to make you smile in the middle of the week!

I've been working for hours on another post, but today is one of those days when writer's block is instead a boulder, so instead I'll share this hysterically adorable pup that I saw yesterday!!!

 

Are you smiling yet?!

to start your week off with a smile...

Ella's a mighty fine driver!

This photo always makes me laugh-  I save it as my screen saver on those days when I need some extra humor in my life!

Make it a good week!

xojoan

Living in New England: Christmas in January, February... March & April!

There are many aspects of life here that are so unique from other parts of the country, and I want to share those things with my family, and perhaps with you- if you have never been here. I thought it might be helpful to do some posts called : "Living in New England" that highlight quintessential New England sights, events, situations, and experiences.

I also know of many people who have lived here, in New England, their entire lives and perhaps don't realize that some of the events and sights that I will describe don't happen elsewhere in the country. Or, maybe you are originally from New England, but have moved away... I hope these posts will bring back some fond memories for you.   In any event, I wish to share New England with you through the eyes of this Southerner.

(To read my other "Living in New England" posts visit here!)

Four years ago when we moved to New Hampshire at the end of January we noticed a large number of Christmas wreaths still hanging on houses in New Hampshire and all around New England.  That year was record setting as the 2nd snowiest winter ever recorded in New Hampshire.  We attributed the many, many Christmas wreaths that hung throughout the entire winter to the massive amount of snow on the ground that year- people just couldn't get to the wreaths to remove them.
They were everywhere... everywhere! 
It became a running joke while driving around New England in the months of February, March and April to announce each and every Christmas wreath that was spotted..  

"Christmas Wreath!"...

"Christmas Wreath!"...

"Christmas Wreath!"...

...on and on.

Then, sometime in April of that year it was as if everyone got the secret memo and all (well, most;) of the wreaths were removed at the exact same time!   There was still lots of snow on the ground that year in April, so it wasn't that the snow had made the difference.  It was just the strangest thing!

This unusual "tradition" has occurred every year since- even when the snow isn't bad, or like this year when there isn't hardly any snow at all (as you can see in most of the photos).  I especially love the photograph of the wreath and the sap buckets- a sure sign of Spring in New England!

 Certainly in other parts of the country you see the "occasional" wreath and Christmas lights still up in June, but that's not what I'm referring to.  I kid you not when I tell you you see them

EVERYWHERE!!!!!

The following photos are but a small sampling;  they were all taken in the last couple of days. 

Merry Christmas.... still! :)

the next best thing since "the clapper" ;)

I recently discovered this little gem of a dimmer when looking for a dimmer for a light fixture in the barn mud room.  Since you all seemed to like the screw-in light socket dimmer I told you about here, I wanted to share this with you too!  I am so smitten with the dimmer I walk around the house trying to find other lamps to use it on!

This 3-level (low/medium/high) touch dimmer only works on metal lamps.  You simply plug your metal lamp into this small box converter and voila!  You then touch any metal part of the lamp and the dimmer activates: one tap- low, two taps- medium, and three taps- high!

low...

medium...

high...

love!

I found the dimmer for approximately $10 at a TrueValue hardware store, but you can also find them at Amazon.