Snow Daze

It's been a rare occurrence the last few years to get much snow accumulation in our area.  And when ole Jack Frost does have his way the snow usually melts in about 24 hours.  This makes me a little sad because I LOVE snow. I feel that if everything is brown and ugly during winter, why not cover with a white, glittery blanket? Just my opinion.

You can imagine my excitement last Thursday when giant snowflakes began descending from the heavens with a fierce intensity.  Road conditions began deteriorating quickly so Luke and I both ended up back home before noon.  We had several inches of snow within a few hours and I COULD NOT WAIT to get out in it.  So, like a couple of giddy school children (ok, I was the only giddy one, Luke was a bit reluctant but played along)  we bundled up in our snow attire and headed outside. 

 It was so quiet all you could hear was the falling snow.  Not another soul was outside in our neighborhood. A beautiful marshmallow world all to ourselves. We grabbed our sled from the garage and went to it, sledding down our driveway and cul-de-sac.  At one point Luke said "I can't believe I'm almost 30 years old and I'm out sledding down my driveway with my wife."  My reply was "That just means you're doing it right"  

Saturday we ventured out into the snow again.  The sun was shining and made the snow the perfect melty consistency for snowman making.  The saying goes when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.  Well I say when life gives you snow,  make snowmen.  We started out with the intent to make a typical snowman but when Luke began talking about meeting up with friends to watch the Mizzou basketball game against Kentucky that night, I had the idea to make a Snow Truman.   The picture below shows what we ended up with.  I know what you're thinking: yellow snow!  Get your mind out of the gutter!  I don't doubt Bosco, Ellsie and Oscar's ability to make that much yellow snow but we used watered down craft paint for the color and applied it with a soft bristle brush.  MIZ!  ZOU! 

This little venture has me eager for more snow so I can attempt more sculptures. Snow is so easy to work with it may be my new favorite art medium.  Only downfall?  It melts. Quickly.  I'm not too upset about it though because I had so much fun creating and sharing our work with the world.  Snow Truman will live on in our hearts, minds and social media forever :).

I know that is has snowed quite a bit in Missouri over the last week.  Snow can cause a lot of problems and can be a major annoyance for some people.  The thing is it's only here for a short amount of time.  Before we know it the sun will be bearing down on us with a vengeance and we will be reminiscing about these snow days when the temperature is 100 degrees out.  Not to mention all the snow is helping ease the effects of last summer's horrible drought.  So for now, go out into the snow covered world with reckless abandon.  Have a snowball fight.  Go sledding.  Build a wicked snow fort.  Make a snowman or snow sculpture. Surrender yourself to the childlike wonder that still resides somewhere inside you.   Be in awe of the beauty of a winter wonderland.  Like I said before, it won't last long. 

Last Train to Clarksville

The first weekend in February we took a day-trip to Clarksville, MO to meet my parents for a little eagle watching. We did NOT take a train there (don't think its even an option) but I like to use song lyrics as much as possible in day to day life.

 I don't know what it is about little river towns but I am completely infatuated with them.  They are always so lively and quaint with much to explore and usually teeming with history.  Clarksville did not disappoint. 

We began our day at the lock and dam to scout out the eagles.  It was a cold day so there was a decent convocation of eagles along the river.  Did you know that a group of eagles is called a convocation? You learn something new everyday. See, this blog is both fun and educational. And if you already knew that little fact, well you're just a real smarty pants.

The dam has a great overlook platform complete with telescopes to aid in your eagle viewing.  We were amazed at the amount of pelicans (a group of pelicans is called a pod or scoop incase you were wondering) that were also populating the area. There were HUNDREDS. Guess I never really thought of Missouri as a hot spot for aquatic birds. 

After freezing our faces off eagle watching we decided to take a little walk about town and take in the sights. Each shop in the downtown area is adorned with nostalgic hanging signs. You can tell that the town has worked hard to preserve the historic buildings and promote it's business district.  The area is absolutely adorable.  We enjoyed walking from shop to shop checking out the offerings and chatting with store attendants.  And can you believe that my dad didn't complain even once while we shopped?  This astounded me.  He was either genuinely enjoying himself or age and time with my mom has slowly worn down his will to protest.  Either way I'll take it.  Love you Dad!

