A Red Squirrel in the Cottage!

The Red-Wings Have Returned!

One morn, in the wee hours, the dogs were alarmed by the presence of a little red squirrel in the cottage. We secured the canines and, using boards, created a safe path to direct the squirrel out of doors. Before the little squirrel went out the door he paused and looked up at me, we had a moment of silent communication, and then he calmly went out the door.

The photograph above is of the little red squirrel or one of his relatives.

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It has been a bitterly cold, blustery winter at Corgyncombe.

Above, is a photograph of our smokehouse covered with snow that I took several weeks ago. Now, the snow level is down a bit, a few inches below the latch of the smokehouse door. There is still quite a cover of snow about the landscape and it is snowing this afternoon! We could still have snowbanks in May at Corgyncombe.

The Red-Winged Blackbirds have been late in returning to Corgyncombe. Finally, on March 24th, the o-ka-lee of the Red-Wing was heard and what a welcome sound it was, indeed!

I took our Christmas tree down around St. Patrick's Day. We cut it in December and it was still holding its needles in March. It was just so pretty I hated to take it down. Whilst removing the ornaments, I recognized the white ball with pink roses as similar to the one shown on the dolls' Christmas tree in the Tasha Tudor Christmas video.

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atthecottagegate@yahoo.com


http://corgyncombecourant.blogspot.com/2015/03/a-red-squirrel-in-cottage.html
copyright © 2015 Diane Shepard Johnson and Sarah E. Johnson
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Valentine's Day at Towpath Cottage!

Bobby Takes a Tumble!

 Hittys gathered round the table of old fashioned Valentines.
A Valentine Party of Tillie Tinkham's Sewing Circle was held at Towpath Cottage.

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Towpath Cottage is where Hitty Beth lives with her Mum who is our dear friend.
We enjoyed Valentine cookies and tea and lively conversation with Hitty Beth's Mum. We all had a delightful time!

Old fashioned Valentines were made and given.
The carved wooden dolls were made by talented doll carver Judy Brown.

Tillie Tinkham holding a Valentine.

Hitty Diane and little Andy looking at a lovely Valentine.

Sitting under the table Andy cuts out a special little Valentine for Hitty Diane. How she loves it!

Hitty Beth receives a flowered Valentine.

Tillie holds a pretty Valentine for Ima.

In the background one can see the opening for the stairway. Whilst the Hittys were assembling for their Valentine Party, Bobby, in his haste to rush up the stairway, tumbled down the stairs! Although he later recovered and was not permanently injured, Bobby had to sit out the party with an ice bag on his head.

Above is Bobby at the Forget-Me-Not Fair.

Bobby was in a hurry to get to the Valentine table to pick out the prettiest Valentine for Hitty Diane. Bobby was annoyed that he missed the party and very irked about Hitty Diane and Andy.

Last Autumn we serendipitously found a dollhouse for the little Hittys.
Here Bobby is trying to impress Hitty Diane by hopping up on the porch rail to peek in the bay window. Hitty Diane is alarmed and throws up her hands warning Bobby that he could fall and Nanny wouldn't like him balancing on the porch rail.

Bobby hopped over the porch rail and then he lost his balance and tumbled off. He felt quite smug until he tumbled off. This was before little Andy came to Corgyncombe....

Our email:
atthecottagegate@yahoo.com


http://corgyncombecourant.blogspot.com/2015/03/valentines-day-at-towpath-cottage.html
copyright © 2015 Diane Shepard Johnson and Sarah E. Johnson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~