Lots and lots of snow!

Looks like we'll be having more of a winter here this year than we've had for several years! Last year at this time we had no snow at all. If I remember correctly, we didn't have a significant snowfall until Januray. However that all changed this past Monday. We had our first real winter storm of the season and were dumped with about a foot of snow! According to the news, that's the most snow we've had fall before Christmas in five years. I grew up in Windsor, Ontario where the winters are generally pretty mild and we never saw this much snow all winter. When I moved to the Cornwall area in 1977, they had terrific snowfalls. I remember being shocked at snowpiles reaching the tops of the stop signs. We haven't had snow like that for many years now and I wonder if perhaps this year will mimic one of those past years. Today the sun is out and it's a beautiful winter day. This picture is for you Cheryl! I read your blog about all the rain you were having today and wanted to show you that the sun is around. It's just across the ocean that's all! Hope this brightens your day a little.

I've put in very few stitches this week. I've been working on an ornie from one of the JCS issues by Lynn's Prints called Christmas Day Play. However when I was working on it at my DH's office last Sunday, I managed to leave the floss behind on his desk. He has since brought it home for me but left it in his portfolio and took off with it again today! So much for working on the ornament. My CdC SAL was put on the back burner this week as well because of working overtime and other evening commitments. I've elected to stay at home today instead of accompanying Bob into Ottawa so that I can get caught up again. I also need to get started on some of my Christmas card writing. We generally send out about 75-80 cards. Bob does the bulk of them since most of them are former choir members of his from past years. I just do my usual 25 of family and close friends. I'm just waiting for Bob's newsletter to be finished so that I can include it in my writings.

I don't usually start my Christmas decorating until about the 15th of the month but there are some things I bring out a little earlier. One is my snowmen which stay up for the whole winter and the other is my collection of cookie stamps. I got started with the cookie stamps about 10 yrs ago when I received my first one as a gift. I then discovered that the little gift shop near my sister's home in Livonia, MI carried the stamps as well and often had them on sale. So I added a few more. Over the next couple of years I managed to accumulate around 5-10 stamps in the collection. Each stamp resembles a bell (at least the handle does) and is intricately carved. When you turn the stamps over, you find an imprint carved into the stamp which is to be used to decorate cookies with.

After a couple years of collecting these, the company which produces them decided to discontinue them and go with cookie tiles instead. Since then I've managed to add to my collection courtesy of eBay. There are still lots of the stamps out there. I now have 41 in my collection. I think there are about 100 in the total collection produced. There is a fairy tale series with Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks,etc. as well as the Beatrix Potter collection with Peter Rabbit. There also exists a series of Winnie the Pooh of which I have one and a Circus animal series. I've collected several which reflect the different seasons of which my Christmas collection is the largest. When my DH first saw these he wondered if I actually used them. Yes, I have. More so when the boys were at home and I regularily baked cookies. Now I tend to use them mainly during my Christmas baking to decorate my shortbread.

Now I'm off to write some cards and then put in some quality time on CdC. I'm hoping to make up for my lost evening on Tuesday. I'll post an update on this next entry. Have a great weekend!