Bee Naturals was one of my favorite stores and where I scored this amazing skin creme.  I have a problem with obsessively washing my hands and during the winter they can get super chapped.  This creme comes in stick form (like deodorant) which I've never seen before and is really hydrating without being greasy. Did I mention it also smells ahh-mazing?  As in I dab a little around my nose so I can inhale it more, amazing.   They have a website that you can order from.  I recommend you check it out. 

I was pretty upset that Miss Tiffie's Candy was closed that day and not just because I was unable to indulge my sweet tooth.  I was really looking forward to meeting Miss Tiffie.  A name like that conjures up images of a sweet, elderly southern woman with a delightful accent and even more delightful personality. The kind of lady that you just want to wrap up in a hug and spend the whole day listening to her stories. Perhaps someone that is a mix between Jessica Tandy's character in Fried Green Tomatoes and Paula Deen. Get the idea?  Maybe it's for the best that the shop was closed because I'm just not sure Miss Tiffie can live up to the fantastical version of herself that I created in my mind.

(Source)

After not much debate (surprisingly) we all decided on The Farm Cafe for lunch. What an excellent, excellent choice.  This little eatery is something you would expect to see on Washington Ave but not in a small, rural town.  Artisan coffee, fresh, wholesome farm to table foods, delectable desserts and a wonderful cozy, laid-back atmosphere.  This is definitely a place I could spend A LOT of time.  Our lunch was delicious and the peanut butter pie we had for dessert will knock your socks off.  Seriously. If plan to go you may want to bring an extra pair.  The experience has made me very eager to check out Overlook Farm's other restaurant, The Station.

church window in Clarksville

Antique doors

Our day-trip to Clarksville was time well spent. Beautiful sights, historic buildings, a variety of shopping and wonderful dining. If you get the chance you should take a drive down Highway 79 and check it out for yourself.  You won't regret it. 

Links: 

 http://www.clarksville-mo.com/

http://www.facebook.com/CoolBeansClarksville 

http://www.overlookfarmmo.com

http://www.beenaturals.com

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day was pretty great this year in the Bryson house. Though today I feel like I have a bit of a valentine hangover after all the sweets and champagne.

Luke and I kinda have a Valentine's tradition in which we use restaurant gift cards we received during the holidays to get a carry-out dinner.  We bust out our wedding china, (which we NEVER use. Someday, right?) light a few candles and turn on relaxing music.  I did a little decorating to make the occasion feel even more special.  We usually enjoy our dinners with the TV on (I know, awful!) so it's nice to sit down to dinner without distraction and really focus on each other.  It's something we should strive to do more often. 

This year I skipped on buying Luke the mushy, gushy, glitter-covered card I usually present him with on Valentine's Day.  Truth be told, I think the whole concept of receiving a card is pretty lost on him. I know he appreciates them but if he didn't get one, he couldn't care less.  I wanted to give him something a little more man-friendly and rustic.  After some thought I came up with the idea of carving our initials into wood. I went to Michaels and bought a natural wood plaque.  After attempting to carve into the wood and realizing how difficult it was I opted to use a woodburner pen instead.  So I have one of those now. If you ever need something burned or want a really intricate skin brand, let me know. Anyway, this is what I ended up with. 

It isn't exactly what I imagined because I had a miscalculation while applying the stain (too much). Then I freaked and tried to thin it out by applying water, which led to the plaque cracking.  Ugh. I was pretty upset at first.  However, upon thinking about it I decided that what the plaque became through error was more representative of love than what I had pictured in my mind.  It isn't perfect. It has smudges and cracks and it's a little rough around the edges.  But it's still there, it's still held together and I think it's beautiful. And the best part is that Luke loves it. 

To round out his Valentine's Day gift I made Luke his very favorite dessert... red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting in cupcake form.  

                                         

Luke did pretty amazing job for Valentine's Day.  He gave me blue hydrangeas like the ones I carried at our wedding, chocolate covered strawberries and a beautiful figurine.  I'm blessed to have such a thoughtful husband.

I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day and felt lots of love.