A New Year and a New Project

Thanks so much to all of you who joined me on my winter walk!  I hope those of you in the Mid-West and the East are staying warm.  Your weather has made big news out here and I have all of you in my thoughts.  Stay warm and safe!!
I want to share my next project with you.  Last winter my sweet sister gave me an old sampler. Here are photos of it. You are able to see it - (  Here ). As it was winter and he was a bit bored, my DH charted the old sampler.  You can see it -(  Here ). I don't know how I became distracted but I never stitched it.  This was the year!! Last night I stitched part of the border.  I am very excited about this project.  It will be truly one of a kind but more importantly, I feel it is a tribute to the young girls who stitched the early samplers. They didn't have the choices we have today in fabric and floss.  I have tried to stay fairly close to the colors she chose but I am stitching on 28 count linen and hers was a much bigger count, closer to 25. 
Thanks again to my DH, the genealogist, we found Elizabeth  her family in England in 1881.
Here is my very humble beginning:

The border she chose was a bit more orange, but I like this color much better. 

Thanks for joining me today and I hope the week-end will be great for all of you.

A Mid-Winter Walk

It is so hard to believe that 2013 will be over tonight!  We are not big celebrators of New Year's Eve so we are having dinner with good friends and will be home by 10.  Now fireworks are a big thing here so it might be a bit hard to sleep around mid-night but I will be trying.
I tried to get my Word Play for Jan finished but I think it will be tomorrow not today.  I am going to show my  start for the new year tomorrow.  Today, I'm taking you for a walk around our yard.  Our average temps this time of year are in the 40's. I hope you enjoy this short walk.

 This is one of two planters by the garage.  It looked very sad after our very cold snap in Dec. but it has come back nicely.

 A red twig dogwood at the front entrance.

We use this little front porch a lot.  It is covered and we often sit out there and read or have our coffee even in the winter.

This bush is called Garrya Elliptica.

We planted it because of this winter interest.  Some call them flowers.

I love the dogwood, mid-winter fire. It is spectacular when it snows!

 I hope the front door says welcome.

 Helleboras niger,"Winter Rose" is blooming right now!

These Hellebors are on their way!

The little Anna's hummingbird we fed through the cold spell each morning very early as they feed around sunrise.  ( I do have a very sweet DH, he did those early morning feedings).

Look who finally arrived !The pileated wood pecker.

Have a great New Year's Eve and a most Happy  and healthy New Year to you all!!!!!!