Saturday Slightly Pretty

While we were receiving our lovely Christmas blanket of snow yesterday, my morning involved filling the cookie baskets.  I thought I was finished with cookie baking on Thursday, but, no, someone posted a recipe for Amish sugar cookies on Facebook.  Had to try it and am glad.  Easy to prepare and "melt-in-your-mouth" tasty.
So, that did complete the baking, and a trip several days ago to the local dollar store netted some pretty baskets for the cookies.  That said, any of you neighbors who may be reading this, it's okay to act really surprised about the baskets when I come delivering.
 I must mention that Thanksgiving centerpiece.  My friend Terri Greene Oppermann, owner of A Floral Rainbow,  creates the most beautiful, reasonably priced flower arrangements.  She almost worked her way out of a job at Thanksgiving when I bought one of her works of art.  She told me it would last, and I must say it's just about as pretty now as it was three weeks ago.  Thank you, Terri, for your talents.  

Had I taken this quick shot of Kiwi a week or so ago, I might have turned it into a Christmas card.  Right time, right conditions, right colors:  the addition of powdery white snow yesterday dressed up the scenes, for sure. 

Just a pretty wreath serving as a centerpiece on the new deck roof. 

Don't know how life would be without that old manure spreader in the front yard.  What a prop it is for so many seasonal scenes.  One of these years I'll have to figure out how to get it all lit up for Christmas.  As snow came down steadily, the spreader did its thing:  adding the winter mood. 

And, while I was taking pictures yesterday, this guy sat comfortably in his cushion on one of the deck chairs.  What a difference a deck roof has made in all our lives.  Festus ain't complainin'!

Just a pretty night shot off the deck. The magic of the Christmas season continues to build up by the day, and today another dimension unfolds as Annie arrives.  
We'll be going to a Bulldog varsity game tonight at SHS, and I'm trying to figure out ways to keep track of the ZAGS while driving to the airport.  Maybe an early arrival at the airport Ramada, where last time a nice staff member turned the TV to Maui tournament for me, will be on the schedule.  
Hope all is well with everyone on this beautiful winter day.  Happy Saturday.