Before And Now

Like most of the country, the weather around here is...weird.

I was thrilled when Chirstmas day was 24 degrees...I didn't have to hold my breath

on the way out to the car like past years when it was 0.

I like snow.

I don't like cold.

I don't like freezing rain.

Not. At. All.

But that is what we have here tonight and forecast for tomorrow...

The first two photos are before...

These next two are Now.

That's right,

 RAIN in December in Wisconsin!

 I'm not sure you can tell from the night photo, but the driveway is

GLARE ICE!

So....

We are not sure what tomorrow will bring,

but the shop will be open for business 10-5

with 25% off.

We just may have to have you walk in by a

shoveled path through the yard...

So wear your boots...my boys are home

so they can help you if we need them to...

And if I don't see you because the roads are glare ice too..

HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

and I will see you next week for the 30% off Christmas sale!

...and just for kicks...here is my kitchen tree...

Which I leave up well into January

because I love it's glow.

And I am slow to undo Christmas.



What Happens After Christmas?

Greetings from Bittersweet Farm!

I hope you enjoyed your Christmas celebrations

and the lazy (or not so much) after-days...

and that oh-so-special feeling of fullness.

And wanting to eat only lettuce for the next week.

But seriously...

As the new year approaches,

as in former years, our hours will be ruduced,

and I will be having an after-Christmas SALE!

If you want to add to your linen collection for next year,

or change it... now would be a great time!

I also still have the lighted twigs.

White battery-operated ones that would be

great for Easter as well... :) OR

Electric brown ones that work great in a crock

or a basket with greens or berries.

*Ornaments*Garlands*Wreaths*Electric Lights*

Come out this Friday...

New Years Eve day (December 31):

 ****25% off*** 10-4

*excludes furniture

Closed New Year’s Day

Regular winter hours start January 7th:

Friday 10-5…Saturday 10-4

After Christmas Sale:

30% off Christmas items January 7, 8

Be sure to connect with me on facebook...

you can see my little grandson, Bennett!  ;)

One Week Left!

Christmas greetings from

Bittersweet Farm!

Did you know that there is only one

full week of shopping left before Christmas!

As a “thank you” for your business, I will be having

10% off everything in the store

(excludes special orders)

from now until Christmas!

Regular Hours this week:

*Wed *Fri *Sat 10-4/ *Thursday 12-6

Please note our Holiday Hours:

Christmas week: Wednesday and Thursday 10-5

Closed Christmas Eve, and Christmas day…

New Years Eve day (December 31): ****25% off*** 10-4

Closed New Year’s Day

Regular winter hours start January 7th:

Friday 10-5…Saturday 10-4

After Christmas Sale: 30% off Christmas items January 7, 8

Snow*Snow*Snow

We had the most beautiful snowfall overnight!... My guess is that on the farm we had about 4 inches of fluffy, powdery snow!

Snow+Christmas Music+Pine Boughs=Heartwarming memories of past Christmases...

When we five girls (the first of us 12 Leroux kids were girls), and our cousins would bundle up in our croched scarves and mittens that we received from Grandma, and put on our crispy nylon jackets and snowpants, we would pull out our sleds and trudge through deep snow out to the pasture where the cliffs hovered over the creek. We spent hours sliding, jumping over drifts and sailing down those big hills. Up and down, up and down we would go...breathing into our dampened scarves that we kept pulling up over our noses, but to no avail, as they seemed to always slouch down soon after the hoisting up. Then our exposed wet face would  be all the frostier from the frigid air.

By the time we got back to the house we were delightfully frozen from our nose to our soggy-socked toes. How we loved it! How we looked forward to it!

After Christmas, during the long winter months, mom would invite all the neighbor girls (and a few cousins) over for skating parties. The creek just below our house has a wide bend. Here we made snow angels and attempted "figure eights". Feeling like we were mastering the craft if we glided any distance without falling down!

Those are the sweet memories that Christmassy snow brings...

Those sweet memories serve as a catalyst for my Christmas preparation enthusiasm today. I was lacking a bit of that enthusiasm this year since my nest has emptied, and Dale works out of town alot...But as the snow falls...I find a resurgence of child-like zeal for celebrating. Now, where did I leave my sled?...