazy how quickly this came on. We were at +10 or 12 C on Friday (different weather reports have different recorded temps for the day) and basically no snow on the ground, to - 30 C today with the winchill and over 24 cm's of snow falling in 24 hours. Crazy! But happy for snow. 

Last Summer was the first time we've ever been on alert for a fire close to us. The dry weather we've had all Winter has been a big concern, so this new and huge snow storm is quite welcome in our area. I truly hope it helps to cut down the risk of fires this year. We've worked so hard, like everyone around us, to live in a beautiful area, in a sweet cottage and to lose all of this to a fire would be devastating. For now, while it's freezing outside, we're cozy and warm inside the cottage, with lots of tea, movies and books to watch, and my Lego to build. A quiet work week helped as well.

Where every you are and whatever weather

you're experiencing, wishing you well today!

~ Chy