The Sunny Room

Orchids in the kitchen window

 Oh, yay... The deep freeze of last week is over. Winter has released us from it's icy grip. It's 32 toasty degrees and I'm feeling like I'm in the midst of a heat wave!

If you've visited my humble blog before, you might remember that there are big mountains outside this kitchen window. But, you couldn't see them last week. Heavy frost covered the window panes, climbing ever higher as temperatures plunged toward zero.

I probably handle winter better than most but I gotta say... when I saw that it was warmer in Alaska than it was in Utah? Well, that made me a tad cranky!

At the onset of our sub-zero days, I grabbed the warm coats from the tack room and marched up the hill toward the horse corral.

Sable, my sweet Appaloosa, (black) who can't seem to grow a thick winter coat, whinnied happily and trotted toward me. Meg, my other mare who fluffs out like a polar bear, (red) ran the other way.

There is a great debate in the horse world about whether to blanket or not to blanket. They don't need blanketing! Scream the know-it-alls ~ of which there are many and why are those folks always so loud and bitchy? The deer don't wear blankets so why should the horses?

Yeah, well, the deer probably would if they could. That's my point of view. As humans, aren't we here to make our animal's lives a little easier? During a lingering cold snap, I bundle up both of my beloved horses. And, in spite of Ms. Megan putting up a little fuss, both seem quite grateful for the added warmth.

Bad Dog resting in the Sunny Room

So, what do you do to avoid cabin fever? I cleaned this shack, from top to bottom! I even cleaned the nooks and crannies that most people never see!

I feel proud enough to let you take a peek: This is my sunny room. I can't call it a sun room since it is also my living room.

Sweet little Christmas Cactus

Even on the coldest of days, the sun pours in through these windows and the temperature hits 75 or 80 degrees. Everybody naps in here. Dog, cats... even me!

Azaleas happy to be on the inside, looking out.

Everything flourishes in the sunny room. Azaleas, Calla Lilies, Orchids, Poinsettias. Even boring stuff, like lettuce and onions, basil and cilantro. (Because when it's this cold, I make a lot of soup.)



Yep, that's a dead Hydrangea blossom posing behind this multi-colored (and old as the hills) Poinsettia. Long story about how that got there... suffice to say I saw a sale. Long after I should be buying transplants for an autumn garden.

Anyhoo, that's pretty much all that's happening around this joint. What's new and interesting with you?