this morning i was outside, the wind whipping through my hair, the cold seeping into my pores, and i thought, “OK, this is it.  no more nice weather.”

i guess i shouldn’t think this way right now, since there’s about four months of it ahead.  must think of cheerier things…plus, there will have to be at least a few days here and there when it’s not gray and cold and horrible outside.

and if there aren’t any good days AT ALL, well then, i’ll just stay inside.

actually, after i reluctantly crawled out of bed this morning i suddenly decided that mollie and i should accompany kevin on his walk to class.  i got up at 8:10 and he was leaving at 8:30, so once i finally decided to do it, i had to move fast.  a long-sleeved outdoor shirt,  t-shirt, leggings, sweats, warm jacket, scarf, hat that pulls down over my face, mittens, fantastic winter running shoes that keep my feet warm no matter what…

and it was actually a little bit much, all that clothing.  except i was happy to have the hat that pulled over my face but it always fogs my glasses and surely i can someday think of some way not to have this same annoyance every winter.

kevin left the house a little before we did because i wasn’t quite done swaddling myself in all the layers, so mollie and i had to run for about seven minutes to catch up.  once she saw him across the field, she flew along, running right through the muddy cornfield because THERE WAS HER DAD!  i walked with kevin for a while as mollie prowled along the edge of the cornfield, always looking for mouse holes.  mollie and i had to turn back after only about 10 minutes, because i had to get back  and get ready for a client.

mollie thoroughly enjoyed our run back, except every once in a while she stopped to see what had happened to kevin.  she also stopped at her favorite huge hole to dig at it a little more.

it’s good that we went out this morning, because even though it was 34 but felt like 21 according to weather.com,it didn’t really feel so horrible, and it’s just been getting colder and more dreary all day.  it’s also good that we went out because mollie needs the exercise, and she still isn’t allowed to work out at the fit club, much as she’d enjoy it.  i think that’s how i managed to get out and run last winter despite all the snow and cold – mollie needed it.

on saturday, mom, aunt sandy and i went to petersburg, which i’m kind of tired of because i don’t care about looking at stuff all the time.  i did buy a couple of christmas things which i pretty much need like a hole in the head, but they were really cute and cheap and i couldn’t resist.  sandy and mom wanted to go to one more place, some place called “the farm,” out in the country somewhere, but i said NO, because i just wanted to go home.

but then i decided i was being a rotten pill, and since it was on the way, we stopped at the farm on the way home.

IT IS MY NEW FAVORITE PLACE IN THE WORLD.  I WOULD LIKE TO GO THERE EVERY DAY.

ok, even though sometimes i buy stuff, i’m not much of  a shopper.  BUT THE FARM IS FABULOUS.  the shop part of it is a converted barn, and there were only a couple of other people there when we got there, and there’s lots of dried flowers hanging from the ceiling, and they make beautiful wreaths, and there were so many cool things everywhere.  i bought some homegrown spices plus a few christmas things, and i can’t wait to go back.

out the back door is an enormous garden, complete with a hen house, and all kinds of wonderful different plots.  even though everything was pretty much dead, it all looked so fantastic, and i’m going to be happy to go back in the spring.  they close in mid-december, according to their website, which is here, in case you want to read about it: THE FARM!

i took some pictures out back with my phone.  this is mom, and that’s the back of the barn.

this is what it looked out right outside the back door.  to the right you can barely see the greenhouse.

i went over to look at the chickens in their house and they all came out to see if i had any snacks.  unfortunately i didn’t.

an ADORABLE kitty came running out to greet me – he was snowy white and black, and really, really friendly and rolled around on the ground when i petted him.  i tried to take a picture, but he was moving fast.

wouldn’t this look awesome in the summer, covered with leaves?

the kitty stopped to enjoy the sunshine on a bench next to the greenhouse.

and here he is, whooshing away again.  the owner of the store said that the kitty showed up about a year ago, and he’s an outside kitty except he gets to stay in the greenhouse.  he’s such a sparkling clean kitty for an outside kitty.  i hope he doesn’t get too cold…

ok, now i’m just going to get a picture of the interior of the shop because i know that sometimes you don’t feel like clicking on anything – this is taken from their website, and it did look just like this:

this is just one half of the place.  fantastic.  go there, but soon, because it’s going to be closing for the winter before you know it.

the other good thing in life is that TOMORROW WE’RE GOING TO SEE HARRY POTTER.  i am very excited about it.

ok then,

mrs. tuesday grace, finally not full anymore from thanksgiving.