Here is February, already a month into the new year! On Friday Robbie will be 4 weeks old, and it seems hardly possible. Here at the house, things have been pretty quiet. I’ll be honest, I call it a good day if I can get the dishes from the sink to the dishwasher and manage a load of laundry or two. The paint brushes have grown quite cold and lonely, but I’ll be back. Ideas for new paintings are already swimming in my brain.
And although I thought I’d glide right on with Christmas, springtime Easter themes have been on my mind, and although its frosty and cold outside with even some snow on the ground, we’ve had some nice blossoms indoors. Audrey and I made the two flower arrangements in the jars a few days ago, she picked the roses, which look an awful lot like my wedding roses. And the bulbs we planted in early DECEMBER are finally blooming! The Amaryllis just unfurled this week. It was worth the wait!
Nursing time has also turned into Mama Reading Time and just this morning I finished The Mysterious Death of Miss Jane Austen. Over all, I liked it! Im usually not one for murder mysteries, but the subject of this book was just so tempting. It takes its premise from a kernel of fact— at the time of her death, Jane Austen had abnormally high amounts of arsenic in her system, according to testing done on a sample of her hair. The author did some amazing research, and even lives in Chawton where the Jane Austen House is. If you’ve read it, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Next up I think I’ll delve back into The Map of True Places, which I’d hoped to read before my trip to New England since it takes place in Salem, but I got sidetracked. The Lace Reader is one of my all-time favorite books, so I can’t wait to curl up with this one again.
And if you have any suggestions for books that might keep me enthralled during 2 a.m. feedings, I’m all ears!~
Well, better scurry for now. Might bring the sketch book into the nest of our bed and start thinking up some new painting ideas. That is, if my new Boss Man lets me!
~H
Sleightholm Folk Art 
Your Amaryllis is beautiful, especially with a snowy yard just out the window! for sure, you have been in the path of wintery weather this year. You know, I never knew that Jane Austen had arsenic levels suggesting some mal play! I did learn that old wall paper used to have high levels of lead in it which sometimes caused lead poisoning in the home. I cannot imagine such a thing. As for 2am feeding times??? I am drawing a blank but maybe just re-reading a few of the Jane Austen classics for fun? Hopefully he will soon be able to tank up enough to sleep through those middle of the night feedings.
LikeLike
Without a doubt, Robbie is thriving! He is precious!
LikeLike
Books and babies, dreamy little guy 😉 Mom and I just finished The Dark Witch by Nora Roberts. It's about a witch in Ireland, I think you'd love it!
LikeLike
Beautiful photos. I'd say both the flowers and baby were worth the wait. 🙂
LikeLike
The Amaryllis is wonderful! We have one just coming in to blossom right now, and it's such a lovely patch of brightness in the snowy world. I love the arrangements, too – thy look an awful lot like my dream wedding roses:)
LikeLike
Love those instagram photos of your latest painting projects! Oh, I cannot wait to see what you are coming up with!! The Christmas book illustration is beautiful and your book is going to be such a work of Folk Art inspirations. 2014 is going to be a banner year!!!
LikeLike
OH HEATHER!!!!! He is so precious..oh my goodness. I'm so sorry I've not been buy to say congratulations!!! The pictures of him in the post below with the knitted hat with the needles sticking out is, perhaps, one of the cutest things I've ever seen!!! Congratulations to you and your family♥♥.Looking forward to visiting often as I am stepping away from FB and getting back to my blog!!!hugs to you. doreen
LikeLike
Robbie is absolutely adorable. Makes me miss when my little one was a baby. A good one which I want to read again is Rose Cottage by Mary Stewart. And old stand by for me is Persuasion by our friend Jane Austen. Also The Missing Pieces series by Jim and Joyce Levine. Start with A Timely Vision which is the first book.
LikeLike
Have you read the Jane Austen mysteries by Stephanie Barron? I love them. Your little one is lovely.
LikeLike
Sounds like a blissful time. It's nice Robbie lets you catch up with the books too! :)I can see lots of Americans have fascination with Jane Austen 🙂
LikeLike
i got a lot of reading done when Julia was a baby!! i'll make you a list of recent favorites and email you 🙂
LikeLike